A factor analytic study of reading attitudes in young children

Abstract

This study used factor analytic procedures to identify dimensions of reading attitudes among young children and to examine whether these dimensions suggest developmental changes from ages 3 to 5. A random sample of 2232 children was administered the Preschool Reading Attitudes Scale (PRAS) to assess various areas of a child's reading environment. The test-retest reliability of the PRAS over a 4-week interval for a sample of 360 children was .95, while Kuder-Richardson 20 was .89 for the first test. Also, the scale was shown to significantly discriminate between children nominated by teachers as having positive versus negative attitudes toward reading. Factor analyses indicated two stable and interpretable factors for each age group: 3-year-olds showed “general reading” and “library reading,” 4-year-olds showed “general reading” and “listening and library reading,” and 5-year-olds showed “oral reading” and “library reading.”