Single Latent Factor Research Articles

Measuring Teacher Self-Efficacy for Integrating Computational Thinking in Science (T-SelECTS)

With computational thinking (CT) emerging as a prominent component of 21st century science education, equipping teachers with the necessary tools to integrate CT into science lessons becomes increasingly important. One of these tools is confidence in their ability to carry out the integration of CT. This confidence is conceptualized as self-efficacy: the belief in one’s ability to perform a specific task in a specific context. Self-reported self-efficacy in teaching has shown promise as a measure of future behavior and is linked to teacher performance. Current measures of teacher self-efficacy to integrate CT are limited, however, by narrow conceptualizations of CT, oversight of survey design research, and limited evidence of instrument validity. We designed a valid and reliable measure of Teacher Self-Efficacy for integrating Computational Thinking in Science (T-SelECTS) that fits a single latent factor structure. To demonstrate the instrument’s value, we collected data from 58 pre-service teachers who participated in a CT module within their science methods course at a large Mid-Atlantic university. We found evidence of significant development in pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy for integrating CT into science instruction. We discuss how the T-SelECTS instrument could be used in teacher education courses and professional development to measure change in self-efficacy.

Transcultural adaptation and validation of the Organizational Performance Metric safety culture questionnaire

Safety positive performance indicators (PPI) reflect key aspects of safety culture; some of them also have predictive validity for occupational injuries. This is the case of the Organizational Performance Metric (OPM), developed by the Canadian Institute for Work & Health (IWH), a short, widely validated international English language questionnaire. The objective of this study was to obtain a transculturally adapted Spanish language version ofthe OPM, and to analyze its statistical reliability, validity and internal consistency. After a translation and back translation process was performed by an expert panel, 478 questionnaires were completed in Navarra, Spain. We calculated the Cronbach alpha coefficient, bivariate correlations and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and performed exploratory factorial analysis of all eight items. Data show the new tool has high reliability (Cronbach alpha==0.863) and internal validity (ICC=0.842). The factorial analysis confirmed a single latent factor among the eight items of the questionnaire. the adapted questionnaire (OPM-Esp) constitutes a valid instrument for use as an indicator of safety performance in Spanish companies. Its brevity and simplicity make it especially useful in the work environment. Its ability to predict occupational injuries should be tested in the Spanish context.

Stress of Conscience Questionnaire (SCQ): exploring dimensionality and psychometric properties at a tertiary hospital in Australia

BackgroundThis study explored the psychometric properties and dimensionality of the Stress of Conscience Questionnaire (SCQ) in a sample of health professionals from a tertiary-level Australian hospital. The SCQ, a measure of stress of conscience, is a recently developed nine-item instrument for assessing frequently encountered stressful situations in health care, and the degree to which they trouble the conscience of health professionals. This is relevant because stress of conscience has been associated with negative experiences such as job strain and/or burnout. The validity of SCQ has not been explored beyond Scandinavian contexts.MethodsA cross-sectional study of 253 health professionals was undertaken in 2015. The analysis involved estimates of reliability, variability and dimensionality. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to explore dimensionality and theoretical model fit respectively.ResultsCronbach’s alpha of 0.84 showed internal consistency reliability. All individual items of the SCQ (N = 9) met the cut-off criteria for item-total correlations (> 0.3) indicating acceptable homogeneity. Adequate variability was confirmed for most of the items, with some items indicating floor or ceiling effects. EFA retained a single latent factor with adequate factor loadings for a unidimensional structure. When the two‐factor model was compared to the one‐factor model, the latter achieved better goodness of fit supporting a one-factor model for the SCQ.ConclusionThe SCQ, as a unidimensional measure of stress of conscience, achieved adequate reliability and variability in this study. Due to unidimensionality of the tool, summation of a total score can be a meaningful way forward to summarise and communicate results from future studies, enabling international comparisons. However, further exploration of the questionnaire in other cultures and clinical settings is recommended to explore the stability of the latent one-factor structure.

The Genetic Architecture of the Clustering of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Study of 8- to 17-Year-Old Chinese Twins.

