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Early attention problems and children's reading achievement: a longitudinal investigation. The Conduct Problems
1Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0539, USA. rabiner@pps.duke.edu
Insights
Attention problems can predict reading difficulties in children, even when controlling for other factors. Early screening for attention issues may help identify children at risk for reading underachievement.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Reading difficulties affect a significant number of children.
- Attention problems are increasingly recognized as a potential factor in academic struggles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predictive relationship between attention problems and the development of reading difficulties.
- To assess the utility of screening for attention problems in identifying at-risk children.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study tracking 387 children from kindergarten to fifth grade.
- Utilized standardized assessments for attention and reading achievement at multiple intervals.
Main Results:
- Attention problems significantly predicted reading achievement, independent of prior reading ability, IQ, and other behavioral issues.
- First-grade children with inattentive symptoms and adequate kindergarten reading scores were identified as having a higher risk for later reading difficulties.
Conclusions:
- Attention problems are a key factor in the development of reading difficulties for a subset of children.
- Screening for attention problems shows potential as a practical tool for early identification of children at risk for reading underachievement.
Objectives:
To determine whether attention problems predict the development of reading difficulties and examine whether screening for attention problems could be of practical value in identifying children at risk for reading underachievement.
Method:
Three hundred eighty-seven children were monitored from kindergarten through fifth grade. Standardized assessments of attention problems and reading achievement were conducted at multiple time points.
Results:
Attention problems predicted reading achievement even after controlling for prior reading achievement, IQ, and other behavioral difficulties. Inattentive first graders with normal reading scores after kindergarten were at risk for poor reading outcomes.
Conclusions:
Attention problems play an important role in the development of reading difficulties for some children, and screening for attention problems may help identify children at risk for reading difficulties.