Comparison of pencil-grip patterns in first graders with good and poor writing skills.

The purpose of this study was to compare nondysfunctional children with and without handwriting difficulties for an examination of grip and hand preference. Additionally, in the group of children with handwriting difficulties, the children with decreased proprioceptive-kinesthetic finger awareness were compared with the children without such a decrease. The results suggest that children with handwriting difficulties may demonstrate a lower grip score than children without handwriting problems. In addition, among children with poor handwriting, those with decreased proprioceptive-kinesthetic finger awareness may demonstrate a lower grip score than those with good proprioceptive-kinesthetic awareness. Children with poor hand-writing also show less hand preference than those with good handwriting.