The influences and outcomes of phonological awareness: a study of MA, PA and auditory processing in pre-readers with a family risk of dyslexia

Law, J. M. , Wouters, J. and Ghesquière, P. (2017) The influences and outcomes of phonological awareness: a study of MA, PA and auditory processing in pre-readers with a family risk of dyslexia. Developmental Science, 20(5), e12453. (doi: 10.1111/desc.12453) (PMID:27774757)

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Abstract

The direct influence of phonological awareness (PA) on reading outcomes has been widely demonstrated, yet PA may also exert indirect influence on reading outcomes through other cognitive variables such as morphological awareness (MA). However, PA's own development is dependent and influenced by many extraneous variables such as auditory processing, which could ultimately impact reading outcomes. In a group of pre-reading children with a family risk of dyslexia and low-risk controls, this study sets out to answer questions surrounding PA's relationship at various grain sizes (syllable, onset/rime and phoneme) with measures of auditory processing (frequency modulation (FM) and an amplitude rise-time task (RT)) and MA, independent of reading experience. Group analysis revealed significant differences between high- and low-risk children on measures of MA, and PA at all grain sizes, while a trend for lower RT thresholds of high-risk children was found compared with controls. Correlational analysis demonstrated that MA is related to the composite PA score and syllable awareness. Group differences on MA and PA were re-examined including PA and MA, respectively, as control variables. Results exposed PA as a relevant component of MA, independent of reading experience.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Law, Dr Jeremy
Authors: Law, J. M., Wouters, J., and Ghesquière, P.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social & Environmental Sustainability
Journal Name:Developmental Science
Publisher:Wiley
ISSN:1363-755X
ISSN (Online):1467-7687
Published Online:23 October 2016
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2016 John Wiley and Sons Ltd
First Published:First published in Developmental Science 20(5): e12453
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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