Forensic study on the effect of age and illness (Parkinsonism) on handwriting characteristics
Abstract Background Handwriting is a neuromuscular task. Old age and illness may produce significant deteriorating effects on the quality of handwriting/signatures of an individual. In some cases, the affected writings may be suspected of being forged due to poor line quality of handwriting. Importa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2019-05-01
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| Series: | Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-019-0131-9 |
| _version_ | 1819018768678912000 |
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| author | Komal Saini Manpreet Kaur |
| author_facet | Komal Saini Manpreet Kaur |
| author_sort | Komal Saini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Handwriting is a neuromuscular task. Old age and illness may produce significant deteriorating effects on the quality of handwriting/signatures of an individual. In some cases, the affected writings may be suspected of being forged due to poor line quality of handwriting. Important documents such as wills, receipts, agreements, contracts, notes, and drafts involve handwritten contents that are often questioned to prove their identity and genuineness. The document examiners may face difficulty to get an adequate number of contemporary standard samples while handling questioned handwriting samples of old age persons and Parkinsonism patients. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative and statistical study to analyze the changes in various handwriting features due to old age and Parkinsonism. Methodology Handwriting samples from 50 healthy old age persons and 25 individuals suffering from Parkinsonism were collected with their consent. Handwriting features such as line quality defects (tremors, retouchings, and pen lifts), letter formations, abbreviation/simplification of letters or their parts, nature of initial and terminal strokes, nature of connecting strokes, writing speed, overall size, and alignment were analyzed qualitatively and statistically through paired t test using SPSS software. Results According to results, marked variations were evident in most of the handwriting features in case of old age persons and in case of individuals suffering from Parkinsonism. Two features, namely retouchings and alignment, were least affected in the handwritings of patients suffering from Parkinsonism. Conclusion According to the results of this study, old age and illness affect the handwriting of an individual in a considerable manner. Marked deterioration in the quality of handwriting/signatures can be observed in case of old age persons and in individuals suffering from Parkinsonism, which makes their writing appear different altogether as compared to their corresponding normal writing. The document examiner must be aware of this fact while examining such cases. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T03:24:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff3e83f6965349aca1a7e4b530074c20 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2090-5939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T03:24:40Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff3e83f6965349aca1a7e4b530074c202022-12-21T19:17:38ZengSpringerOpenEgyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences2090-59392019-05-019111010.1186/s41935-019-0131-9Forensic study on the effect of age and illness (Parkinsonism) on handwriting characteristicsKomal Saini0Manpreet Kaur1Department of Forensic Science, Punjabi UniversityDepartment of Forensic Science, Punjabi UniversityAbstract Background Handwriting is a neuromuscular task. Old age and illness may produce significant deteriorating effects on the quality of handwriting/signatures of an individual. In some cases, the affected writings may be suspected of being forged due to poor line quality of handwriting. Important documents such as wills, receipts, agreements, contracts, notes, and drafts involve handwritten contents that are often questioned to prove their identity and genuineness. The document examiners may face difficulty to get an adequate number of contemporary standard samples while handling questioned handwriting samples of old age persons and Parkinsonism patients. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative and statistical study to analyze the changes in various handwriting features due to old age and Parkinsonism. Methodology Handwriting samples from 50 healthy old age persons and 25 individuals suffering from Parkinsonism were collected with their consent. Handwriting features such as line quality defects (tremors, retouchings, and pen lifts), letter formations, abbreviation/simplification of letters or their parts, nature of initial and terminal strokes, nature of connecting strokes, writing speed, overall size, and alignment were analyzed qualitatively and statistically through paired t test using SPSS software. Results According to results, marked variations were evident in most of the handwriting features in case of old age persons and in case of individuals suffering from Parkinsonism. Two features, namely retouchings and alignment, were least affected in the handwritings of patients suffering from Parkinsonism. Conclusion According to the results of this study, old age and illness affect the handwriting of an individual in a considerable manner. Marked deterioration in the quality of handwriting/signatures can be observed in case of old age persons and in individuals suffering from Parkinsonism, which makes their writing appear different altogether as compared to their corresponding normal writing. The document examiner must be aware of this fact while examining such cases.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-019-0131-9HandwritingOld ageParkinsonismQuestioned documentsDocument examiners |
| spellingShingle | Komal Saini Manpreet Kaur Forensic study on the effect of age and illness (Parkinsonism) on handwriting characteristics Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences Handwriting Old age Parkinsonism Questioned documents Document examiners |
| title | Forensic study on the effect of age and illness (Parkinsonism) on handwriting characteristics |
| title_full | Forensic study on the effect of age and illness (Parkinsonism) on handwriting characteristics |
| title_fullStr | Forensic study on the effect of age and illness (Parkinsonism) on handwriting characteristics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Forensic study on the effect of age and illness (Parkinsonism) on handwriting characteristics |
| title_short | Forensic study on the effect of age and illness (Parkinsonism) on handwriting characteristics |
| title_sort | forensic study on the effect of age and illness parkinsonism on handwriting characteristics |
| topic | Handwriting Old age Parkinsonism Questioned documents Document examiners |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-019-0131-9 |
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