Developmental Trends In Reading and Language Skills for Welfare-Involved Children
Open Access
- Author:
- Ellner, Samantha
- Graduate Program:
- Educational Psychology
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- May 23, 2022
- Committee Members:
- Carlomagno Del Carmen Panlilio, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Peggy N. Van Meter, Committee Member
Matthew McCrudden, Professor in Charge/Director of Graduate Studies - Keywords:
- maltreatment
reading
reading development
language
disability - Abstract:
- Background: Children with maltreatment histories often exhibit impaired reading abilities and will likely need special education (SPED) to support their learning. However, few studies have provided a nuanced understanding of children’s reading-related processes to understand the interconnected and complex issues of reading impairments when assessing disability in a maltreated population. Objective: The current study investigated the relationship between child maltreatment and reading impairments and intends to further unpack the specific mechanisms of reading that impact later skilled reading in a sample of children with allegations of maltreatment. Method: The analytic sample was drawn from the wider sample of participants within the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Wellbeing (NSCAW) I study. Six separate hierarchical multiple linear regression models were employed to examine how demographic characteristics, risk of cognitive disability, and measures of language comprehension can predict later skilled reading in word-recognition and language comprehension. Results: Findings suggest that language comprehension at age three predicted skilled reading across ages 8 through 11. Similarly, language comprehension at age six predicted skilled reading across ages 8 through 11. Finally, both early (age 3) and later (age 6) language comprehension skills significantly predicted skilled reading in word recognition. However, only later language comprehension predicted skilled reading in language comprehension. Demographic characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity characteristics, poverty level) predicted skilled reading throughout the models. Conclusion: Given these findings, child welfare and school systems should take a more collaborative approach when assessing the learning needs (e.g., skilled reading) of maltreated students. Child welfare caseworkers and investigators should screen children for impairments to provide support for SPED practitioners and general educators attempting to provide intervention for these children. Limitations and future directions are reviewed