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To examine the discriminant validity of the Visual Motor Integration test in screening children with handwriting dysfunction, 599 children in Grade 2, including 41 children with handwriting dysfunction identified by their teachers and 558 typically developing children, were assessed. The Visual Motor Integration test, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.894), showed high accuracy regarding screening purposes. Judging from the values for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, hit rate, Youden's index, and odds ratio, a standard score of 85 was the best cutoff point for screening children for handwriting dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a pilot study investigating an assessment for Chinese handwriting performance. In an attempt to computerize the existing Tseng Handwriting Problem Checklist (Tseng Checklist), this study employed MATLAB to develop a computer program entitled the Chinese Handwriting Assessment Program (CHAP) to be used for the evaluation of handwriting performance. Through a template-matching approach, the program processed each character by using size-adjustable standard models to calculate the two-dimensional cross-correlation coefficient of a template and a superimposed handwritten character. The program measured the size control, spacing, alignment, and the average resemblance between standard models and handwritten characters. The results of the CHAP's test-retest reliability showed that the high correlation coefficients (from .81 to .94) were statistically significant. Correlations between each CHAP and Tseng Checklist item were statistically significant. As these assessment tools for handwriting performance are required for quantitative and qualitative aspects, the integration of the two tools is a promising means for accomplishing a handwriting performance assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some researchers have claimed that important aspects of personality can be assessed using a person's handwriting. The aim of this research is to pull together systematically and extend data on the relationships between handwriting and antisocial personality. Specifically examined was whether there are specific identifiable characteristics of writing and, if so, are these useful in handwriting analysis to diagnose a personality disorder. The graphic handwriting characteristics of 50 inmates with a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder was analyzed and compared with that of 40 inmates without such diagnosis and 50 nonprisoner controls, also without Anti-social Personality Disorder. Forensic experts examined the documents, concentrating on those aspects of handwriting which previous researchers had reported associated with Antisocial Personality Disorder, such as a sinusoidal line, heavy pressure, and an open-shaped "a." Analyses of variance comparing the frequencies of 13 handwriting parameters indicated no significant differences for characteristics in any of the groups on any parameter. The diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder was not significantly associated with any of the graphical measures; however, 5 of the 13 parameters were different between the Antisocial Personality Disorder and the non-Antisocial Personality Disorder groups in a direction opposite of expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on statistical properties and interrelationships of graphometric variables of the signatures of outpatients, 100 men and 119 women, remitted from somatic and psychiatric clinics for possible psychotherapy or for tests of IQ, personality, or brain lesions. The patients' signature on test forms were used. The type of handwriting was classified into Common, Print and Block letters, quantified in breadth, length, and area and grades of slant of minuscules ("lower-case letters") and majuscules ("upper-case"). Analysis indicated sex and age played roles in style of handwriting and size of letters; writing styles differed on most graphometric variables; and meaningful patterns of interrelationships among graphometric variables were specified by factor analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The handwriting problems of elementary schoolchildren were investigated in this study. A questionnaire for evaluation of Chinese handwriting was developed and then administered to 165 children with handwriting deficits. Factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire has six major dimensions, including construction of characters, accuracy, developmental delay, pencil grip, gross movement, and emotional reaction. These six dimensions were utilized to search for subtypes of handwriting deficits. By further sampling, another 209 children were administered the handwriting evaluation questionnaire to classify their handwriting deficits. According to the severity of deficits on different dimensions of the questionnaire, K-means clustering was utilized to classify the children into four subtypes of mild, severe, motor-originated, and academic learning dysfunction subtypes. The classification by subtype might be helpful in planning interventions for children with handwriting deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 10 to 30% of elementary school-aged children have handwriting difficulties. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the Alphabet Task performed on a computerized digitizer system may be used as a screening tool in order to differentiate between nonproficient and proficient writers. Performance on the Mph abet Task was compared for 50 third grade students defined by their teachers as nonproficient writers (M age = 8.7 yr., SD= 0.3) and 50 age- and sex-matched classmates defined as proficient writers (M age 8.6 yr., SD = 0.4). Analysis indicated significant differences between the two groups in temporal and spatial measures of the Alphabet Task performance, supporting its use in screening for handwriting difficulties. Possible implications of the results for intervention with children with handwriting difficulties are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An archival study sampled personality test protocols with spontaneous handwriting specimens from 73 men and 168 women for signatures and scores on selected scales from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2. Judges applied a 5-point scale to sort signatures for tidiness. Interrater agreement was .93. The mean handwriting tidiness score for men was 1.8 and 2.8 for women, a significant difference of 1 point. Correlations between handwriting tidiness and MMPI-2 scores did not support the hypothesis that erratic handwriting is associated with pathology but scores for gender role correlated significantly with handwriting tidiness. Masculine Gender Role predicted sloppy penmanship and Feminine Gender Role predicted tidy writing, independent of the writers' biological sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the components of handwriting of students. Factor influencing the grading of scripts by teachers; Association of personality traits with academic performance; Definition of graphology.

Examines the ability to infer the sex of the writer from cursive handwriting under a range of conditions. Five experiments to verify earlier findings; Result of standardized sampling and testing procedures; Mean percent of correct sex identifications; Sex identification influenced by the amount of material and the use of preferred or nonpreferred hand.

Reports that Gestalt graphologists, using handwriting alone, were able to identify successful entrepreneurs. Importance of entrepreneurs to success in society; Pairing of the handwritings of entrepreneurs with handwritings of a random sample; Difference of conventional graphoanalysis and Gestalt graphology; Implications of study.

Examines the relationship between handwriting and emotional stress. Indication that modifications of spatial writing features with stress are not distinguishable from handwriting characteristics associated with mere acceleration; Variations in handwriting velocity.