The development of reading is a complex process grounded in the integration of multiple cognitive, phonological, and visuo-attentional abilities, which emerge and begin to consolidate already during the preschool years. Understanding the role of these early precursors is essential for identifying the risk and protective factors that influence individual trajectories in the acquisition of literacy skills. The present study is part of a broader longitudinal project aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a training program using Action Video Games (AVG). Its primary objective is to investigate whether individual differences in cognitive and visuo-attentional abilities assessed in preschool (T0), and related to reading skills, are able to predict reading performance at the end of first grade of primary school (T2), as well as to characterize the profiles of future good and poor readers. The sample consisted of 133 children attending the last year of preschool, assessed at three time points: before the training (T0), immediately after the action video game training (T1), and one year later (T2), at the end of first grade. At T0, participants were administered a battery of tests designed to assess several reading precursors, including measures of phonological awareness, phonological memory, Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), subitizing, fine motor skills, motion sensitivity (Coherent Dot Motion Task), and visuospatial attention through the Visual Attention Span Task (VAST). At T2, standardized measures of word, nonword, and text reading were collected, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of decoding skills and reading fluency. The results indicate that, already in preschool age, certain cognitive and visuo-attentional abilities are significantly associated with later reading competencies. In particular, response time and number of errors in the RAN Colors task, accuracy in the VAST (with a specific contribution of the Probe condition), sensitivity to coherent motion, and efficiency in the subitizing task showed significant associations with reading performance at T2. Moreover, group comparisons revealed systematic differences between future good and poor readers. Future good readers were characterized by faster lexical access, shorter subitizing times, greater accuracy in the VAST (particularly in relation to the eccentricity parameter), and better sensitivity to coherent motion. Overall, these findings suggest that specific visuo-attentional and phonological access abilities represent important precursors of reading development and contribute to explaining individual differences observable even before the onset of formal instruction. Such evidence supports the hypothesis that early interventions targeting the enhancement of these processes, such as action video game training, may represent a relevant protective factor for literacy acquisition and offer new perspectives for the prevention of reading difficulties.
Lo sviluppo della lettura è un processo complesso che si fonda sull’integrazione di molteplici abilità cognitive, fonologiche e visuo-attentive, le quali emergono e si strutturano già in età prescolare. Comprendere il ruolo di tali precursori precoci è fondamentale per identificare i fattori di rischio e di protezione che influenzano le traiettorie individuali di acquisizione della letto-scrittura. Il presente studio si inserisce all’interno di un progetto longitudinale più ampio volto a valutare l’efficacia di un training con videogiochi d’azione (Action Video Games, AVG) e ha come obiettivo principale quello di indagare se le differenze individuali nelle abilità cognitive e visuo-attentive rilevate in età prescolare (T0) legate alle abilità di lettura siano in grado di predire le competenze di lettura stesse al termine della prima classe della scuola primaria (T2), nonché di caratterizzare i profili di futuri buoni e cattivi lettori. Il campione è composto da 133 bambini frequentanti l’ultimo anno della scuola dell’infanzia, valutati in tre momenti temporali: prima del training (T0), subito dopo il training con i videogiochi d’azione(T1) e a distanza di un anno (T2) alla fine della prima elementare. Al tempo T0 sono stati somministrati test volti a valutare diversi precursori della lettura, includendo misure di consapevolezza fonologica, memoria fonologica, Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), subitizing, motricità fine, sensibilità al movimento (Coherent Dot Motion Task) e attenzione visuo-spaziale attraverso il Visual Attention Span Task (VAST). Al tempo T2 sono state raccolte misure standardizzate di lettura di parole, non-parole e brano, permettendo una valutazione completa delle abilità di decodifica e fluenza. I risultati evidenziano che già in età prescolare alcune abilità cognitive e visuo-attentive risultano significativamente associate alle competenze di lettura successive. In particolare, il tempo e il numero di errori nel RAN Colori, l’accuratezza nel VAST (con un contributo specifico della condizione Probe), la sensibilità al movimento coerente e l’efficienza nel compito di subitizing mostrano associazioni significative con le prestazioni di lettura a T2. Inoltre, il confronto tra gruppi ha messo in luce differenze sistematiche tra futuri buoni e cattivi lettori: i primi si distinguono per una maggiore rapidità di accesso al lessico, tempi inferiori nel subitizing, una maggiore accuratezza nel VAST sul parametro di eccentricità e una migliore sensibilità al movimento coerente. Nel complesso, questi risultati suggeriscono che specifiche abilità visuo-attentive e di accesso fonologico rappresentano importanti precursori dello sviluppo della lettura e contribuiscono a spiegare le differenze individuali osservabili già prima dell’inizio dell’istruzione formale. Tali evidenze supportano l’ipotesi che interventi precoci mirati al potenziamento di questi processi, come il training con videogiochi d’azione, possano costituire un fattore protettivo rilevante per l’acquisizione delle competenze di letto-scrittura e offrire nuove prospettive per la prevenzione delle difficoltà di lettura.
Precursori cognitivi e visuo-attentivi della lettura: uno studio longitudinale sulla predizione delle difficoltà di lettura in bambini in età prescolare
DE SARRO, ALESSANDRO
2024/2025
Abstract
The development of reading is a complex process grounded in the integration of multiple cognitive, phonological, and visuo-attentional abilities, which emerge and begin to consolidate already during the preschool years. Understanding the role of these early precursors is essential for identifying the risk and protective factors that influence individual trajectories in the acquisition of literacy skills. The present study is part of a broader longitudinal project aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a training program using Action Video Games (AVG). Its primary objective is to investigate whether individual differences in cognitive and visuo-attentional abilities assessed in preschool (T0), and related to reading skills, are able to predict reading performance at the end of first grade of primary school (T2), as well as to characterize the profiles of future good and poor readers. The sample consisted of 133 children attending the last year of preschool, assessed at three time points: before the training (T0), immediately after the action video game training (T1), and one year later (T2), at the end of first grade. At T0, participants were administered a battery of tests designed to assess several reading precursors, including measures of phonological awareness, phonological memory, Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), subitizing, fine motor skills, motion sensitivity (Coherent Dot Motion Task), and visuospatial attention through the Visual Attention Span Task (VAST). At T2, standardized measures of word, nonword, and text reading were collected, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of decoding skills and reading fluency. The results indicate that, already in preschool age, certain cognitive and visuo-attentional abilities are significantly associated with later reading competencies. In particular, response time and number of errors in the RAN Colors task, accuracy in the VAST (with a specific contribution of the Probe condition), sensitivity to coherent motion, and efficiency in the subitizing task showed significant associations with reading performance at T2. Moreover, group comparisons revealed systematic differences between future good and poor readers. Future good readers were characterized by faster lexical access, shorter subitizing times, greater accuracy in the VAST (particularly in relation to the eccentricity parameter), and better sensitivity to coherent motion. Overall, these findings suggest that specific visuo-attentional and phonological access abilities represent important precursors of reading development and contribute to explaining individual differences observable even before the onset of formal instruction. Such evidence supports the hypothesis that early interventions targeting the enhancement of these processes, such as action video game training, may represent a relevant protective factor for literacy acquisition and offer new perspectives for the prevention of reading difficulties.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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Tesi matricola 542125 (Alessandro De Sarro).pdf
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Descrizione: Tesi magistrale Laurea Psicologia Marzo 2026
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/33725