Preliminary Psychometric Properties of the Letter Form Assessment Version 2 (LFA-2) Scale.

Abstract

Importance: Because handwriting is fundamental to academic success and early literacy development, it is crucial to identify letter formation difficulties. The Letter Form Assessment Version 2 (LFA-2) was developed to measure letter formation fluency but requires validation.

Objective: To examine the LFA-2's interrater reliability, construct validity (factor structure), and concurrent validity.

Design: Observational cross-sectional analysis of data from a longitudinal study.

Setting: School.

Participants: Seventy-eight kindergarten students in Australia (41 boys, 37 girls; M age = 68.5 mo, SD = 4.2) were recruited for construct and concurrent validity studies. A subgroup (n = 16) was used for interrater reliability testing.

Results: Interrater reliability for LFA-2 total was excellent (interclass correlation coefficient = .96, 95% confidence interval [.90, .98]). Interrater agreement coefficients for individual letters scores were good to excellent (Cohen's κ = .71 to 1.00; Gwet's AC1 = .79 to 1.00). Factor analysis established unidimensionality with good total score reliability (ω = .92). Correlations of the LFA-2 total score were moderate to strong with timed and untimed alphabet writing (rs = .32 and rs = .36, respectively), visual-motor integration (rs = .55), fine motor precision (rs = .35), and manual dexterity (rs = .34; all ps < .01).

Conclusions and relevance: Preliminary findings support the LFA-2's reliability and validity for assessing letter formation fluency among beginning writers. Multiple raters using the LFA-2 were reliable in their use of the tool (interrater reliability), and item structure was confirmed to be unidimensional (construct validity). The LFA-2 performed as expected compared with other measures (concurrent validity). Research on larger samples is required to verify these results. Plain-Language Summary: Handwriting is an important skill in early education and supports the development of reading and writing skills. To write by hand efficiently, children need to develop movement patterns that allow them to form letters correctly and from memory. Children can advance their literacy skills once they can perform these letter formation patterns automatically. There are limited assessments of beginning writers' letter formation patterns, making it difficult for occupational therapists and teachers to identify children who need more help with their early handwriting. A new tool, the Letter Form Assessment Version 2 (LFA-2), has been developed to address this need. This study presents the first results of the development and validation of the LFA-2.