The Effects of Number and Separation of Support Lines on the Size, Velocity, and Smoothness of Handwriting

in Motor Control

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Ivonne H.F. DuiserDepartment of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences & Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Breederode Hogeschool, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

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Annick LedebtDepartment of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences & Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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John van der KampDepartment of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences & Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Research Centre for Exercise, School and Sport, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Zwolle, the Netherlands

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Geert J.P. SavelsberghDepartment of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences & Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Faculty of Movement, Sport and Nutrition, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/mc.2021-0034
Keywords:
children; constrain-led approach; education; pediatrics
First Published Online:
01 Apr 2022
In Print:
Volume 26: Issue 3
Page Range:
317–333
Restricted access

We examined the effects of number of and separation between support lines on handwriting characteristics of primary school students with satisfactory and unsatisfactory handwriting. Students (mean age 7.9 years) copied a text on paper with a baseline and with two or four support lines with a separation of 3 or 4 mm between the central lines. Handwriting size, velocity, and smoothness were determined for the four conditions relative to baseline. Children with unsatisfactory handwriting wrote larger and had more lifts during baseline condition. Writing between support lines, especially with small separation, immediately reduced the size of handwriting, but also adversely affected velocity and smoothness. Future research is needed to assess long-term effects.

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