| Author: | Wong, Fat |
| Title: | To evaluate an intensive computerized training program on handwriting for children with cerebral palsy |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Cerebral palsied children -- Rehabilitation -- China -- Hong Kong Writing -- Therapentic use Writing -- Data processing |
| Department: | Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
| Pages: | xiv, 101 leaves : ill. ; 31 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intensive computerized training program on handwriting for children with cerebral palsy. This was done by comparing the outcome measures including the handwriting performance and components for handwriting. The handwriting performance included handwriting speed and legibility which were measured by the POET and a 5 point likert scale respectively. The components for handwriting were assessed using MVPT-R, VMI, BOTMP subtest 7&8 and E-Link. 18 children with cerebral palsy studying from primary 1 to 6 were recruited by occupational therapists from three major regional special schools for the physically handicapped in the three areas of Hong Kong, including Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New territories respectively. Their age ranged from 8 to 13 years with a mean age of 9.83 years. All the participants were administered with a six week ICHTP training program, and there was a 35 min session for each week. They were assessed by experienced therapists before training, after training and one month after the training using the tools mentioned above. The results of this study showed that the subjects who had undergone the ICHTP training achieved significant improvement in visual perception with [F = 4.29, df = 2, (p = .02)], visual motor integration with [ F = 7.5S,df = 2, (p = .002)], in their ability to coordinate precise hand and visual movements with [ F = 3.49,df = 2, (p = .042)], tripod grip strength with [F = 6.3, df = 2, (p = .005)], tip to tip grip strength with [F = 5.01 , df = 2, (p = .01)], power grip with [F =3.29, df = 2, (p = .049)] and in their handwriting legibility with [ Chi-square=23.22,df = 2, (p <.001)]. Therefore, it was demonstrated that the ICHTP was effective in improving these children's perceptual motor skills and handwriting legibility. However, it was found in this study that there was no significant improvement In the upper-limb speed, key grip strength, sustained hand grip strength and handwriting speed and pressure among the participants after the training. This might suggest that the adopted program was less effective in improving handwriting speed compared with other parameters. The findings of the study indicated that the ICHTP training offered another choice of training package besides traditional handwriting training programs provided by occupational therapists and school educators. Moreover, the positive findings for the activities of visual perception, visual motor integration and grip modulation in ICHTP would allow clinicians to have better understanding in the training elements and formats that can be used to improve the components of handwriting. This would be useful for future research development and the planning of training protocol for handwriting training among children with handwriting difficulties. Thus, the findings confirmed the needs for further developing similar kinds of computerized training packages to improve handwriting for students with cerebral palsy and enriched the professional knowledge for both clinicians and educators who care about these children with handwriting difficulties. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b23562250.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 22.14 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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