Rebecca A Langmaid1, Nicole Papadopoulos2, Beth P Johnson3, James Phillips3, Nicole J Rinehart4. 1. Monash University, Notting Hill, Victoria, Australia. 2. Monash University, Notting Hill, Victoria, Australia Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia. 3. Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. 4. Monash University, Notting Hill, Victoria, Australia Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia nicole.rinehart@deakin.edu.au.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate motor performance in children with ADHD using a size-scaling handwriting task. METHOD: In all, 14 male children with ADHD and 14 typically developing (TD) children (age 7-15) wrote 10-mm and 40-mm cursive letter "l." RESULTS: Children with ADHD were unable to maintain their writing accurately at 40 mm, falling short by several millimeters; this was not evident in the TD children. Children with ADHD also had slightly faster and more fluent writing than TD children. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that children with ADHD have difficulties scaling handwriting movement in the larger 40-mm condition that may reflect poor planning and modulation of movement, despite having faster and more fluent movements.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate motor performance in children with ADHD using a size-scaling handwriting task. METHOD: In all, 14 male children with ADHD and 14 typically developing (TD) children (age 7-15) wrote 10-mm and 40-mm cursive letter "l." RESULTS:Children with ADHD were unable to maintain their writing accurately at 40 mm, falling short by several millimeters; this was not evident in the TD children. Children with ADHD also had slightly faster and more fluent writing than TD children. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that children with ADHD have difficulties scaling handwriting movement in the larger 40-mm condition that may reflect poor planning and modulation of movement, despite having faster and more fluent movements.