Motor sequence learning and reading ability: Is poor reading associated with sequencing deficits?

Deborah P. Waber; David J. Marcus; Peter W. Forbes; David C. Bellinger; Michael D. Weiler; Lisa G. Sorensen; Tim Curran

doi:10.1016/S0022-0965(03)00030-4

Motor sequence learning and reading ability: Is poor reading associated with sequencing deficits?

Deborah P. Waber^*, David J. Marcus, Peter W. Forbes, David C. Bellinger, Michael D. Weiler, Lisa G. Sorensen, Tim Curran

^*Corresponding author for this work

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

56 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although it is widely assumed that children with learning disabilities have "sequencing problems," these have not been well specified. A non-verbal serial reaction time (SRT) paradigm was used to evaluate motor sequence learning in 422 children between ages 7 and 11 in relation to reading, cognitive ability level, and attention problems. The children demonstrated the response profile typically associated with motor sequence learning, but the component of the profile indicative of implicit sequence learning was not reliably associated with any of the predictors. Cognitive ability predicted overall response time; cognitive ability, reading, and attention problems each predicted overall accuracy. Explicit learning was predicted by cognitive ability, but not by reading or attention problems. Thus, we found no evidence that poor reading is preferentially associated with a domain general deficit in sequential learning.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	338-354
Number of pages	17
Journal	Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
Volume	84
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0965(03)00030-4
State	Published - Apr 2003

Funding

This work was supported by NICHD Learning Disabilities Research Center grant P50-HD33803 and in part by Mental Retardation Research Center grant P30-HD18655. The authors are grateful to the Learning Disabilities, School Function, Neuropsychology and Language and Auditory Processing Programs of the Children’s Hospital, as well as to the children and families from those programs who participated and the staff and students of the public school systems of Melrose and Medford, Massachusetts for their cooperation. They are also grateful to Jacki Marmor, Sethany Rancier, Laurie Kirshner, Allison Morgan, Naomi Singer-Harris, and Michael Kirkwood, who assisted in sample accrual and data collection. Finally, we thank Daniel Schacter for pointing out the potential relevance of the SRT paradigm to learning disabled children and an anonymous reviewer for comments on a prior version of the manuscript.

Keywords

Children
Learning disability
Procedural learning
Reading
Sequencing
Serial reaction time

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Developmental and Educational Psychology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/S0022-0965(03)00030-4

Cite this

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title = "Motor sequence learning and reading ability: Is poor reading associated with sequencing deficits?",

abstract = "Although it is widely assumed that children with learning disabilities have {"}sequencing problems,{"} these have not been well specified. A non-verbal serial reaction time (SRT) paradigm was used to evaluate motor sequence learning in 422 children between ages 7 and 11 in relation to reading, cognitive ability level, and attention problems. The children demonstrated the response profile typically associated with motor sequence learning, but the component of the profile indicative of implicit sequence learning was not reliably associated with any of the predictors. Cognitive ability predicted overall response time; cognitive ability, reading, and attention problems each predicted overall accuracy. Explicit learning was predicted by cognitive ability, but not by reading or attention problems. Thus, we found no evidence that poor reading is preferentially associated with a domain general deficit in sequential learning.",

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author = "Waber, {Deborah P.} and Marcus, {David J.} and Forbes, {Peter W.} and Bellinger, {David C.} and Weiler, {Michael D.} and Sorensen, {Lisa G.} and Tim Curran",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by NICHD Learning Disabilities Research Center grant P50-HD33803 and in part by Mental Retardation Research Center grant P30-HD18655. The authors are grateful to the Learning Disabilities, School Function, Neuropsychology and Language and Auditory Processing Programs of the Children{\textquoteright}s Hospital, as well as to the children and families from those programs who participated and the staff and students of the public school systems of Melrose and Medford, Massachusetts for their cooperation. They are also grateful to Jacki Marmor, Sethany Rancier, Laurie Kirshner, Allison Morgan, Naomi Singer-Harris, and Michael Kirkwood, who assisted in sample accrual and data collection. Finally, we thank Daniel Schacter for pointing out the potential relevance of the SRT paradigm to learning disabled children and an anonymous reviewer for comments on a prior version of the manuscript. ",

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Motor sequence learning and reading ability: Is poor reading associated with sequencing deficits?

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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