AI-Supported Occupational Therapy for Handwriting

Aim: This study investigates the impact of an AI-supported occupational therapy program, developed using the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO), on handwriting skills in children at risk for Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

Method: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 42 children aged 8-12 years, identified as being at risk for DCD using the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ). Participants were randomized into an intervention group (n=21) and a control group (n=21). The intervention group received an AI-supported occupational therapy program twice weekly for 8 weeks. Handwriting performance was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (MHA).

Keywords: artificial intelligence, occupational

Completed

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Key information

Conditions

Occupational Therapy Mental Disorders Motor Skills Disorders Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Age range

8 year–12 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Güleser Güney Yılmaz

Ankara, 06800, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

being between the ages of 8-12 years
being at risk for DCD according to the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ)
having the ability to understand the questionnaires
continuing formal education
having similar motor skill performance (having similar results from the Bruininks-Oseretsky Motor Proficiency Test 2 Brief Form (BOT2-BF)) and having similar visual perception level (having similar results from the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test-3(MVPT-3)

Exclusion criteria

(1) having another neurodevelopmental, orthopedic and chronic problem (2) continuing any rehabilitation program

Treatment and study plan

Artificial Intelligence-Supported Occupational Therapy Program

Other

The AI-supported occupational therapy program was individually implemented by an occupational therapist over 8 weeks, with 2 sessions per week, each lasting 45 minutes. A touchscreen tablet, touch pen, and external camera were utilized during the sessions. At the beginning of the program, technological devices and artificial intelligence tools were introduced to the children. For the goals and detailed intervention program of the 8-week schedule

Primary outcomes

Minnesota Handwriting Assessment

Time frame: Two assessments, one week before the intervention and one week after the intervention was completed

(MHA) assesses six categories of handwriting, including legibility, form, alignment, size, spacing and writing speed. The MHA consists of words that include all letters of the Turkish alphabet at least once and consist of 34 letters in total, and can be understood by children at the primary school level 23. In the test application, children copy this word sequence written on the paper to the marked line immediately below. In the scoring phase, the length of 1/16 inch (0.15 cm) is taken as a basis and all deviations, proportions between letters and within letters are evaluated by measuring this length with a ruler. The lowest score in each category of the MHA is 0 and the highest score is 34 24.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Hacettepe University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Artificial Intelligence-Supported Occupational Therapy Program on Handwriting Skills in Children at Risk for Developmental Coordination Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2024
First posted: Mar 12, 2025
Registry last updated: Mar 12, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed