An Interim Australian Version of the Jebsen Test of Hand Function

Abstract

An objective test of hand function, standardized for adults in the USA, has been adapted and standardized for the normal adult population of the Brisbane metropolitan area. Test items have been chosen to correspond as accurately as possible with the original test items, and all are readily available. The Australian version is quick to administer, and comprises eight test items, chosen to provide a broad sampling of hand function. Percentile norms are provided for dominant and non-dominant hands for men and women in various age-groups, ranging from 16 to 90 years.

Handwriting in healthy people aged 65 years and over

“…Reducing grip strength with increased age has been previously demonstrated (Agnew & Maas, 1982), and is not surprising. Also consistent with previous studies (Agnew & Maas, 1982;Dixon, et al, 1993;Jebsen, et al, 1969), lower speed was associated with higher age, with correlations ranging from -.33 to -.40 across tasks (Rosenblum & Werner, 2006). A limitation of this study is that the handwriting tasks, although functional, were predetermined by the research team.…”

“…Reduced grip strength was proposed as an explanation for reduced downward pen pressure by the older participants (Rosenblum & Werner, 2006). Reducing grip strength with increased age has been previously demonstrated (Agnew & Maas, 1982), and is not surprising. Also consistent with previous studies (Agnew & Maas, 1982;Dixon, et al, 1993;Jebsen, et al, 1969), lower speed was associated with higher age, with correlations ranging from -.33 to -.40 across tasks (Rosenblum & Werner, 2006).…”

“…Adult handwriting speed reduces with age, particularly in older adults. These data are based on writing speed for a copied sentence and are over 27 years old (Agnew & Maas, 1982;Jebsen, Taylor, Trieschman, Trotter, & Howard, 1969). Handwriting movements appear to occur most at the shoulder and elbow joints for larger script size and between-word movements, and at the wrist, hand and finger joints for smaller intra-word movements.…”

“…Adult handwriting speed normative values are available for the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test for both the North American and Australian populations, with 300 and 382 people in each sample respectively, (Agnew & Maas, 1982;Jebsen, et al, 1969). Table 2.3 presents normative speed data for a 24 letter copied sentence written as fast as possible (Jebsen, et al, 1969).…”

“…However, normative data on writing speed collected over 20 years ago, found that females aged over 60 years wrote faster than their male counterparts in Australia and North America (Agnew & Maas, 1982;Jebsen, et al, 1969). No comparable studies have been published investigating the handwriting legibility of older adult men and women.…”