The Role of Anxiety on Reading Comprehension in the Context of Socioemotional and Cognitive Risk and Promotive Factors

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Bibliographic Details
Title: The Role of Anxiety on Reading Comprehension in the Context of Socioemotional and Cognitive Risk and Promotive Factors
Language: English
Authors: Brianna Paquette (ORCID 0009-0000-9804-0374), Rachelle M. Johnson (ORCID 0000-0002-8416-9262), Caroline G. Richter (ORCID 0000-0002-4810-1770)
Source: Mind, Brain, and Education. 2025 19(4):181-190.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R305B200020
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 4
Intermediate Grades
Grade 5
Middle Schools
Grade 6
Grade 7
Junior High Schools
Secondary Education
Grade 8
Descriptors: Anxiety, Reading Comprehension, Risk, Resilience (Psychology), Twins, Attention, Self Control, Affective Behavior, Predictor Variables, Test Anxiety, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
Geographic Terms: Florida
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Gates MacGinitie Reading Tests, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule
DOI: 10.1111/mbe.70011
ISSN: 1751-2271
1751-228X
Abstract: Children's socioemotional and cognitive traits may hinder or support reading comprehension based on models of risk and resilience. Effortful control, attention, and positive affect were examined as promotive factors, and general and test anxiety as risk factors. Participants included 197 twin children (115 girls; M[subscript age] = 13.6 years) from the Florida Twin Project on Reading, Behavior, and Environment. A path model examined whether Time 1 general anxiety, effortful control, attention, and positive affect predicted Time 2 reading comprehension, and whether test anxiety mediated the relation between general anxiety and reading comprehension. A curvilinear regression tested whether general anxiety had a nonlinear relation with reading comprehension. Better effortful control, better attention, and less positive affect significantly predicted higher reading comprehension, but test anxiety was not significantly related to reading comprehension. Results indicated moderate general anxiety may support reading, while extreme levels may be a risk factor. Effortful control and attention emerged as key promotive factors. These findings may inform targeted interventions to improve reading comprehension.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://doi.org/10.33009/ldbase.1624451991.3667
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1490073
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Children's socioemotional and cognitive traits may hinder or support reading comprehension based on models of risk and resilience. Effortful control, attention, and positive affect were examined as promotive factors, and general and test anxiety as risk factors. Participants included 197 twin children (115 girls; M[subscript age] = 13.6 years) from the Florida Twin Project on Reading, Behavior, and Environment. A path model examined whether Time 1 general anxiety, effortful control, attention, and positive affect predicted Time 2 reading comprehension, and whether test anxiety mediated the relation between general anxiety and reading comprehension. A curvilinear regression tested whether general anxiety had a nonlinear relation with reading comprehension. Better effortful control, better attention, and less positive affect significantly predicted higher reading comprehension, but test anxiety was not significantly related to reading comprehension. Results indicated moderate general anxiety may support reading, while extreme levels may be a risk factor. Effortful control and attention emerged as key promotive factors. These findings may inform targeted interventions to improve reading comprehension.
ISSN:1751-2271
1751-228X
DOI:10.1111/mbe.70011