Page 81 - HA Convention 2016 [Abstracts (Day 2)]

Service Enhancement Presentations HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONVENTION 2016

F8.1 Young HA Investigators Presentations 14:30 Room 421

Normative Data of Chopsticks Manipulation of Aged 6 to 15 Years in Hong Kong
Chan PSC 1, Poon YCM 2, Au LYF 1
1Department of Occupational Therapy, Prince of Wales Hospital, 2Occupational Therapy Department, Kwai Chung Hospital/

Yaumatei Child Psychiatric Centre, Hong Kong

Introduction

Chopsticks are the primary tools used for eating and the physical movements of control are familiar to Chinese population.
Chopsticks manipulation is one of the major fine motor achievements of children to accomplish in Chinese culture. Children
normally begin using chopsticks at about the age of 4.6 years and completely master it at age of 6.7 years old. Occupational
therapists and parents often regard the use of chopsticks as a developmental milestone during a developmental hand
function evaluation. However, no developmental test batteries adopted this manipulation skill into the assessment. In Taiwan,
Chang, Chien and Lin (1993) developed a chopsticks manipulation test for adult to determine their functional performance
after severe hand injuries. Li-Tsang, Lee and Hung (2006) had demonstrated good test-retest reliability and differentiated
children with and without fine motor delay. However, there has been no study report on the developmental progression of
children aged 6 years old or above in this specific skill by using a standardized assessment.

Objectives

To establish local normative data assessed by the Test of Chopsticks Manipulation (TCM) in subjects aged 6 to 15 years living
in Hong Kong.

Methodology

Subjects without any known developmental disabilities were recruited in the study between June and August 2015 after
obtaining written consent by their parents. The Test of Chopsticks Manipulation (TCM) was chosen to assess their chopsticks
skills. Total time used was recorded after completion. They were asked to perform TCM and two hand strength tests (i.e.
Jamar Handgrip Dynamometer test and Pinchometer test) in a random fashion. Questions covering chronological age, hand
dominance were also recorded in the one session. Data were then stratified into 20 groups by different ages and gender.

Results

477 subjects (boy = 238; girl = 239) were recruited in this study. The mean seconds to complete the Test of Chopsticks
Manipulation (TCM) was 94.32, 66.65, 59.04, 53.95, 51.85, 48.36, 45.80, 42.14, 40.75 and 39.94 for boys aged 6 to 15 years
old respectively. The average seconds to complete this task was 80.93, 49.57, 48.13, 47.74, 42.14,, 42.39, 35.79, 35.0, 32.77
and 32.4 for girls aged 6 to 15 years old respectively. The study provides updated reference norms of the Test of Chopsticks
Manipulation (TCM) for the children between 6 to 15 years old in Hong Kong. Findings in this study have also proven that age
and gender seemed to affect the performance of chopsticks manipulation of children.

Wednesday, 4 May

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