The Role of Visual Perception in Reading Across Fonts and Similar Words in Children with Reading Disabilities

This study examined associations between visual perceptual skills and reading performance in children aged 6-12 years, focusing on reading similar words and words in different fonts.

Forty-six children (mean age 8.3 ± 0.9 years; 24 and 22 with and without reading disabilities, respectively) were assessed. Visual discrimination, visual memory and form constancy were examined with the TVPS-3 (Test of Visual Perceptual Skills, 3rd version). Reading speed was measured using the TALEC test (Test d'Anàlisi de la Lectoescriptura en Català). Additionally, the reading speed and accuracy of reading lists of similar words, as well as words presented in six different fonts, were recorded.

Children with reading disabilities scored significantly lower for visual discrimination, visual memory and form constancy (all p < 0.01) and showed slower reading speed and higher error rates for both word list tasks (all p < 0.01). In this group, visual discrimination and visual memory correlated significantly with reading similar words, while visual memory correlated significantly with reading different fonts. In children without reading disabilities, form constancy correlated strongly with both tasks and TALEC performance (p = 0.002).

Visual perceptual skills influence reading performance differently in children with and without reading disabilities. While these skills are important to assess, low scores on visual perception tests such as the TVPS-3 do not necessarily predict reading between similar words and different fonts, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive evaluation in clinical optometry.