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Jeffrey Arnold & Morgan Vaughan Minnesota Handwriting Assessment

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Key Characteristics Purpose To quantify selected aspects of young students handwriting Used to support or reject teachers subjective judgment of poor quality or slow rate handwriting in students Age Second semester 1 st graders and 2 nd graders

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Frame of Reference most likely used guiding selection of this tool Biomechanical Developmental PEO

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Bottom-Up Approach

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Test Development and Standardization Test development Literature reviews Consultation with teachers Standardization sample n = 2,000 11 different states Second semester 1 st graders and 2 nd graders

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Domains Rate how fast the child writes Legibility how readable is a letter? Form does the letter make the shape it is supposed to with all lines connect, and all straight lines straight, and curved lines curved. Alignment does the letter rest within 1/16 above or below the base line? Size how big or small the letters are? Spacing how far apart or close together are the letters?

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Psychometric Properties (Reliability) Interrater Pearson Correlation (.77-.88) Intrarater Fishers Z Rate 1.00 Legibility -.96 Form and spacing -.97 Alignment and Size -.99 Test-retest Rate 71% Legibility 64% Form 75% Alignment - 86% Size 82% Spacing 76%

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Psychometric Properties Validity Content Based on literature reviews and consultation with primary grade teachers Construct Manual does not explain but the explanation for content validity explains the construct as well Criterion Concurrent measured using the Test of Visual Motor Skills Strong association between first graders and students in special education with no OT, and for students receiving OT.

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Measurement concerns Scores are subjective because they are based on the facilitators judgment of the handwriting. Only inclusion criteria: Child must be in 1 st or 2 nd grade No exclusion criteria

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Test Length 10-15 minutes for total administration and scoring. 2.5 minutes to determine Rate Child can finish sentence for legibility score.

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Test Cost Starter kit - $87.00 Manual 1 DNealian pad 1 Manuscript pad Each pad has 25 sheets Clear 6 inch ruler Print pads $25 package of 4 pads of 25 sheets for each DNealian and Manuscript print pads

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Testing Procedures Have student seated at a desk or table of appropriate height for their size Lighting and ventilations should be appropriate and comfortable Choose appropriate stimulus sheet (DNealian or Manuscript) depending on handwriting style practiced in the classroom. Time the test for 2 minutes to establish rate score. If the student did not finish the sentence give additional time to finish the words to score the 5 quality categories

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Test Items

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Scoring

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Scoring Interpretation Like Peers Level is equivalent to scoring in the top 75% of the range of students. Somewhat Below Peers Level is equivalent to the bottom 5%-25% of the range of students. These students should be monitored to determine the underlying problem. Well Below Peers Level is equivalent to the bottom 5% of the range of students. These students should be sent for an evaluation to determine the underlying problem.

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Test results

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Area(s) of occupation addressed Education MHA is best administered in a school setting.

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Reference Asher, I.E. (Ed.). (2014). Ashers Occupational Therapy Assessment Tools (4 th ed.). Bethesda,MD: AOTA Press. Reisman, J. (1999). Minnesota Handwriting Assessment. San Antonio, TX: Pearson.