Prevalence of specific reading disability in Egypt

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Linguistics

Background:

• Specific reading disability (SRD), also known as dyslexia, is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting reading acquisition.
• Prevalence rates of SRD vary significantly across different linguistic and cultural contexts.
• Understanding factors influencing SRD prevalence is crucial for targeted educational interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of specific reading disability (SRD) in a cohort of Arabic-speaking elementary school children.
• To investigate the characteristics and outcomes of children identified as backward in reading.
• To explore potential linguistic factors contributing to SRD prevalence in the Arabic language.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 2878 children from 2nd and 3rd grades were assessed using standardized tests for linguistic ability and letter identification.
• Children with reading difficulties, IQ ≥ 90, and no sensory/motor impairments were monitored for 3 years.
• Follow-up assessments identified children who did not achieve satisfactory reading skills, diagnosing them with SRD.

Main Results:

• The overall prevalence of SRD was found to be 1% (37 out of 2878 children).
• The male to female ratio for SRD in this cohort was 2.7:1.
• The identified prevalence is notably lower than that reported in Western populations.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of specific reading disability (SRD) among Arabic-speaking children is lower than in Western countries.
• The orthographic properties of the Arabic language, including its script and reading direction, may play a protective role against SRD.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the specific linguistic features influencing SRD development in different languages.