Definition of Dysgraphia? (Handwriting Difficulties)

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Definition of Dysgraphia (Handwriting Difficulties)

The First Dysgraphia Definition
‘Dysgraphia means having severe problems with handwriting, which is associated with extreme difficulty with fine motor skills and/or problems with the speed of processing – in spite of having a normal intellectual ability.’

© *2008 Maria L M Chivers &
Dr David Edward Cowell, BSc,. MPhil, PhD.
Chartered Psychologist
Life Member of the Royal Society of Medicine.
(*Updated from 2019)

The First Working Definition of Dysgraphia
In 2008, Dr David Edward Cowell and I, Mrs Maria Chivers, recognised the urgent need for a clear, practical definition of dysgraphia to support those working with children facing handwriting difficulties.

At that time, despite growing awareness of the challenges some children experienced with writing, there was no universally accepted or practical definition of dysgraphia to help people with dysgraphia. Drawing on our combined experience—and after working closely with many affected children and consulting with teachers and other professionals—we created what we believe was the first working definition of dysgraphia.

Dr Cowell, whose academic and professional background is exceptional—holding a BSc, MPhil, and PhD, and being a Chartered Psychologist and Life Member of the Royal Society of Medicine—brought deep insight and expertise to our collaboration.

In 2019, a decade after we first shared our definition, we updated it to reflect further research and developments in the field. Since then, understanding of dysgraphia has continued to grow, and many knowledgeable professionals have contributed valuable perspectives of their own. Of course, definitions vary, and each brings something important to the conversation.

We’re proud to have laid an early foundation, and we are grateful to those who have expanded on it. We continue to value and learn from the collective wisdom of the wider community, working to support individuals with dysgraphia.

© 2025 Maria L M Chivers &
Dr David Edward Cowell, BSc,. MPhil, PhD.
Chartered Psychologist
Life Member of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Assessments & Testing by Educational Psychologists

World Health Organisation (WHO)
Dysgraphia

“Developmental learning disorder with impairment in written expression is characterised by significant and persistent difficulties in learning academic skills related to writing, such as spelling accuracy, grammar and punctuation accuracy, and organisation and coherence of ideas in writing.”

– World Health Organisation, International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision

20th July 2023

International Dysgraphia Awareness Day (IDAD)