Exploratory Study of Handwriting Features in Drawings of Geometric Shapes for ASD Screening

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a disorder of mental development characterized by impaired social communication, restricted interests, and stereotyped and repetitive behaviors. Screening tests are important because while a variety of behaviors are affected in ASD, reliable diagnosis is time-consuming and costly. It has been reported that children with ASD have more pronounced problems with fine motor coordination of their hands than children with typical development. This study focused on the coordination of hand movements in drawings of geometric shapes, and explored the relationship between handwriting features and ASD tendencies to find clues for screening. Handwriting features and eye movement were obtained while participants were drawing multiple geometric shapes on an LCD tablet. A support vector regression analysis using the results of a conventional questionnaire screening test as the objective variable was able to produce models showing a coefficient of determination of 0.5 or higher. The results also suggested that features such as writing pressure, pen tilt, and eye movement while displaying a sample drawing were common and important cues in drawings of geometric shapes. Further cues could include attention to partial features of the geometric shapes and changes over time.