Pre‐natal Factors and Backwardness in Reading

Abstract

Summary Initially an investigation was made to discover and demonstrate the relationship between perceptual motor and language difficulties in a group of backward readers, all boys, of junior school age. Analysis of the data obtained suggested that the difficulties of some backward readers could be the result of a neurological impairment. The backward readers were then subdivided according to the number and severity of their scores on the perceptual motor tests, and a control group of normal readers of a similar age and intelligence was selected. A detailed questionnaire given to all the parents of the boys in both groups indicated the presence of a greater number of difficulties in pregnancy and during birth in the backward readers’ group. However, analysis of variance indicated that, with the exception of low birth weight, differences between the normal and backward readers did not reach the level of significance. In contrast, when the backward readers with perceptual motor difficulties and normal reade...