We explored the genetic architecture of metabolic risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their clustering in Chinese boys and girls. Seven metabolic traits (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], total cholesterol [TC], triglyceride [TG], and uric acid [UA]) were measured in a sample of 1016 twins between 8 and 17 years of age, recruited from the Qingdao Twin Registry. Cholesky, independent pathway, and common pathway models were used to identify the latent genetic structure behind the clustering of these metabolic traits. Genetic architecture of these metabolic traits was largely similar in boys and girls. The highest heritability was found for BMI (a2 = 0.63) in boys and TC (a2 = .69) in girls. Three heritable factors, adiposity (BMI and WC), blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and metabolite factors (TC, TG, and UA), which formed one higher-order latent phenotype, were identified. Latent genetic, common environmental, and unique environmental factors indirectly impacted the three factors through one single latent factor. Our results suggest that there is one latent factor influencing several metabolic traits, which are known risk factors of CVDs in young Chinese twins. Latent genetic, common environmental, and unique environmental factors indirectly imposed on them. These results inform strategies for gene pleiotropic discovery and intervening of CVD risk factors during childhood and adolescence.

A single summative global scale of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors: Findings from Project EAT, a 15-year longitudinal population-based study

ObjectiveThe Project EAT Disordered Eating Attitudes and Behaviors (DEAB) scale was created from disordered eating attitudes and behaviors that tend to interrelate. To examine the appropriateness of the scale, we assessed the fit (i.e., how well a single latent factor fits a set of interrelated disordered eating attitudes and behaviors) and the convergent validity over time. MethodFive interrelated disordered eating attitudes and behaviors were assessed in a longitudinal cohort (Project EAT, age 11 to 18 in 1998–1999, N = 1492). Confirmatory factor analysis examined the appropriateness of the DEAB scale. To examine whether individual variables function differently in relation to the latent construct across time, two models were compared: one requiring indicator-level factor loadings to remain equivalent across three time points (baseline [EAT-I], five-year follow-up [EAT-II], and 15-year follow-up [EAT-IV]), and the second allowing the factor loadings to vary over time. To examine the convergent validity, Pearson correlation with body satisfaction, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and BMI was compared across time. ResultsThe fit indices for a single factor structure supported the use of the DEAB scale over time (standardized loadings: 0.60–0.87, 0.67–0.89, 0.59–0.77 at EAT-I, II, and IV respectively). As hypothesized, compared to fewer number of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, greater number of attitudes and behaviors was associated with lower body satisfaction and self-esteem, and greater depressive symptoms and BMI (p < .01). DiscussionThe Project EAT DEAB scale can be used as a proxy to measure the severity of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors over time in population-based studies.

Good palliative nursing care: Design and validation of the palliative nursing care quality scale (PNCQS).

Develop and psychometrically assess the Palliative Nursing Care Quality Scale (PNCQS, escala de Calidad del Cuidado Enfermero Paliativo, CCEP, in Spanish). An interview-based qualitative study (1) was conducted to verify construct validity evidence, with psychometric properties of reliability and validity verified by two quantitative studies (2 & 3). Quantitative instrumental, correlational, and cross-sectional study. Study 1 was carried out with 10 key informants. For Study 2, a sample of 103 nursing professionals was obtained and 176 nurses from palliative care resources in Spain participated in Study 3. Data were collected between May 2017 - May 2018. Evidence of adequate reliability (internal consistency) and validity was found. The confirmatory factor model yielded a single latent factor for the 20 items, with adequate goodness-of-fit indices. The convergent validity data showed that the highest correlations were with the Dedication subscale of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and the Personal Growth subscale of Psychological Well-being, with values of 0.35 and 0.34, respectively (p<0.01 in both cases). The scale shows good psychometric properties, with high internal consistency and evidence of internal and convergent validity. Proposing a valuable instrument which identifies good nursing in different areas of palliative care while also establishing quality indicators to guide nursing practice entails the recognition of autonomy in care. The resulting work tool can be used to systematize the assessment of nursing care in a process of open and continuous improvement.

