ABSTRACT Previous research estimated a prevalence of 3.4% Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI)-related visual problems within primary school children, potentially compromising students’ performance. This study aimed to clarify how CVI-related visual difficulties relate to academic performance in standardized achievement tests. As part of the Luxembourg school monitoring programme, 1129 first graders (mean age of 7 years) participated in three competence tests (mathematics, early literacy and listening comprehension) and in student and parent questionnaires (background information). The same children took part in a CVI-related visual difficulties screening (Evaluation of Visuo-Attentional abilities battery, optometric and orthoptic measures). The sample was divided post-screening into 38 children with potential CVI-related visual difficulties (18 females, 20 males, mean age 7y, range 6–8y) and 890 typically developing (TD) children (445 females, 430 males, 15 missing, mean age 7y, range 5–10y). Compared to the TD sample children with CVI-related visual difficulties significantly underperformed in early literacy and mathematics, but not in listening comprehension, even when controlling for background characteristics known to influence performance (gender, socio-economic status, migration background, parental education, home language, age). The results confirm the association of CVI-related visual difficulties with learning processes already at primary school level and emphasize the need to implement a systematic screening for CVI-related visual difficulties, as early as possible within the school path, to ensure adequate measures are employed to aid students at risk.
Read full abstract