Child and environmental risk factors predicting readiness for learning in children at high-risk of dyslexia.

Dilnot, J., Hamilton, Lorna G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0526-8252, Maughan, B. and Snowling, Margaret (2017) Child and environmental risk factors predicting readiness for learning in children at high-risk of dyslexia. Development & Psychopathology, 29 (1). pp. 235-244.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0954579416000134

Abstract

We investigate the role of distal, proximal and child risk factors as predictors of reading readiness and attention and behaviour in children at-risk of dyslexia. The parents of a longitudinal sample of 251 preschool children, including children at family-risk of dyslexia
and children with preschool language difficulties, provided measures of socioeconomic status, home literacy environment, family stresses and child health, via interviews and questionnaires. Assessments of children’s reading-related skills, behaviour and attention were
used to define their readiness for learning at school entry. Children at family-risk (FR) of dyslexia and children with preschool language difficulties experienced more environmental adversities and health risks than controls. The risks associated with family-risk of dyslexia and with language status were additive. Both home literacy environment and child health predicted reading readiness while home literacy environment and family stresses predicted attention and behaviour. Family-risk of dyslexia did not predict readiness to learn once other
risks were controlled and so seems likely to be best conceptualized as representing gene–environment correlations. Pooling across risks defined a cumulative risk index which was a significant predictor of reading readiness and, together with non-verbal ability, accounted for 31% of the variance between children.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
DOI:	10.1017/S0954579416000134
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
School/Department:	School of Education, Language and Psychology
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/1113