In search tasks that are otherwise identical, adults process strings of letters differently from strings of other shapes (Hammond & Green, 1982). This result has implications for word recognition and reading, and it is important to establish its developmental sequence. Two groups of primary school children and an adult control group completed a similar visual search task: determining whether a predesignated target character occurred in a subsequently displayed character string. The mean search latency decreased with age, and the results showed a qualitative difference in the processing of letters and shapes for even the youngest group. However, the left to right processing of letter strings does become more established with age.

Psychiatric disturbances in a student population span a broad spectrum and include overt illness, a heterogeneous group of psychosocial problems with varied and changing symptomatology and normal crises of development. Complaints of work difficulty often form part of the symptomatology of all these groups, and not infrequently may be the presenting symptom. Quantification is difficult because the symptoms vary in degree and form, and change over time. They may be unreported or voiced only to friends or tutors. Their prevalence and significance is therefore hard to assess. In a cohort study spanning a four year period, Lucas (unpublished data) found that of the 15 per cent of the cohort who received brief psychotherapy, more than three-quarters had a work difficulty of some kind. Of the 26 per cent of the cohort who never attended the Student Health Centre nearly half replied ‘yes' to a question asking whether they had experienced recurring work difficulty.

The UCLS questionnaire, in a form modified to include a measure of syllabus-boundness, and a questionnaire to measure psychiatric symptomatology (the MHQ) were administered to two groups of students, one seeking help for emotional problems, the other a control group. Groups were compared on tests, test findings were inter-correlated, and scores were related to academic success. The UCLSQ is confirmed as a reliable research instrument. Principal component analysis again indicates a separation of psychoneurotic and motivational components of study difficulty. Syllabus-boundness ('Sylbism') emerges as a relatively independent trait, with a significant negative relationship to work satisfaction in both groups. MHQ scores again show a positive correlation between phobic anxiety and academic attainment for patients.

in the basic cducalioiial skills oi'ivadiug aiui coniputalion is no new phenomenon, althongli it is reading thai has ha-]], given ihe ninst attention. C.lnrrent pr'ogrannncs of (oinpensalory eclneation in the L'nited Slater (Medinnus, 1970) and in thi.s conntry (HMSO, 1972) are ailenipting In resolve the eontiituing problems ot" low atUiinrnent anR)ng soeialh' handieapped efiildren. ReeenI large seale surveys in tliis country (e.g. Morris, 1966; Coodarre, iy(->7; Rnlter, '['i/ard and Whitmore, 1970; Stari and Wells, 1972; Davie, Htdier and (ioldstein, 1972) havt' again drawn attention to reading. Concern over low allaniment in ihis basic ediiciitional skill is also reflected in eoniro\ ersies over the relavivieilieaey of diiierent teaching ineth-jds (Downing, 1967; Dean, 1967; Warbm-ton and Sotithgatc, 1969). More recently a governnient coinmiUee has been appointed lo enquire inlo reading and the nse of English in sehools. SKILL m READING ] 77

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