Research › Learning & Development
Quantitative and qualitative analysis of reading skills of dyslexic subjects with the reading and writing direct test after treatment with the sub-lexical method
STS Instructor Authored by Giuseppe A. Chiarenza
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Study at a glance
- Area
- Learning & Development
- Study type
- Pilot / open study
- Authors
- Chiarenza GA, Coati P, Tonolli E, Doniselli F, Di Pietro SF, Iudice M
- Journal
- Psicologia clinica dello sviluppo
- Year
- 2016
- Participants
- 73 children and adolescents with dyslexia (6–13 years)
- Population
- Children, Adolescents
- Protocol
- lexical and sub-lexical word-recognition training with perceptual masking
- Sessions
- 3 treatment blocks of 3 months, each followed by a 3-month break
Key findings
- Reading level, reading age and reading quotient improved after treatment
- More words were read correctly in brief (250 ms) presentation, and reading times shortened
- Sound-based (dysphonetic) errors fell in both conditions; visual (dyseidetic) errors fell with longer presentation
- Correct writing of both known and unknown words increased; uncontrolled pre/post design
Children and young teenagers with dyslexia went through a rehabilitation programme based on recognising words both whole and by their sound parts, given in three 3-month blocks separated by 3-month breaks. Reading and writing were assessed with a computerised test in which words are flashed briefly or held on screen, and results before and after treatment were compared. Reading level, reading age, speed and accuracy improved, sound-based reading errors fell, and correct spelling of familiar and unfamiliar words increased. There was no control group, and the authors' suggestion that the method changes brain network connectivity was inferred rather than measured in this study.