Considering the Role of Executive Function in Reading Comprehension: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Educational psychology

Background:

• Reading comprehension is a complex cognitive process.
• Executive functions are critical for various cognitive tasks.
• The relationship between executive functions, oral language, decoding, and reading comprehension requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between executive functions (cognitive flexibility, working memory), oral language, decoding, and reading comprehension.
• To examine the mediating roles of oral language and decoding in the executive function-reading comprehension link.

Main Methods:

• Latent variable structural equation modeling was employed.
• A sample of 271 native English-speaking children aged 9.00 to 14.83 years participated.
• The study assessed oral language, decoding, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and reading comprehension.

Main Results:

• Oral language and decoding fully mediated the relationship between working memory and reading comprehension.
• Oral language and decoding fully mediated the relationship between cognitive flexibility and reading comprehension.
• Executive functions are indirectly associated with reading comprehension via oral language and decoding.

Conclusions:

• Executive functions are important for reading comprehension, acting as precursors.
• The findings highlight the mediating roles of oral language and decoding in this relationship.
• Interventions targeting executive functions may improve reading comprehension through enhanced language and decoding skills.