Stability in Reading Improvement After Home-Based Multi-Componential Training for Children with Developmental...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Technology

Background:

• RIDInet-Reading Trainer 2 (RT-2) is a web-based platform for remote developmental dyslexia (DD) treatment.
• Previous studies show RT-2 improves reading performance, but stability and influencing factors are unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess reading improvement stability after RT-2 training in children with DD.
• Investigate the moderating roles of developmental language disorder (DLD) and age on stability.
• Evaluate RT-2's impact on reading comprehension.

Main Methods:

• A 3-month home-based RT-2 intervention was administered to 52 Italian-speaking children with DD.
• Linear mixed model analysis was used to assess reading performance at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
• Reading speed and accuracy for single words and texts were measured.

Main Results:

• RT-2 significantly improved word and text reading in children with DD.
• Reading speed remained stable at follow-up for all participants.
• Accuracy stability varied: single-word reading was stable, while text reading accuracy was stable only in younger children.
• Improvements positively impacted reading comprehension.

Conclusions:

• Remote DD interventions like RT-2 are effective for school-aged children.
• The benefits of RT-2 are sustained at a 3-month follow-up.
• RT-2 is a viable option for improving reading skills in children with DD, with stable outcomes across different ages and DLD diagnoses.