ABSTRACT

Objective : This study examined the characteristics of preschool children's handwriting skills, investigated the relationships of handwriting legibility and visual perception skills based on the Korean Letter Copying Test and the Korean-Developmental Test of Visual Perception-2 (K-DTVP-2), and identified the predictors that affect the handwriting legibility of preschool children.Methods : Forty-nine typically developing preschool aged children (mean age: 67.0 months) were selected through the Korean-Denver Developmental Screening Test-2(K-DDST-2). The children were tested with regard to handwriting legibility, motor-reduced visual perception and visual-motor integration.Results : First, in their handwriting skills, the children showed difficulty in line extension, changing the character of a line (a curved line into a straight line or vice versa), and keeping a right angle. Second, a significant relationship was found between the children's handwriting legibility and general visual perception. In particular, eye-hand coordination, copying, and visual-motor speed sub-items showed significant relationships with handwriting legibility. Third, stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that eye-hand coordination and copying sub-items were significant predictors for handwriting legibility.Conclusion : Occupational therapists should evaluate children's visual perception levels utilizing a standardized test, and focus on visual-motor integration skills rather than on motor-reduced visual perception in order to improve handwriting skills. Also, occupational therapists are expected to play an important role in the management and treatment of children's handwriting skills.