Predictive Variables of Developmental Dyslexia in Early Elementary School Children from a Longitudinal Study

Objectives: Early screening and intervention for developmental dyslexia in children is crucial. This study aimed to identify predictive variables for efficiently screening young elementary school children with developmental dyslexia by examining first and second graders. Methods: A longitudinal observation was conducted with 58 dyslexic children and 82 typically developing children at two time points: the first semester of first grade (T1) and the first semester of second grade (T2). Logistic regression was conducted using word reading, sentence reading, text reading fluency, word writing, and sentence writing as predictive variables. Results: In the first semester of first grade (T1), text reading fluency and word writing were identified as predictive variables, with odds ratios of 1.963 and 2.194, respectively. In the first semester of second grade (T2), word reading, sentence writing, and text reading fluency were confirmed as predictors, with odds ratios of 1.855, 1.913, and 3.938, respectively. Conclusion: This study found that text reading fluency was the most significant predictor for distinguishing between dyslexic and typical children in the early grades. Additionally, word writing was significant in first graders, while word decoding and sentence writing were significant in second graders. These findings may inform the development of effective screening tools for dyslexia in the future.