The influence of fine motor skills and executive functions on automatized handwriting.

Abstract

This study investigates the predictive role of fine motor skills (FMS) and executive functions (EFs) in adult handwriting. While the initial stages of handwriting acquisition are assumed to rely upon executive functions and fine motor skills, the two components are no longer viewed as needed in automatized, expert handwriting. Thirty-three adults were assessed on dexterity, manual praxis, working memory, inhibition and flexibility to predict handwriting speed, legibility and fluency. The results showed that FMS significantly contributed to all aspects of handwriting performance, while flexibility predicted writing speed. These findings highlight that, even at a high level of expertise and automatization, handwriting remains a skill whose performance depends on executive and fine motor control capacities. They support a predictive coding model where internal models guide movement execution and monitoring. The study questions how motor and executive impairments may disrupt handwriting performance, highlighting the need for further research into this complex motor behaviour.