A Longitudinal Investigation of the Influence of Literacy-related Skills, Reading Self-perceptions, and Inattentive Behaviours on the Development of Literacy Learning Difficulties

Abstract

Although recent research favours a bidirectional relationship between reading problems and inattentive behaviours, the risk factors that set in motion these reciprocally interacting relations remain unclear. One hundred and fifty-two new school entrants who took part in a seven-year longitudinal study of literacy development were assessed on literacy-related skills, reading self-perceptions, behaviour problems, and literacy achievement. Results revealed highly consistent and relatively robust reciprocal relationships between literacy achievement and both inattentive behaviours and reading self-perceptions, but not between inattentive behaviours and reading self-perceptions. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that early reading problems are predictive of both inattentive behaviours and poor reading self-perceptions which become established and predict further impairments in reading in a reciprocally interacting manner over time.

Keywords:

• behaviour problems
• inattentive behaviours
• Matthew effects
• metalinguistic abilities
• reading achievement
• reading difficulties
• reading self-perceptions
• social factors

Acknowledgements

This research was funded, in part, by a grant from the New Zealand Ministry of Education, Contract No. ER35/299/5. No restrictions have been imposed on free access to, or publication of, the research data.