Existing interventions for the management of different types of dysgraphia or specific learning disorder in written expression: a scoping review.

backgroundDysgraphia is a specific learning disorder characterised by difficulties in written expression. Identifying and finding remedies for children with this disorder is challenging due to the diverse interventions used in different contexts. Different interventions are used to rehabilitate children with this disorder.

objectiveThis scoping review aims to map the existing interventions for dysgraphia across different contexts, that is, schools, rehabilitation centres, home-based services and clinics.

designScoping review. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: This review included studies that used educational, therapeutic, technological or behavioural interventions for children and adolescents with dysgraphia or difficulties in written expression. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies conducted in school, clinic, home or rehabilitation centre settings were included. Studies focusing on unrelated disabilities, diagnostic studies and theoretical papers without an intervention focus were excluded. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Europe PubMed Central, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, EBSCO, Directory of Open Access Journals and Google Scholar were searched for evidence-based articles. CHARTING

methodsTwo independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts using the Rayyan web application (Cambridge, MA, USA). Discrepancies were resolved by consensus with a third reviewer, and the full texts were retrieved. Two independent reviewers screened the full-text articles. Disagreements were resolved through consultation with a third reviewer. Data were charted using a standardised form. The extraction process was independently conducted by two reviewers to ensure reliability, with discrepancies resolved by discussion with a third reviewer. Findings were synthesised descriptively, and a thematic analysis of reported outcomes was conducted following the six-phase framework of Braun and Clarke.

resultsForty-seven articles were included in the review, targeting educational, therapeutic, multisensory, computer-based and combined interventions to address dysgraphia. Studies were distributed across six intervention categories: computer-based/technological (n=15), educational (n=13), therapeutic (n=7), combined/multimodal (n=6), psychological (n=4) and multisensory (n=2); most studies were conducted in Asian countries (n=24), followed by the USA (n=10), Europe (n=8), Africa (n=4) and the Arab region (n=1). Four themes were identified: (a) improvements in foundational writing mechanics; (b) advancements in composition and higher-order writing; (c) broader academic and cognitive benefits; and (d) positive affective and behavioural outcomes. Each theme, with its subtheme, is linked to the targeted interventions addressed in the studies.

conclusionThis review revealed that computer-based and educational interventions were used in most studies, and that foundational writing mechanics were widely addressed as outcomes. There is a lack of studies addressing different types of dysgraphia. A holistic approach through a large-scale study is recommended to address multiple underlying writing mechanics and psychological concerns. The findings have implications for clinical and educational practice, supporting the use of integrated handwriting, composition and assistive-technology approaches, and for policy, highlighting the need for targeted funding of large-scale, multimodal intervention trials in low-income and middle-income countries.