Contributions of Related Variables to Reading Comprehension in School-Age Children: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Objectives: Reading comprehension is a complex cognitive process consisting of various constructs. This 2-year longitudinal study explores the predictor variables on reading comprehension. Specifically, as criterion variables, two widely used reading comprehension tests, in open-ended format and cloze task format, were used to figure out different patterns of relations. Methods: Thirty-two typically developing children followed from early grades (1st and 2nd grades) to intermediate grades (3rd and 4th grades) completed measures of two formats of reading comprehension, word recognition, vocabulary, reading fluency, and morphological awareness. Correlations analyses and stepwise multiple regression analyses were undertaken. Results: The results showed that reading comprehension in the early grades contributed significantly to the same variables in the intermediate grades.Additionally, morphological awareness in the early grades accounted for unique variance in later open-ended reading comprehension. Word recognition and vocabulary in the early grades predicted later reading comprehension scores in cloze task format. The findings also suggested that reading fluency accounted for significant variance in reading comprehension during the same periods but not across the periods. Conclusion: The results of this study were consistent with previous studies that suggested the contributions of morphological awareness and reading fluency to reading comprehension. Findings also indicated that reading fluency might be a distinct variable along with word recognition and vocabulary.