Early childhood reading linked to better well-being: study
Researchers say that children who start reading for fun early in life may have better test scores and mental health outcomes as teens.
A study published June 28 in the journal Psychological medicine found a strong association between an optimal amount of 12 hours per week of reading and improved performance on cognitive tests later in adolescence.
The study, conducted by researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Warwick in the United Kingdom, as well as Fudan University in Shanghai, China, included data from more than 10,000 young adolescents in the United States.
They say the study shows for the first time the “important relationships” between reading for fun at an early age and cognitive development and mental well-being.
“Reading isn’t just a pleasurable experience — it’s widely accepted that it inspires thought and creativity, increases empathy and reduces stress,” says Barbara Sahakian, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, said in a press release.
“But in addition, we found significant evidence linking it to key developmental factors in children, improving their cognition, mental health and brain structure, which are cornerstones for future learning and well-being.”
Jianfeng Feng, a professor at Fudan University and the University of Warwick, said parents are encouraged “to do their best to instill the joy of reading in their children at an early age”.
“If done right, this will not only give them fun and enjoyment, but it will also promote their development and encourage long-term reading habits, which can also be helpful in adult life,” Feng said.
METHODS
The researchers used data from 10,243 participants of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Researchdescribed as the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the US
Forty-eight percent of the participants had little experience reading for pleasure, the researchers said, or started later in childhood, while the other half read for pleasure between the ages of three and 10.
About 47.5 percent of the participants were female and the rest were male. None had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia, while 9.1 percent met criteria for an ADHD diagnosis.
Using clinical interviews, cognitive tests, mental and behavioral assessments and brain scans, the researchers compared those who started reading between the ages of two and nine with those who started later or not at all.
The team says it also controlled for factors such as socioeconomic status.
EARLY READING LINKED TO BETTER SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, FEWER BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
The results showed a positive association between reading for pleasure at an early age and test scores on verbal learning, memory and speech development, and school performance as adolescents.
The same children showed fewer signs of stress and depression, improved attention, fewer behavior problems, less screen time and longer sleep, the study said. The findings seemed to be consistent for both men and women.
Brain scans also showed that adolescents who started reading early had “moderately” larger brain area and volume, including in areas important to cognitive function.
The researchers found no additional benefits for participants who read for pleasure more than 12 hours per week, which could be due to spending more time sedentary and less time participating in sports or social activities, the study said.
“Furthermore, taking into account the impact the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns had on the cognitive development of young children, reading for pleasure (RfP) related activities may mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic and lockdowns on their emotion, cognition and education’, the researchers write.
