Handwriting Proficiency Screening Questionnaire for Children (HPSQ-C): Development, Reliability, and Validity.

Objective: To adapt the Handwriting Proficiency Screening Questionnaire (HPSQ), previously designated for adults, into a children's self-report version (the HPSQ for Children, or HPSQ-C) and to examine its reliability and validity.

Method: Participants included 230 children ages 7-14 yr from regular schools in Israel. The questionnaire's content validity, internal consistency, and concurrent and construct validity were assessed.

Results: The tool demonstrated good internal consistency (α=.77). We found a significant moderate correlation between final HPSQ-C scores and the HPSQ, r=.51, p<.001, establishing the HPSQ-C's concurrent validity. Construct validity was also confirmed. Results demonstrated that the HPSQ-C significantly distinguished between children with and without handwriting deficiencies on the basis of measures of handwriting product (Hebrew Handwriting Evaluation) and handwriting process (Computerized Penmanship Evaluation Tool).

Conclusion: The HPSQ-C is suitable for identification of handwriting deficiency among school-aged children and is appropriate for varied academic and clinical uses.