1. Minnesota Handwriting Assessment
Jeffrey Arnold & Morgan Vaughan

2. Key Characteristics Purpose
To quantify selected aspects of young student’s handwriting
Used to support or reject teachers subjective judgment of poor quality or slow rate handwriting in students
Age
Second semester 1st graders and 2nd graders

3. Frame of Reference most likely used guiding selection of this tool
Biomechanical
Developmental
PEO

4. Bottom-Up Approach

5. Test Development and Standardization
Literature reviews
Consultation with teachers
Standardization sample
n = 2,000
11 different states
Second semester 1st graders and 2nd graders

6. Domains Rate – how fast the child writes
Legibility – how readable is a letter?
Form – does the letter make the shape it is supposed to with all lines connect, and all straight lines straight, and curved lines curved.
Alignment – does the letter rest within 1/16 above or below the base line?
Size – how big or small the letters are?
Spacing – how far apart or close together are the letters?

7. Psychometric Properties (Reliability)
Interrater
Pearson Correlation ( )
Intrarater
Fisher’s Z
Rate – 1.00
Legibility - .96
Form and spacing
Alignment and Size - .99
Test-retest
Rate – 71%
Legibility 64%
Form – 75%
Alignment - 86%
Size – 82%
Spacing – 76%

8. Psychometric Properties – Validity
Content
Based on literature reviews and consultation with primary grade teachers
Construct
Manual does not explain but the explanation for content validity explains the construct as well
Criterion
Concurrent – measured using the Test of Visual Motor Skills
Strong association between first graders and students in special education with no OT, and for students receiving OT.

9. Measurement concerns
Scores are subjective because they are based on the facilitator’s judgment of the handwriting.
Only inclusion criteria:
Child must be in 1st or 2nd grade
No exclusion criteria

10. Test Length 10-15 minutes for total administration and scoring.
2.5 minutes to determine Rate
Child can finish sentence for legibility score.

11. Test Cost Starter kit - $87.00 Manual 1 D’Nealian pad 1 Manuscript pad
Each pad has 25 sheets
Clear 6 inch ruler
Print pads $25 –
package of 4 pads of 25 sheets for each D’Nealian and Manuscript print pads

12. Testing Procedures
Have student seated at a desk or table of appropriate height for their size
Lighting and ventilations should be appropriate and comfortable
Choose appropriate stimulus sheet (D’Nealian or Manuscript) depending on handwriting style practiced in the classroom.
Time the test for 2 ½ minutes to establish rate score.
If the student did not finish the sentence give additional time to finish the words to score the 5 quality categories

13. Test Items

14. Scoring

15. Scoring Interpretation
Like Peers Level is equivalent to scoring in the top 75% of the range of students.
Somewhat Below Peers Level is equivalent to the bottom 5%-25% of the range of students.
These students should be monitored to determine the underlying problem.
Well Below Peers Level is equivalent to the bottom 5% of the range of students.
These students should be sent for an evaluation to determine the underlying problem.

16. Test results

17. Area(s) of occupation addressed
Education
MHA is best administered in a school setting.

18. Reference
Asher, I.E. (Ed.). (2014). Asher’s Occupational Therapy Assessment Tools (4th ed.). Bethesda,MD: AOTA Press. Reisman, J. (1999). Minnesota Handwriting Assessment. San Antonio, TX: Pearson.