Adaptation and Validation of the Serbian Version of Dyslexia Screening Test-Junior.

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Speech and Language Pathology

Background:

• Dyslexia significantly impacts children's education and social development.
• Early diagnosis of dyslexia is crucial for effective intervention.
• Serbia lacks a standardized dyslexia assessment for primary school children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and predictive validity of the Serbian-adapted Dyslexia Screening Test-Junior (DST-J).
• To establish a culturally relevant tool for dyslexia screening in Serbian primary schools.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 647 primary school children and 30 with reading difficulties.
• Assessed test-retest reliability, at-risk quotient (ARQ), and predictive validity.
• Utilized statistical analyses including t-tests and regression to determine validity and reliability.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in ARQ scores were observed between children with and without dyslexia (p < 0.001).
• The adapted DST-J demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.704) and construct validity (R² = 0.44).
• High predictive validity was found for rapid naming and phonemic segmentation subtests, achieving maximum accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The Serbian-adapted DST-J is a reliable and valid instrument for identifying dyslexia risk in primary school children.
• This culturally adapted tool addresses a critical need for dyslexia assessment in Serbia.
• Future research should focus on refining the DST-J for enhanced accuracy and inclusivity.