Sukrita Piriyakulthorn. The relation of drawing and writing ability in young children to pencil grip and muscle power. Master's Degree(Human Development). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2005.
The relation of drawing and writing ability in young children to pencil grip and muscle power
Abstract:
This study was a school based case-control comparison between children with
atypical and typical pencil grasp. 72 age and gender matched pairs, a total of 144
children with mean age of 64.39 months (range 51-76 months) from first and second
year of kindergarten in Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom were studied. This
study aimed to examine the relationship between the following variables: characters
of pencil grip, muscle power of hand and fingers, the ability to draw and write,
hypermobility of joints, and fine motor learning and self-help experience both at
home and in the class room.
From 225 children in kindergarten 1 and 2, screened 47 % was found to have
atypical grasp. Results from the study of 72 matched pairs, muscle power (hand strength,
palmar pinch and lateral pinch) were significantly higher in boys than in girls
(p-value < 0.01) and increased with age (p-value < 0.001), but not significantly related to
type of pencil grip. Trends indicated that the modeling (fathers, mothers and teachers) had
effect to children’s pencil grip; however, this was not statistically significant. The fine motor
learning and self-help experience was significantly related to muscle power (p-value < 0.05),
but not to pencil grip in this age group. Age-appropriate drawing ability according to
Visual-Motor Integration and writing ability was not significantly related to the type of
pencil grasp and muscle power.
It is recommended that teachers and parents of young children should be
aware of the importance and provide modeling of typical pencil grasp. Development
of good muscle power together with efficient typical grasp would prepare preschool
children for elementary grades and successful drawing and writing in the further