Examining the Association Between Imagery Responsiveness and Increased Scores on the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment: A Correlational Pilot Study

ABSTRACT

Handwriting dysfunction can negatively impact a child’s occupational performance. Data supporting handwriting interventions are limited, and a need exists for evidence-based handwriting interventions to enhance a child’s functional performance and participation in meaningful occupations. This pilot study examined the relationship between the imagery ability of school-age children and residual final scores on the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (MHA). Totally, 20 students were assessed across four time points: time point 1(MHA and the Kids Imaging Ability Questionnaire [KIAQ]), time point 2 (MHA post-repetitive task practice [RTP]), time point 3 (MHA after mental practice coupled with RTP), and time point 4 (follow-up MHA). The one-time KIAQ scores and the residual final rate and size scores (time point 4) were significantly positively correlated (p < .05), providing the preliminary evidence in favor of the potential usefulness of mental practice in rehabilitating handwriting.

KEYWORDS:

• Mental practice
• imaging ability
• handwriting
• occupational therapy
• minnesota handwriting assessment

Acknowledgments

I gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Lisa Birnbaum, OTR, who served as an independent rater on this project. I acknowledge the tremendous support and kindness of the school’s principal, administrative assistant, and teachers who made this project possible. I thank all the children for their participation in the study.

Notes

¹ Jan Z. Olsen, an occupational therapist, developed Handwriting Without Tears 1999. This program teaches letter recognition and letter formation using hands-on multisensory activities and intensive handwriting practice (Donica, 2015). This curriculum groups the letters according to progression of difficulty and the handwriting style incorporates simple, vertical lines (Case-Smith, 2002). Children are active participants who are encouraged to self-evaluate their work. Therapists and teachers provide constructive feedback and model each letter for the children. Children engage in the variable practice of handwriting by practicing letters alone and then combining letters in words and sentences. They also use differently lined papers (two lines initially, then three lines as children advance in handwriting) to reinforce variable practice (Olsen, 1999).