ABSTRACT

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of fidget spinner training on the hand function and handwriting legibility of lower grade elementary school studens. Methods : This study randomly assigned a study group of 12 children and control group of 12 children from 24 children in grade 1 and 2 (ages 7 through 8), whose are dominantly right handed. The study used was a pre-post process. The intervention was conducted only on the study group twice a week for 5 weeks and for 40 minutes per session, for a total of ten sessions. The measuring instruments used to compare the hand functions and handwriting legibility were the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, Grip Strength Test, and Legibility Test. The data analysis used a Wilcoxon signed rank, Mann-Whitney U and Chi-Square cross analysis. Results : The fidget spinner training showed significant improvement in the study group’s hand function(grip strength and handwriting legibility) and a significant difference was shown between the control and study groups. Conclusion : This study confirmed the value and utility of a fidget spinner as a tool for improving the hand function and handwriting legibility of elementary school students in lower grades. Future studies are expected to verify the effectiveness of the fidget spinner training based on the present study.