The impact of a dialogic-reading program on children's cognitive outcomes: Preliminary findings of a pilot study

This study aimed to measure the impact of a dialogic-reading intervention program on children's cognitive outcomes and mothers' dialogic reading abilities. The study revealed the preliminary findings of a cluster randomized pilot study. The sample of the present study consisted of 92 mothers and their 24-31- months-old children within the intervention and control groups. Participants in the intervention group received an adapted version of a 7-week dialogic reading program in groups of four mother-child dyads while the control group received no treatment. Pretest and posttest assessments were completed for children's receptive language skills through children's performance on a receptive language test, children's expressive language skills through mother-report inventory, selective attention skills via computerized task and focused attention skills and mothers' book-reading behaviors through observation during shared book reading of mothers with their children. The findings showed no intervention effect on child or mother outcomes, contrary to previous studies (e.g., Cooper et al., 2014). Possible explanations of these preliminary results and recommendations for future studies were discussed.