Pérez-Pereira Miguel, Martínez-López Zeltia, Maneiro Lorena
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Front Psychol. 2020 Mar 17;11:468. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00468. eCollection 2020.
Different investigations have found that very or extremely (high risk) preterm children show global or specific difficulties in phonological awareness (PA) and reading abilities. Do low risk preterm children, however, exhibit this pattern? Phonological awareness has been considered an important predictor of literacy. Certain executive functions (EFs), and language abilities in turn, have been found to predict PA. The aims of this study are (1) to compare reading abilities of low risk preterm children of different gestational age (GA) groups to those of full-term children, (2) to compare the performance of low risk preterm children of different GA groups to that of full-term children in different EFs, language measures and PA, and (3) to perform a path analysis in order to test a longitudinal model of the relationships between EFs, language abilities, PA and reading. The participants were 108 low risk 4- year-old preterm children, classified into 3 groups of different GAs, and 34 full-term children. The children's EFs (rapid automatized naming task (RAN), working memory, and inhibition) were assessed at 4 and 5 years of age. Vocabulary comprehension, morphosyntactic production and grammar reception were assessed when the children were 5 years of age, as well as phonemic awareness and syllabic awareness. Finally, reading abilities were assessed when the children were 9 years old. No significant difference between gestational age groups was found on any of the measures taken on EFs, language abilities, phonological awareness, or reading abilities. The path analysis model demonstrates the direct effect of working memory, certain linguistic skills governed by rules (grammar, morphology) and phonological awareness on reading abilities at 9 years of age. The model also shows the mediating role that PA has on the relationship between EFs and language abilities with reading abilities.
不同的调查发现，极早产或超早产（高风险）儿童在语音意识（PA）和阅读能力方面存在整体或特定的困难。然而，低风险早产儿童是否也呈现这种模式呢？语音意识一直被视为读写能力的重要预测指标。而某些执行功能（EFs）以及语言能力反过来又被发现可以预测语音意识。本研究的目的是：（1）比较不同孕周（GA）组的低风险早产儿童与足月儿童的阅读能力；（2）比较不同GA组的低风险早产儿童与足月儿童在不同执行功能、语言指标和语音意识方面的表现；（3）进行路径分析，以检验执行功能、语言能力、语音意识和阅读之间关系的纵向模型。研究参与者为108名4岁的低风险早产儿童，分为3个不同GA组，以及34名足月儿童。在儿童4岁和5岁时评估其执行功能（快速自动命名任务（RAN）、工作记忆和抑制能力）。在儿童5岁时评估其词汇理解、形态句法生成和语法接受能力，以及音素意识和音节意识。最后，在儿童9岁时评估其阅读能力。在执行功能、语言能力、语音意识或阅读能力的任何测量指标上，未发现孕周组之间存在显著差异。路径分析模型表明了工作记忆、某些受规则支配的语言技能（语法、形态学）和语音意识对9岁儿童阅读能力的直接影响。该模型还显示了语音意识在执行功能和语言能力与阅读能力之间关系中所起的中介作用。
