Investigation of the effects of gross motor and cognitive skills on reading comprehension in children with dyslexia

This study aimed to examine the effects of gross motor skills, motor planning, visual perception skills, reaction speed, and executive functions on reading comprehension in children with dyslexia. The study group consisted of 64 children diagnosed with dyslexia between the ages of 7-12 and were randomly selected from among the children who applied to the pediatric unit of Hacettepe University Occupational Therapy Department. The control group (n=64) was chosen from among the volunteers who applied to participate via social media posting. Bilateral coordination, balance, speed, and agility items of Bruininks-Oseretsky Motor Proficiency Test-2 Short Form (BOT 2-SF) for gross motor skills of children, Dynamic Occupational Therapy Cognition Scale-Children's version (DOTCA-Ch) for praxis for motor imitation for motor planning, 3 sub-parameters including object use and symbolic actions, Test of Visual Perception Skills-3 (TVPS-3) for visual perception skills, visual discrimination and shape background parameters, a computer program to evaluate reaction rate, Executive Functions, and Activity Routines Scale to evaluate executive functions (EFORTS) was used. In order to examine the effects of these skills on reading comprehension, 13 texts in the A form of the Reading Aloud Skill and Reading Comprehension Test-II (SOBAT-II) were used. According to the path model made in children with dyslexia, motor planning (ß=0.536, p=0.002), and visual perception-shape ground perception sub-parameter (ß=0.380, p=0.002) was a direct effect on reading comprehension. The gross motor skill (ß=0.942, p=0.002) had an indirect effect on reading comprehension through the motor planning measure. According to the path analysis performed in children with typical development, executive functions (ß=0.439, p=0.002), visual perception-visual discrimination sub-parameter (ß=0.623, p=0.002) was a direct effect on reading comprehension. Visual reaction speed (ß=-0.592; p=0.002) and motor planning (ß=0.218; p=0.002) were an indirect effect on reading comprehension through executive functions. The factors affecting reading were different between children with typical development and children with dyslexia. The health professionals and teachers working with these children should be aware of it.