초등학교 저학년 아동의 글씨쓰기와 실행능력과의 상관관계

The Correlation between Handwriting Skills and Praxis in the Low Grades Students at an Elementary School

Objective : The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between handwriting skills and praxis. Method : Participants consisted of 50 normal children who were the second-grade students at an A elementary school in Kim-hae. They didn't have a visual dysfunction, an auditory dysfunction, and a disease or an injury in arms and hands. They could follow examiners' directions properly. They were administered the Postural Praxis and the Praxis on Verbal Command of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests(SIPT)(Ayres, 2000) and the handwriting skill test which was made with reference to foreign literatures. It was conducted from October 19, 2004 to December 17, 2004. The data were analyzed with non-paired t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results : 1. Total handwriting score and praxis according to gender of children showed the statistically significant differences(p<0.05). 2. Total handwriting score correlated with praxis(p<0.05) and handwriting speed did not correlate with praxis. 3. Postural Praxis and Praxis on Verbal Command according to handwriting groups showed the statistically significant differences(p<0.05). 4. Among the standards of the handwriting skill test, accuracy of letter form, identity of letter size, spacing between letters and words, placing text on lines, error existence, and letter out of regular square correlated with the Postural Praxis(p<0.05), and accuracy of letter form, identity of letter size, and placing text on lines correlated with the Praxis on Verbal Command(p<0.05). Conclusions : The correlation between handwriting skills and praxis will help occupational therapists to provide fundamental and various treatment programs for children who are referred for the poor handwriting. But more studies in handwriting skills and praxis are necessary to decide which component of handwriting skills is related to praxis.