Relationships between Reading Ability and Child Mental Health: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem
Objective: Children with reading difficulties are at elevated risk for externalising (e.g., conduct disorder) and internalising (e.g., anxiety and depression) mental health problems. Reading ability is also negatively associated with self-esteem, a consistent predictor of child and adolescent mental...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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John Wiley & Sons
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53720 |
| _version_ | 1848759211811405824 |
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| author | Boyes, Mark Tebbutt, B. Preece, K. Badcock, N. |
| author_facet | Boyes, Mark Tebbutt, B. Preece, K. Badcock, N. |
| author_sort | Boyes, Mark |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Objective: Children with reading difficulties are at elevated risk for externalising (e.g., conduct disorder) and internalising (e.g., anxiety and depression) mental health problems. Reading ability is also negatively associated with self-esteem, a consistent predictor of child and adolescent mental health more broadly. This study examined whether self-esteem moderated and/or mediated relationships between reading ability and mental health. Method: One hundred and seventeen children (7-12 years) completed standardised reading assessments (Castles and Coltheart Test 2; CC2) and self-report measures of mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ) and self-esteem (Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory). Non-verbal intelligence (IQ) was measured using the block design and matrix reasoning subscales of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, and was controlled for in all multivariate analyses. Results: Reading ability was negatively associated with internalising symptoms. This relationship was not moderated by self-esteem. Poor readers also reported more total difficulties and externalising symptoms, but only at low levels of self-esteem. There was no evidence that self-esteem mediated relationships between reading ability and mental health. Conclusions: Poor reading was associated with internalising symptoms. Self-esteem moderated the impact of reading ability on total difficulties and externalising symptoms, with high self-esteem buffering against negative impacts of poor reading. However, the reliability of the self-esteem scale used in the study was poor and findings need replication using a reliable and valid self-esteem measure, as well as other measures of child mental health. If replicated, future research should examine whether interventions aiming to improve self-esteem can reduce the risk of externalising problems in children with reading difficulties. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:56:17Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-53720 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:56:17Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | John Wiley & Sons |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-537202018-04-19T08:23:31Z Relationships between Reading Ability and Child Mental Health: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem Boyes, Mark Tebbutt, B. Preece, K. Badcock, N. Objective: Children with reading difficulties are at elevated risk for externalising (e.g., conduct disorder) and internalising (e.g., anxiety and depression) mental health problems. Reading ability is also negatively associated with self-esteem, a consistent predictor of child and adolescent mental health more broadly. This study examined whether self-esteem moderated and/or mediated relationships between reading ability and mental health. Method: One hundred and seventeen children (7-12 years) completed standardised reading assessments (Castles and Coltheart Test 2; CC2) and self-report measures of mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ) and self-esteem (Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory). Non-verbal intelligence (IQ) was measured using the block design and matrix reasoning subscales of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, and was controlled for in all multivariate analyses. Results: Reading ability was negatively associated with internalising symptoms. This relationship was not moderated by self-esteem. Poor readers also reported more total difficulties and externalising symptoms, but only at low levels of self-esteem. There was no evidence that self-esteem mediated relationships between reading ability and mental health. Conclusions: Poor reading was associated with internalising symptoms. Self-esteem moderated the impact of reading ability on total difficulties and externalising symptoms, with high self-esteem buffering against negative impacts of poor reading. However, the reliability of the self-esteem scale used in the study was poor and findings need replication using a reliable and valid self-esteem measure, as well as other measures of child mental health. If replicated, future research should examine whether interventions aiming to improve self-esteem can reduce the risk of externalising problems in children with reading difficulties. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53720 10.1111/ap.12281 John Wiley & Sons fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Boyes, Mark Tebbutt, B. Preece, K. Badcock, N. Relationships between Reading Ability and Child Mental Health: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem |
| title | Relationships between Reading Ability and Child Mental Health: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem |
| title_full | Relationships between Reading Ability and Child Mental Health: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem |
| title_fullStr | Relationships between Reading Ability and Child Mental Health: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationships between Reading Ability and Child Mental Health: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem |
| title_short | Relationships between Reading Ability and Child Mental Health: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem |
| title_sort | relationships between reading ability and child mental health: moderating effects of self-esteem |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53720 |