Association Between a Directly Translated Cognitive Measure of Negative Bias and Self-reported Psychiatric Symptoms

BackgroundNegative interpretation biases are thought to be core symptoms of mood and anxiety disorders. However, prior work using cognitive tasks to measure such biases is largely restricted to case-control group studies, which cannot be used for inference about individuals without considerable additional validation. Moreover, very few measures are fully translational (i.e., can be used across animals and humans in treatment-development pipelines). This investigation aimed to produce the first measure of negative cognitive biases that is both translational and sensitive to individual differences, and then to determine which specific self-reported psychiatric symptoms are related to bias. MethodsA total of 1060 (n = 990 complete) participants performed a cognitive task of negative bias along with psychiatric symptom questionnaires. We tested the hypothesis that individual levels of mood and anxiety disorder symptomatology would covary positively with negative bias on the cognitive task using a combination of computational modeling of behavior, confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. ResultsParticipants with higher depression symptoms (β = −0.16, p = .017) who were older (β = −0.11, p = .001) and had lower IQ (β = 0.14, p < .001) showed greater negative bias. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling suggested that no other psychiatric symptom (or transdiagnostic latent factor) covaried with task performance over and above the effect of depression, while exploratory factor analysis suggested combining depression/anxiety symptoms in a single latent factor. Generating groups using symptom cutoffs or latent mixture modeling recapitulated our prior case-control findings. ConclusionsThis measure, which uniquely spans both the clinical group-to-individual and preclinical animal-to-human generalizability gaps, can be used to measure individual differences in depression vulnerability for translational treatment-development pipelines.

Prediction of Chinese Reading Fluency by Verbal and Non-verbal Visual Attention Span Measures.

This study explored (1) the relationship between verbal and non-verbal visual attention span measures and (2) the relationship between visual attention span and reading fluency in traditional Chinese, among 101 university students in Hong Kong. The participants’ visual attention span was assessed using verbal measures (i.e., a global report task and a partial report task) and non-verbal measures (i.e., visual 1-back task with Chinese characters and visual 1-back task with symbols). The results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the single latent factor model, composed of the global report task, the partial report task, the visual 1-back task with Chinese characters, and the visual 1-back task with symbols, was a good fit for the data. The results of the regression analysis showed that the global report task significantly predicted traditional Chinese reading fluency. Structural equation modeling revealed a significant predictive relationship between the single latent factor composed of verbal and non-verbal visual attention span measures and traditional Chinese reading fluency. Overall, the results indicate that visual attention span contributes to reading fluency in traditional Chinese.

Couples becoming parents: Trajectories for psychological distress and buffering effects of social support

Background: Becoming a parent is a time of both joy and stress. Associations between exposure to postnatal depression and negative child outcomes underscore the importance of understanding trajectories and correlates of perinatal depression and anxiety. Methods: In a study of 438 expectant couples (from the UK, USA and Netherlands) tracked across four time-points (third trimester, 4, 14 and 24 months), we used dyadic latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) of self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression (CES-D, GHQ, STAI) to investigate the affective impact of becoming a parent. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses of anxious-depressive symptoms revealed a single latent factor with measurement invariance across time and parent. Dyadic LGCM intercepts showed greater prenatal problems in mothers compared with fathers. LGCM slopes revealed stable maternal problems but worsening paternal problems. Both intercepts and slopes showed significant within-couple associations. Controlling for prenatal salivary cortisol levels and perinatal couple relationship quality, support from friends attenuated mothers’ psychological distress and support from family reduced fathers’ psychological distress across the transition to parenthood. Limitations: Our sample was low risk (i.e., predominantly well-educated and affluent and no history of serious mental illness), limiting the generalizability of findings. In addition, the inverse association between psychological distress and social support may, in part, reflect the use of self-report for both measures. Conclusions: The international dyadic longitudinal design strengthens conclusions regarding variation in trajectories of psychological distress in both mothers and fathers. Crucially, social support appears pivotal in enabling new parents to flourish.

Team Players: How Social Skills Improve Group Performance

Most jobs require teamwork. Are some people good team players? In this paper we design and test a new method for identifying individual contributions to group performance. We randomly assign people to multiple teams and predict team performance based on previously assessed individual skills. Some people consistently cause their group to exceed its predicted performance. We call these individuals “team players”. Team players score significantly higher on a well-established measure of social intelligence, but do not differ across a variety of other dimensions, including IQ, personality, education and gender. Social skills – defined as a single latent factor that combines social intelligence scores with the team player effect – improve group performance about as much as IQ. We find suggestive evidence that team players increase effort among teammates. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.

