Early cognitive predictors of PISA reading in children with and without family risk for dyslexia



: Eklund Kenneth, Torppa Minna, Sulkunen Sari, Niemi Pekka, Ahonen Timo

Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

: 2018

: Learning and Individual Differences

: LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

: LEARN INDIVID DIFFER

: 64

: 94

: 103

: 10

: 1041-6080

: 1873-3425

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2018.04.012

: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/32018715


This study examined language skills and pre-literacy skills (phonological awareness, rapid naming, and letter knowledge) before school-age as predictors of NSA reading at age 15 in two groups of children, with (n = 88) and without (n = 70) family-risk for dyslexia. Moreover, effects of family-risk on these early predictors, reading fluency, and PISA reading were examined while controlling the effect of gender. Children were followed from age 2 to 15. Family-risk had a significant effect on early language and pre-literacy skills, reading fluency and PISA reading. A similar model predicting PISA reading fitted the data well in the Family-risk and the No family risk group. Language skills explained a good portion and pre-literacy skills to a lesser extent the variance in PISA reading. Altogether 68% of the variance in PISA reading was explained in the Family-risk group and 44% in the No family-risk group. Findings suggest that family risk sets children at elevated risk to develop long-standing difficulties in language and literacy and that the early language and pre-literacy skills are strong predictors of reading as far as PISA reading at age 15.

Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 17:59