AI-driven approaches for dysgraphia diagnosis using online and offline handwriting data: A comprehensive scoping review

Dysgraphia, a neurodevelopmental disorder impacting writing abilities, is often overlooked or misdiagnosed, affecting academic and daily life activities. It affects both children, especially school-aged, and adults, potentially stemming from brain trauma or neurological diseases. Early diagnosis is crucial for effective management and intervention. With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), there is potential to improve early diagnosis and intervention through automated detection methods. This scoping review aims to explore available studies employing AI-based models for dysgraphia diagnosis and identify the highest performance models and their challenges to suggest future improvements. Comprehensive searches were conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and SpringerLink until April 2024. Included studies are original research articles focusing on dysgraphia detection using AI-based predictive models with image processing techniques on handwritten images. Data extraction was done using a structured form in Google Sheets, capturing study characteristics, datasets, methods, and results. Out of 177 initial papers, 21 met the inclusion criteria. Studies span nearly a decade, with 38% being conference papers and 62% journal articles from various countries. AI models, particularly Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Support Vector Machines (SVMs), demonstrated high accuracy rates, often surpassing 90%, with comprehensive feature extraction methods enhancing performance. Significant challenges include small sample sizes and language-specific models. AI-based models, especially advanced ones like CNNs and SVMs, significantly enhance dysgraphia diagnosis, offering faster and more accurate assessments than traditional methods. Future research should focus on larger, more diverse datasets, language-independent models, and standardized evaluation metrics. Integrating AI-based tools in educational and healthcare settings can revolutionize dysgraphia management, improving academic outcomes and support for affected individuals.