Predicting text reading skills at age 8 years in children born preterm and at term

• Published in: Early human development Vol. 130; pp. 80 - 86
• Main Authors: Borchers, Lauren R., Bruckert, Lisa, Travis, Katherine E., Dodson, Cory K., Loe, Irene M., Marchman, Virginia A., Feldman, Heidi M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.03.2019
• Subjects: Child; Cognition; Executive Function; Female; Humans; Infant, Extremely Premature - growth & development; Infant, Newborn; Language; Language Development; Male; Phonological awareness; Prediction; Prematurity; Reading; Reading development; Executive function; Prematurity; Language; Prediction; Phonological awareness; Cognition; Reading development
• ISSN: 0378-3782; 1872-6232; 1872-6232
• DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2019.01.012

Children born preterm are at risk for developing reading difficulties and for decrements in other cognitive skills compared to children born at term. To assess how domains of function, often negatively impacted by preterm birth, predict reading development in children born preterm and at term. Longitudinal descriptive cohort study. Preterm (n = 48; gestational age 22–32 weeks, 30 males) and term (n = 41, 18 males) participants were assessed at age 6 years on a battery of verbal and non-verbal cognitive skills and reassessed at age 8 using the Gray Oral Reading Tests-5. Linear regressions assessed the contributions of phonological awareness, language, executive function, and non-verbal IQ at age 6 to reading outcome at age 8. Children born preterm had lower scores than children born at term on all measures (Cohen's d from 0.46 to 1.08, all p < .05). Phonological awareness and language abilities predicted reading in both groups (accounting for 19.9% and 25.0% of variance, respectively, p < .001). Birth group did not moderate the association. By contrast, the association between executive function and non-verbal intelligence and reading outcome was moderated by birth group (interaction accounted for 3.9–6.7% of variance, respectively, p < .05). Positive predictions to reading from executive function and non-verbal IQ were found only in children born preterm. Non-verbal cognitive skills improved the prediction of reading outcome only in the preterm group, suggesting that reading decrements represent a component of global deficits. These findings have implications for evaluation of children born preterm at school entry and treatment of reading difficulties. •Phonological awareness and language skills at age 6 similarly predicted reading at age 8 in children born preterm and term.•Executive function and non-verbal intelligence at age 6 predicted reading at age 8 only in the preterm group.•Reading decrements in preterm group likely represented one component of global deficits.