Русскоязычная адаптация методик «Чувствительность к отвержению из-за внешности» и «Страх негативной оценки внешности»

We present the results of validating Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale (Lundgren et al., 2004) and Appearance-based Rejection Sensitivity Scale (Park, 2007) on the Russian sample. These scales operationalize factors of interpersonal vulnerability to body dissatisfaction as a result of internalizing the notions of the ideal body transmitted by parents, peers and mass media. The sample included 760 respondents aged 16—48, 687 female (Mage=24, Med=22, SD=6.75) and 73 male (Mage=23.2, Med=22, SD=5.58). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that either scale had a single latent factor, both showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α for FNAE — α=0.91; ARS — α=0.93) and test-retest reliability (for FNAE — rs=0.89; for ARS —0.93; p&lt;0,001). FNAE showed age differences, reaching the highest scores in the youngest group (aged 16—20). Convergent and discriminant validity of the scales was confirmed; they were positively related to attachment-related anxiety and disturbances in body image and eating behavior, and correlated negatively with self-esteem. Both scales had a positive impact on body image disturbances and drive for thinness. Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale and Appearance-based Rejection Sensitivity Scale can be used in studies broadly related to body dissatisfaction.

Evaluation of Well-Being in Adolescence: Proposal of an Integrative Model with Hedonic and Eudemonic Aspects

The evaluation of well-being can be conducted according to distinct traditions, among which the hedonic and eudemonic traditions stand out. The hedonic focuses on happiness, emphasizing the presence of positive affects and the absence of negative affects. The eudemonic emphasizes living well and fully, and the realization of human potential. This study aims to test a hypothetical model of well-being in adolescents, seeking to assess the dimensional structure of well-being, including measures of hedonic (subjective) and eudemonic (psychological) well-being. The sample consisted of 1248 Brazilian adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age (M = 15.09, SD = 1.77). The instruments employed were the Psychological Well-Being Scale, the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale and the Core Affects Scale. Three hypothetical models of relationships between the two well-being perspectives were tested using structural equation modeling. The results show that the model with subjective well-being and psychological well-being as two uncorrelated factors presented the worst values for model fit. The Oblique Model, with subjective well-being and psychological well-being as two correlated factors (r = .90) and the Single Factor Model, with well-being measures as observed variables of a single well-being latent factor, exhibited close fits. We conclude that a second-order factor encompasses the complexity of the well-being construct across different dimensions, while offering an integrative perspective of those dimensions.

The Forensic Restrictiveness Questionnaire: Development, Validation, and Revision.

Introduction: Forensic psychiatric care is often practiced in closed institutions. These highly regulated, secure, and prescriptive environments arguably reduce patient autonomy, self-expression, and personhood. Taken together these settings are restrictive as patients’ active participation in clinical, organizational, community, and personal life-worlds are curtailed. The consequences of patients’ experiences of restrictiveness have not been explored empirically. This study aimed to develop a psychometrically-valid measure of experiences of restrictiveness. This paper presents the development, validation, and revision of the Forensic Restrictiveness Questionnaire (FRQ). Methods: In total, 235 patients recruited from low, medium, and high secure hospitals across England completed the FRQ. The dimensionality of the 56-item FRQ was tested using Principle Axis Factor Analysis and parallel analysis. Internal consistency was explored with Cronbach’s α. Ward climate (EssenCES) and quality of life (FQL-SV) questionnaires were completed by participants as indicators of convergent validity. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Cronbach’s α guided the removal of items that did not scale adequately. Results: The analysis indicated good psychometric properties. EFA revealed a unidimensional structure, suggesting a single latent factor. Convergent validity was confirmed as the FRQ was significantly negatively correlated with quality of life (Spearman’s ρ = −0.72) and ward climate (Spearman’s ρ = −0.61). Internal consistency was strong (α = 0.93). Forty-one items were removed from the pilot FRQ. The data indicate that a final 15-item FRQ is a valid and internally reliable measure. Conclusion: The FRQ offers a novel and helpful method for clinicians and researchers to measure and explore forensic patients’ experiences of restrictiveness within secure hospitals.

