Neuropsychological functions in children with reading and writing difficulties

In the studies about the relationship between reading and writing difficulties and neuropsychological associated factors there are controversies around the hypotheses of a possible deviation or developmental delay. To analyze this polemic the present study compared the neuropsychological task performances of second grade children with reading and writing difficulties (n=14) with two groups: one contrasting reading and writing competence, but not age (n=15), and the other contrasting age, but not reading and writing competence (1st grade; n=9). The results showed that the scores of the second grade group with reading and writing difficulties were statistically lower to second grade children competent in reading and writing in phonological awareness, oral language and phonological memory, not differing significantly from the first grade group. Such findings favor the developmental delay hypothesis of these neuropsychological functions in children with reading and writing difficulties.

reading; reading and writing difficulties; developmental dyslexia; phonological processing; neuropsychological functions