Problem Behaviors and Attention Concerns as Predictors of Reading Achievementin Second through Fourth Grades

Abstract

Schools continue to face increasing accountability for ensuring studentachievement in reading. Concurrently, the prevalence of problem behaviors and attentionconcerns among students has increased. Although numerous studies have examined theinfluence of prior reading performance, problem behaviors, and attention concerns uponachievement, findings have been relatively mixed. For schools to make informeddecisions about instruction and programming that lead to high performance in reading bytheir students, additional research examining the influence of prior reading performance,problem behaviors, and attention concerns is needed. The present study was conductedto examine whether the variables of fall and winter reading performance (as measured bythe Scholastic Reading Inventory [SRI]), time out of class due to problem behaviors,parent-reported attention concerns, gender, and grade level are predictors of springreading achievement on SRI. Fall and winter reading scores, problem behaviors,attention concerns, and grade level were found to have a significant relationship withspring reading achievement. However, only winter reading scores, attention concerns,and grade level were found to be predictors of spring reading scores. The need exists forfurther examination of the predictive nature of these factors in other samples and as theyrelate to student reading proficiency.