Action video-games (AVGs) could improve reading efficiency, enhancing not only visual attention but also phonological processing. Here we tested the AVG effects upon three consolidated language-based predictors of reading development in a sample of 79 pre-readers at-risk and 41 non-at-risk for developmental dyslexia. At-risk children were impaired in either phonemic awareness (i.e., phoneme discrimination task), phonological working memory (i.e., pseudoword repetition task) or rapid automatized naming (i.e., RAN of colours task). At-risk children were assigned to different groups by using an unequal allocation randomization: (1) AVG (n = 43), (2) Serious Non-Action Video Game (n = 11), (3) treatment-as-usual (i.e., speech therapy, n = 11), and (4) waiting list (n = 14). Pre- and post-training comparisons show that only phonemic awareness has a significantly higher improvement in the AVG group compared to the waiting list, the non-AVG, and the treatment-as-usual groups, as well as the combined active groups (n = 22). This cross-modal plastic change: (i) leads to a recovery in phonemic awareness when compared to the not-at-risk pre-readers; (ii) is present in more than 80% of AVG at-risk pre-readers, and; (iii) is maintained at a 6-months follow-up. The present findings indicate that this specific multisensory attentional training positively affects how phonemic awareness develops in pre-readers at risk for developmental dyslexia, paving the way for innovative prevention programs.

Bertoni, S., Andreola, C., Mascheretti, S., Franceschini, S., Ruffino, M., Trezzi, V., et al. (2024). Action video games normalise the phonemic awareness in pre-readers at risk for developmental dyslexia. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING, 9(1) [10.1038/s41539-024-00230-0].

Action video games normalise the phonemic awareness in pre-readers at risk for developmental dyslexia

Sali M. E.;
2024

Abstract

Action video-games (AVGs) could improve reading efficiency, enhancing not only visual attention but also phonological processing. Here we tested the AVG effects upon three consolidated language-based predictors of reading development in a sample of 79 pre-readers at-risk and 41 non-at-risk for developmental dyslexia. At-risk children were impaired in either phonemic awareness (i.e., phoneme discrimination task), phonological working memory (i.e., pseudoword repetition task) or rapid automatized naming (i.e., RAN of colours task). At-risk children were assigned to different groups by using an unequal allocation randomization: (1) AVG (n = 43), (2) Serious Non-Action Video Game (n = 11), (3) treatment-as-usual (i.e., speech therapy, n = 11), and (4) waiting list (n = 14). Pre- and post-training comparisons show that only phonemic awareness has a significantly higher improvement in the AVG group compared to the waiting list, the non-AVG, and the treatment-as-usual groups, as well as the combined active groups (n = 22). This cross-modal plastic change: (i) leads to a recovery in phonemic awareness when compared to the not-at-risk pre-readers; (ii) is present in more than 80% of AVG at-risk pre-readers, and; (iii) is maintained at a 6-months follow-up. The present findings indicate that this specific multisensory attentional training positively affects how phonemic awareness develops in pre-readers at risk for developmental dyslexia, paving the way for innovative prevention programs.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Dyslexia; Speech Perception; Electroencephalography
English
21-mar-2024
2024
9
1
25
open
Bertoni, S., Andreola, C., Mascheretti, S., Franceschini, S., Ruffino, M., Trezzi, V., et al. (2024). Action video games normalise the phonemic awareness in pre-readers at risk for developmental dyslexia. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING, 9(1) [10.1038/s41539-024-00230-0].
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Bertoni-2024-npj Science of Learning-VoR.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: CC BY 4.0 This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 IntTo view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.ernational License
Tipologia di allegato: Publisher’s Version (Version of Record, VoR)
Licenza: Creative Commons
Dimensione 976.06 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
976.06 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/504179
Citazioni
  • Scopus 9
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 8
Social impact