[Development of parent’s judgment of behavioral problems from kindergarten to second grade in children dependent on their reading performance: First results of a longitudinal study].

The development of reading disorders is complicated by frequently occurring comorbid behavioral disorders. Studies have shown this relation between behavior problems and learning disabilities but the causal relation is unclear so far. The present study investigates whether and in what way parents’ judgment (CBCL) of behavioral problems of children change from kindergarten to the end of second grade depending on children’s reading performance. Reading performance of 241 children was assessed every year from kindergarten to second grade. Parents judged children’s behavioral problems on CBCL. Variance analyses showed that poor readers are judged higher on the CBCL problem score and on externalizing behavior in first grade in comparison to kindergarten. In kindergarten, those children who were later classified as poor readers did not differ in externalizing and internalizing symptoms from good readers, but they had more attention problems. In first and second grade poor readers showed overall more behavior problems than good readers. Also the proportion of children with clinical relevant behavior disorders increased in the group of weak readers during first and second grade. The results indicate that the confrontation with performance requirements in school put a high burden on the children.