JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The acquisition of handwriting skills is essential for a child's academic success, self-confidence, and general school performance. Nevertheless, an estimated 5% to 27% of children face handwriting challenges, where the ability to modulate pressure on the pencil and lead on the paper is a key motor component.

Objective:

We aimed to investigate the experience and usability of the SensoGrip system, a pressure measuring-pen system with providing personalized real-time feedback on pressure modulation, in a clinical setting with children and occupational therapists.

Methods:

A mixed-methods study was conducted, incorporating qualitative interviews and questionnaires with children, user diaries, focus group discussions, and a usability questionnaire with occupational therapists, along with a parent’s questionnaire.

Results:

The study involved eight occupational therapists, sixteen children with handwriting difficulties, and their parents, each of whom utilized the SensoGrip pen system in up to five therapy sessions. Most children were capable of comprehending the real-time feedback and modifying their pressure accordingly. The system received high acceptance and usability ratings, and participants found the pressure awareness it fosters and the motivation it offers for drawing and writing to be valuable.

Conclusions:

The SensoGrip pressure-sensing pen with real-time feedback shows promise as a useful tool in pediatric occupational therapy, aiding children with graphomotor disorders in understanding their pressure application during writing. Future research in the form of controlled quantitative trials is warranted to further examine the system's impact. Clinical Trial: The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under the identifier NCT05014854.