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Updated: Jun 28, 2025

Decomposing the Variance in Reading Comprehension to Reveal the Unique and Common Effects of Language and Decoding
Published on: October 11, 2018
Indirect and direct contributions of executive functions to reading comprehension
HyeJin Hwang1, Seohyeon Choi1, Manjary Guha1
1Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Abstract:
In the current study, we investigated the role of executive functions in explaining how word recognition and language comprehension jointly predict reading comprehension in multilingual and monolingual students (Grades 1 and 2). Specifically, mediation and moderation models were tested and compared to offer a more nuanced understanding of the role of executive functions in reading comprehension. The results provided support for the mediation model in which executive functions indirectly contribute to reading comprehension via word recognition and language comprehension in both language groups. In addition, executive functions directly predicted reading comprehension (i.e., partial mediation). These findings suggest that executive functions serve as general cognitive processes that support word recognition, language comprehension, and reading comprehension (i.e., direct contribution) as well as facilitate connecting word recognition and language comprehension in support for reading comprehension (i.e., indirect contribution). These findings are consistent with prominent models of reading comprehension.
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