title: Reading Disability and Quality of Life Based on Both Self- and Parent-Reports: Importance of Gender Differences.
abstract: Purpose:The aim of this study is to investigate self- and parent-rated quality of life (QoL) in children with a reading disability (RD) and the impact of comorbid psychopathology, with special focus on age and gender differences.Methods:Using the Dyslexia Differential Diagnosis Maastricht-Hungarian standard test, 127 children (aged < 18) were included in the RD group and 81 in the control group. To measure comorbid psychopathology, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was administered. To evaluate the children's QoL self- and parent-rated versions of the Measure of Quality of Life for Children and Adolescents (ILK) were used. Group differences in QoL and psychopathology were assessed using Mann-WhitneyU-tests. Moderated mediational models were tested in which comorbid psychopathology mediated the relationship between group membership and self- and parent-rated QoL, which was dependent on gender. Child's age and parents' level of education were included as covariates.Results:The RD group showed lower QoL than the controls in several domains, according to the parent-report, while no differences between the two groups were found, according to self-report. In boys, results revealed conditional and indirect effects of group membership on self- and parent-rated QoL through comorbid psychopathology (-0.046, BCa 95% CI: -0.135 to 0.043 and 0.064, BCa 95% CI: 0.024-0.111, respectively) as well as a conditional direct effect of group membership on parent-reported (-0.098, BCa 95% CI: 0.012-0.184), but not self-rated, QoL. No relationship was found for girls.Conclusions:This study highlights the importance of measuring QoL and comorbid psychopathology in children with RDs from more sources and accounting for gender and age differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Clinical Child Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary; Vadaskert Child Psychiatry HospitalBudapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balazs
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Clinical Child Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary; Heim Pál Pediatric Hospital, Budapest, Centre of Mental HealthBudapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miklosi
authors.affiliation: School of Ph.D. Studies, Semmelweis UniversityBudapest, Hungary; Vecses City Local Government Department of Children and Family ServicesVecsés, Hungary.
authors.forename: Krisztina T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Clinical Child Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nagy-Varga
keywords: QoL; RD; comorbidity; dyslexia; quality of life; reading disability