title: Effects of fluency, oral language, and executive function on reading comprehension performance.
abstract: Reading disability (RD) typically consists of deficits in word reading accuracy and/or reading comprehension. While it is well known that word reading accuracy deficits lead to comprehension deficits (general reading disability, GRD), less is understood about neuropsychological profiles of children who exhibit adequate word reading accuracy but nevertheless develop specific reading comprehension deficits (S-RCD). Establishing the underlying neuropsychological processes associated with different RD types is essential for ultimately understanding core neurobiological bases of reading comprehension. To this end, the present study investigated isolated and contextual word fluency, oral language, and executive function on reading comprehension performance in 56 9- to 14-year-old children [21 typically developing (TD), 18 GRD, and 17 S-RCD]. Results indicated that TD and S-RCD participants read isolated words at a faster rate than participants with GRD; however, both RD groups had contextual word fluency and oral language weaknesses. Additionally, S-RCD participants showed prominent weaknesses in executive function. Implications for understanding the neuropsychological bases for reading comprehension are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA. cutting@kennedykrieger.org
authors.forename: Laurie E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Cutting
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Materek
authors.forename: Carolyn A S
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Terry M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: E Mark
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Mahone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D032882:Comprehension; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D007807:Language Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008037:Linguistics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011932:Reading; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014825:Vocabulary