The Effect of Parents’ Literacy Skills and Children’s Preliteracy Skills on the Risk of Dyslexia

Abstract

The combination of investigating child and family characteristics sheds light on the constellation of risk factors that can ultimately lead to dyslexia. This family-risk study examines plausible preschool risk factors and their specificity. Participants (N = 196, 42 % girls) included familial risk (FR) children with and without dyslexia in Grade 3 and controls. First, we found impairments in phonological awareness, rapid naming, and letter knowledge in FR kindergartners with later dyslexia, and mild phonological-awareness deficits in FR kindergartners without subsequent dyslexia. These skills were better predictors of reading than arithmetic, except for rapid naming. Second, the literacy environment at home was comparable among groups. Third, having a dyslexic parent and literacy abilities of the non-dyslexic parent related to offspring risk of dyslexia. Parental literacy abilities might be viewed as indicators of offspring’s liability for literacy difficulties, since parents provide offspring with genetic and environmental endowment. We propose an intergenerational multiple deficit model in which both parents confer cognitive risks.

Does Training in Syllable Recognition Improve Reading Speed? A Computer-Based Trial With Poor Readers From Second and Third Grade

“…These three factors may explain most of the contrasting results concerning attention. However, the results pertaining to math are not as clear-cut: in contrast with the results of this research, some studies have found a connection between RAN and math even after controlling for reading fluency van Bergen et al, 2014). One explanation that may partly resolve this discrepancy derives from the composition of the samples studied.…”

“…double-deficit was associated with the existence of RD, and not with comorbidity per se, as while the prevalence of RDs was elevated in the double-deficit group, no difference emerged between the DDH groups in the prevalence of math disability or attention deficit. In sum, the results from Studies I and II were in line with those of previous studies where RAN has been linked with reading but not specifically to performance in math or attention Georgiou, Tziraki et al, 2013;.The results of this research are in conflict with previous findings in which RAN has been associated with math performance (Ackerman et al, 2001;Murphy, Mazzocco, Hanich, & Early, 2007;van Bergen et al, 2014; or with attention deficits (Arnett et al, 2012;Tannock et al, 2000;. There are several possible explanations for this.…”

“…The results of showed a significant connection between RAN and math in a sample with typical reading skill while no connection between RAN and math was found for a group with RD. The same result emerged in the samples studied by van Bergen et al (2014; E. van Bergen, personal communication, June 20, 2014). It could be argued that this is a statistical artifact, since the variation in the association between RAN and reading may be restricted in samples representing the end of the continuum.…”

Late-Emerging and Resolving Dyslexia: A Follow-Up Study from Age 3 to 14

“…This finding was expected because rapid naming has been shown to be a strong predictor of reading speed measures (e.g., Puolakanaho et al, 2007;van Bergen et al, 2014a). The skills of the late-emerging group seemed to be sufficient for the early grades, but not for reaching the typical level of fluency in reading in later grades.…”

“…Family risk has predicted children's reading development over and above children's skills in the key cognitive precursors, such as phonological awareness, rapid naming, and letter knowledge (Puolakanaho et al, 2007;Torppa, Eklund, van Bergen, & Lyytinen, 2011). Furthermore, studies predicting children's skills with parent's skills have suggested that specific parental skills may be informative in assessing children's liability for dyslexia beyond their own cognitive development (Torppa et al, 2011;van Bergen et al, 2014a).…”