Evaluation of Adolescents' Handwriting
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| Title: | Evaluation of Adolescents' Handwriting |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Courtney Tolbert, Deborah K. Re (ORCID |
| Source: | Assessment for Effective Intervention. 2025 50(3):130-140. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 11 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: | R324A190145 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Handwriting, Learning Disabilities, Writing Skills, Secondary School Students, Delinquency, Student Evaluation, Adolescents, Error Patterns, Disability Identification, Institutionalized Persons |
| Geographic Terms: | Georgia |
| DOI: | 10.1177/15345084251328996 |
| ISSN: | 1534-5084 1938-7458 |
| Abstract: | Handwriting difficulties may signal dysgraphia or other writing difficulties that can affect literacy performance. Existing instruments measure different handwriting features to identify students for interventions but can take extra testing time and restrict potential indicators appropriate for evaluating adolescents. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate an ecologically valid approach to handwriting assessment. Writing samples from 100 juvenile offenders in Grades 6-12 were gathered at their entry into four long-term secure care facilities in the U.S. state of Georgia and evaluated for nine types of handwriting irregularities. Error scores were tallied across the criteria and descriptively analyzed to determine the central tendencies by criterion and relations among criteria. Summed error scores and reading ability scores were moderately correlated (r = -0.315, p = 0.002). Summed errors also were converted to z-scores, identifying 10% of students with error scores between 1 and 1.999 standard deviations above the z-score mean, and 3% of students with errors =2 standard deviations above the mean. This research offers insights into feasibly and authentically assessing handwriting in diverse settings, aiding the identification and support of adolescents with potential difficulties. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| IES Funded: | Yes |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1474952 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Handwriting difficulties may signal dysgraphia or other writing difficulties that can affect literacy performance. Existing instruments measure different handwriting features to identify students for interventions but can take extra testing time and restrict potential indicators appropriate for evaluating adolescents. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate an ecologically valid approach to handwriting assessment. Writing samples from 100 juvenile offenders in Grades 6-12 were gathered at their entry into four long-term secure care facilities in the U.S. state of Georgia and evaluated for nine types of handwriting irregularities. Error scores were tallied across the criteria and descriptively analyzed to determine the central tendencies by criterion and relations among criteria. Summed error scores and reading ability scores were moderately correlated (r = -0.315, p = 0.002). Summed errors also were converted to z-scores, identifying 10% of students with error scores between 1 and 1.999 standard deviations above the z-score mean, and 3% of students with errors =2 standard deviations above the mean. This research offers insights into feasibly and authentically assessing handwriting in diverse settings, aiding the identification and support of adolescents with potential difficulties. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1534-5084 1938-7458 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/15345084251328996 |
