Reading problems and behavior problems in boys are intertwined

	Tweet

It’s been known for more than a decade that children with reading problems, particularly boys, also tend to have behavior problems, and vice versa. The reason behind the connection, however, remained unclear.

Now researchers from King’s College London and the University of Wisconsin-Madison find in a new study that the development of reading problems and behavior problems in boys are intertwined: as one changes, so does the other. Their findings are published in the January/February 2006 issue of the journal, Child Development. The researchers tested three hypotheses as to what might be behind the link between reading and behavioral problems.

The first hypothesis suggested that both were the result of underlying genetic factors. Using a sample of twins, they found, however, that just 27 percent of the overlap was due to common genetic factors, but that 71 percent was due to common environmental factors the twins shared. Thus, the researchers developed their next hypothesis: that reading and behavior problems were linked to factors in the home environment.

But when they sought to identify those factors - testing whether a stimulating home environment, child neglect, the mother’s reading skill, parental income, education and social class, deprivation, family size, maternal depression and/or young maternal age could account for the relation between reading problems and behavior problems - they found the environment alone was not enough to explain the link.

Their third hypothesis, however, that reading problems and behavior problems cause each other, turned out to be correct for boys. For girls, however, the researchers found that while behavior problems lead to reading problems, reading problems do not lead to behavioral problems.

Their finding contrasts with earlier work identifying an overlap between reading problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which was best explained by the influence of common genetic factors. Instead, the findings published in Child Development show that behavior problems and ADHD symptoms should not be considered equal, at least in terms of their connection with reading problems.

“These findings may help guide interventions by showing that targeting either reading problems or behavior problems during the preschool and early primary school years is likely to produce changes in both behaviors,” said lead author Kali H. Trzesniewski, Ph.D., of the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London. “Although this is not necessarily easy to achieve, several studies illustrate the positive affect academic interventions can have on children’s antisocial behavior.”

http://www.srcd.org

RELATED STORIES:
Exercise, limited TV time may keep kids trim   Playing violent video games has risks: study   Children of Smokers Have Five Times Higher Levels of a Nicotine Toxin   Health matters for children   Researchers Join Forces to Cure Deadly Childhood Disease   Letting infants watch TV can do more harm than good says wide-ranging international review   2 years old—a childhood obesity tipping point?   Nicotine nasal spray a no-go for teen smokers   Get junk food out of schools   Sustained exercise seen best for kids’ weight   Breastfeeding Program for Premature Babies Goes Online   Children with cancer often use alternative medicine

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]