Pre-handwriting skills and executive functions in 3 to 5 years old children

Abstract

The study aimed to describe the pre-handwriting abilities and the Executive Functions, such as working memory, planning and organization of the action, in children aged 3 to 5 years old, and to assess their relationship. A group of 106 children performed the Shore Handwriting Screening test (SHS) for the assessment of pre-handwriting abilities. In the same period their parents filled in the Behaviour Rating Inventory for Executive Function - Preschool Version (BRIEF-P). Results showed a significant age and gender effects, but not a significant age x gender interaction was obtained. At the considered age a substantial stability of the Executive Functions was observed. The correlational analysis (Pearson) showed significant correlations between total score of SHS test and the BRIEF-P’s Metacognition Emerging Index. These data may indicate a relationship between Working Memory/Planning Organization of action and writing skills even in children at preschool age.