Visual Perceptual Skills as Predictors of Handwriting Skills of Children Grades 1-3

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purposes of this study were to identify if correlations exist between the eight sub-components of visual perception including eye hand coordination, position in space, copying, figure ground discrimination, spatial relations, visual closure, visual motor speed and form constancy, and handwriting ability. The studies also further determined which sub-components of visual perception were best predictors of children’s handwriting abilities. In this descriptive correlational research design, 65 children in grades 1–3 were evaluated using the Evaluation Tool of Children’s Handwriting (ETCH) and the Developmental Test of Visual Perception-2 (DTVP-2) on two different occasions. The Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) and Multiple Linear Regression: Stepwise method were used to analyze the data. The results revealed significant relationships between four subcomponents (eye-hand coordination, copying, figure-ground, and spatial relations) of visual perception and word legibility. Based on the stepwise regression analysis, the best predictors of handwriting legibility are spatial relations, visual closure, and position in space, respectively. This study can guide therapists/educators in determining which visual perceptual areas to focus on when working with children with handwriting difficulties. When evaluating children with poor handwriting, special attention should be paid to the areas of figure ground, spatial relations, visual closure, and copying as they were found to correlate significantly with handwriting legibility.