Influence of writing disorder type on school success of students with dysgraphia

Abstract

Introduction. Dysgraphia is a term used for problems with transcription in children without intellectual disabilities, untouched eyesight and hearing, age-appropriate education and appropriate socioeconomic conditions. Writing disorder can be manifested by both handwriting deficiency and language stage deficiency. The aim of this study was to identify the influence of writing disorder type on school success of students with dysgraphia. Methods. The study sample consisted of 461 third-grade, fourth-grade and fifth-grade students from three city schools in the Republic of Srpska. Using the scale for the assessment of handwriting maturity, as well as the language analysis of each handwriting in turn, the subsample consisting of 42 male and female students with dysgraphia, aged 8 to 11, was isolated. The research was conducted in Foča from April to May 2015. Results. Out of a total of 461 examined students, 42 (9.1%) had dysgraphia that was more frequently present in boys (7.6%) than in girls (1.5%). There was no statistically significant difference in the degree of dysgraphia severity between the students of different sex and school age. Severe deviations/ delays in handwriting maturity with respect to chronological age were only found in respondents with dysgraphic handwriting. There was a considerably higher percentage of graphomotor dysgraphia (71.4%) compared to language dysgraphia (28.6%). School success, as well as grades in Serbian language, were considerably lower in students with language dysgraphia than in children with graphomotor dysgraphia. Conclusion. The results show a significant presence of dysgraphia in school-age children. It is found more frequently in boys than in girls. Graphomotor dysgraphia is found more frequently in schoolage students compared to language dysgraphia, while there is a greater negative effect of the latter on school success.

Uvod. Disgrafija je poremećaj u ovladavanju vještinom pisanja kod djece očuvanih intelektualnih sposobnosti, očuvanog vida i sluha, adekvatne obuke u školi i odgovarajućih socio-ekonomskih uslova. Poremećaj pisanja može da se manifestuje oštećenjem rukopisa i jezičkim deficitima. Cilj ispitivanja je bio da se utvrdi uticaj tipa poremećaja pisanja na školski uspjeh učenika sa disgrafijom. Metode. Uzorak se sastojao od 461 učenika trećih, četvrtih i petih razreda tri gradske škole na području Republike Srpske. Pomoću testa za procjenu disgrafičnosti rukopisa i na osnovu jezičke analize svakog pojedinačnog rukopisa, izdvojen je poduzorak od 42 ispitanika sa disgrafijom, uzrasta od 8 do 11 godina, oba pola. Istraživanje je realizovano u aprilu i maju 2015. godine. Rezultati. Među ispitanim učenicima 42 (9,1%) ima disgrafiju koja je u značajno većem procentu prisutna kod dječaka (7,6%) nego kod djevojčica (1,5%). Nije uočena statistički značajna razlika između ispitanika različitog pola i školskog uzrasta u pogledu stepena disgrafije. Teži stepen odstupanja/kašnjenja u zrelosti rukopisa u odnosu na hronološki uzrast prisutan je isključivo kod ispitanika sa izrazito disgrafičnim rukopisom. Pronađen je značajno veći procenat grafomotornih (71,4%) u odnosu na jezičke disgrafije (28,6%). Djeca sa jezičkom disgrafijom postižu značajno niži uspjeh u školi i nižu ocjenu iz srpskog jezika u poređenju sa djecom sa grafomotornom disgrafijom. Zaključak. Rezultati pokazuju prisustvo disgrafije kod djece školskog uzrasta koja se značajno češće javlja kod dječaka nego kod djevojčica. Grafomotorna disgrafija se statistički značajno više ispoljava kod djece školskog uzrasta od