Validation of the Dutch Version of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire.

The Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) is a scale that has been developed specifically for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). It consists of the Functional Status Scale (FSS) and the Symptom Severity Scale (SSS). It is the most widely used patient reported outcome measure in CTS and has been validated in many languages. Although already widely used, psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the BCTQ are yet unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the validity, reliability, responsiveness, and acceptability of the Dutch version. Moreover, this paper focuses the longitudinal validity (the use after an intervention) of the BCTQ, which has not been investigated before. A total of 180 patients completed the BCTQ in addition to a six-point Likert scale for perceived improvement, before and about 6–8 months after carpal tunnel release (CTR). Principal factor analysis revealed that the FSS is unidimensional, consisting of a single latent factor (“functionality”) and has a high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.825). However, the SSS has three dimensions, which are all highly internally consistent: “daytime symptoms” (Cronbach's α = 0.805), “nighttime symptoms” (Cronbach's α = 0.835), and “operational capacity” (Cronbach's α = 0.723). Post-treatment, the FSS still consisted of one factor, but the SSS changed in dimensionality, as it had only two factors left post-treatment. The ΔFSS and ΔSSS had good correlation with the six-point Likert scale for perceived improvement (r = 0.524; p < 0.01 and r = 0.574; p < 0.01, respectively), a moderate correlation between FSS and pinch grip (r = 0.259; p < 0.01) was found, and a weak correlation between SSS and pinch grip (r = 0.231; p < 0.01) was found. Standard Response Mean for FSS and SSS was 0.76 and 1.49, respectively. Effect size was 0.92 and 1.96, respectively, both indicating a good responsiveness. Response rate was high (82–84%). We concluded that the Dutch version of the BCTQ has a proper reliability, validity, responsiveness, and acceptability to assess the symptom severity and functional disabilities of CTS patients. Because of multidimensionality, we would recommend to create sum scores of the four different dimensions instead of two. Caution is required when interpreting the results postoperatively, due to the insufficient longitudinal validity of the SSS.

Psychometric Properties of the Swedish Version of the Brief Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ-10): An Internet-Based Study on Degrees of Affective Symptoms and Levels of Distress

Introduction: Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is reported in a wide variety of emotional disorders, although it is most often associated with either depression or anxiety disorders, assessed as symptoms of rumination and worry. Early detection of indicators for RNT across disorders is needed. To this end we explored the psychometric properties of a transdiagnostic measure, i.e., the Swedish version of the brief Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ-10), in adults (n = 674, age: 18 years or older). Methods: Participants completed an online battery of questionnaires measuring RNT, anxiety, depression and levels of positive and negative affect, satisfaction with life, metacognitive beliefs, and sick leave. Reliability and validity were evaluated with Cronbach’s α, item and scale correlations, factor analysis (including multigroup analysis), and multiple linear regression analysis. Principal component analysis and exploratory factor analysis were first carried out to identify the number of latent factors. Confirmatory factor analysis was then used to assess the model fit of a single latent factor. Results: Analyses supported a single-factor solution. Results showed that the reliability was excellent. The single-factor model was robust, except across levels of distress that did not support scalar invariance. Negative metacognitive beliefs, negative affect, and anxiety were strong covariates demonstrating convergent validity. Negative and weaker correlations with life satisfaction, positive affect, and physical symptoms contributed to the discriminant validity. Conclusion: This study showed that the instrument is robust in a population with various degrees of affective symptoms and distress. These results provide additional psychometric support for the RTQ-10 as a transdiagnostic measure. It can be administered online to assess RNT as a risk factor for emotional disorders.

Coercive controlling behaviors in intimate partner violence in male same-sex relationships:A mixed-methods study

Using mixed methods, we explored the role of coercive controlling behaviors in a high-risk sample of 126 men in violent same-sex relationships. Contrary to a prediction that separate factors of physical violence and coercive control might emerge, a simple principle components analysis supported that male same-sex relationship intimate partner violence (IPV) is essentially unidimensional. Qualitative narratives supported a single latent factor solution of violence, and that coercive controlling behaviors better detect IPV dynamics within the same violent encounters (i.e., weapon use), even when compared to profiles defined by physical violence. Narratives also highlighted gender-different tactics of coercion used, underscoring importance of context-based assessments.

