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Deficits in Handwriting of Individuals with Autism: a Review on Identification and Intervention Approaches

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Abstract

The complex handwriting skill, necessary for effective expression that has spatial, temporal, and kinaesthetic aspects (three-aspects henceforth), needs planning alongwith fine motor skill. Unlike neurotypicals, individuals with Autism possess cognitive and motor deficits adversely affecting handwriting, addressable through intervention. This necessitates to have comprehensive review on the struggles these children face while (hand)writing alongwith appropriate intervention. None categorize studies identifying the three-aspects of handwriting alongwith cognitive and motor processes and the intervention techniques. Here, we present a holistic review (i) categorizing studies emphasizing the three aspects of handwriting alongwith the underlying processes and (ii) highlighting the conventional, computer-assisted, and robot-assisted intervention techniques. Our review indicates that individuals with Autism struggle with the three-aspects of handwriting which can be addressed through intervention.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their insightful and valuable comments which helped improve the quality of this review article. The authors would also like to thank IIT Gandhinagar and TCS Research Scholar Program for providing resources for carrying out this survey.

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  1. Center for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India

    Pragya Verma & Uttama Lahiri

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  1. Pragya Verma
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Verma, P., Lahiri, U. Deficits in Handwriting of Individuals with Autism: a Review on Identification and Intervention Approaches. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 9, 70–90 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-020-00234-7

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