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Urinary Conditions in Men: A Classical Twin Study

ObjectiveTo evaluate the genetic and environmental relationship among prostatitis and other urological conditions, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (CaP), a classical twin design and biometric modeling was used. While prostatitis—characterized by pain and voiding symptoms, no clear etiology, and functional and quality of life impairments—co-occurs with other urinary conditions, the degree of shared overlapping etiologic processes among them remains unclear. We examined the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to these conditions and the etiology of their associations at the level of genetic and environmental influences. Methods4380 monozygotic and dizygotic male twin pairs from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry reported lifetime physician-diagnosed prostatitis (combined acute and chronic), bladder problems, enlarged prostate/BPH, and CaP. Multivariate biometrical modeling estimated the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences for each condition, as well as their genetic and environmental covariance. The common pathway model tested the assumption that covariation among these urinary conditions is determined by a single latent factor. ResultsOverall prevalence of prostatitis was 2.7%. Heritability estimates ranged from 19% for bladder problems to 42% for CaP. Significant shared environmental influences were present for CaP (12%), enlarged prostate/BPH (10%) but were smaller than genetic influences. A reduced one factor common pathway model provided the best fit, suggesting that covariation among the conditions is determined by a shared latent factor. ConclusionWe identified a common, genetically-influenced factor that accounts for much of the comorbidity among these 4 disease conditions. Nonshared environmental factors also make a significant contribution.

Dial [formula omitted] for monotonic: A kernel-based Bayesian approach to state-trace analysis

A monotonic state-trace implies that a single latent factor is sufficient to explain the joint variation between two outcome variables across a set of conditions. There are, however, few methods available for assessing how much evidence a sample of data provides about whether the variables are truly monotonically related or not. We present a model that estimates the statistic Mˆ which reflects the amount of evidence a dataset provides about whether two or more outcome variables are jointly monotonically related at the group level. This statistic is based on modeling the covariation between outcome measures in terms of a kernel function, which allows for computation of the latent derivatives of each outcome variable with respect to the other. We then compare the prior and posterior probabilities that these derivatives are all of the same sign (and are thus monotonic) to obtain Mˆ. Simulations show that Mˆ discriminates between monotonic and non-monotonic state traces and an example illustrates how the model can be applied to both continuous and binomial data from between-subjects, within-subjects, or mixed designs.

Modeling Frailty Correlated Defaults With Multivariate Latent Factors

Firm-level default models are important for bottom-up modeling of the default risk of corporate debt portfolios. However, models in the literature typically have several strict assumptions which may yield biased results, notably a linear effect of covariates on the log-hazard scale, no interactions, and the assumption of a single additive latent factor on the log-hazard scale. Using a sample of US corporate firms, we provide evidence that these assumptions are too strict and matter in practice and, most importantly, we provide evidence of a time-varying effect of the relative firm size. We propose a frailty model to account for such effects that can provide forecasts for arbitrary portfolios as well. Our proposed model displays superior out-of-sample ranking of firms by their default risk and forecasts of the industry-wide default rate during the recent global financial crisis.

Orthographic processing and children’s word reading

ABSTRACTTheories of reading development generally agree that, in addition to phonological decoding, some kind of orthographic processing skill underlies the ability to learn to read words. However, there is a lack of clarity as to which aspect(s) of orthographic processing are key in reading development. We test here whether this is orthographic knowledge and/or orthographic learning. Whereas orthographic knowledge has been argued to reflect a child’s existing store of orthographic representations, orthographic learning is concerned with the ability to form these representations. In a longitudinal study of second- and third-grade students, we evaluate the relations between these two aspects of orthographic processing and word-reading outcomes. The results of our analyses show that variance captured by orthographic knowledge overlaps with that of word reading, to the point that they form a single latent word-reading factor. In contrast, orthographic learning is distinctive from this factor. Further, structural equation modeling demonstrates that early orthographic learning was related to gains in word reading skills. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of word-reading development.