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Familial Nature of Reading Disability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

J. C. DeFries ,
S. M. Singer ,
T. T. Foch  and
F. I. Lewitter
J. C. DeFries
Affiliation:
Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
S. M. Singer
Affiliation:
Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
T. T. Foch
Affiliation:
Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
F. I. Lewitter
Affiliation:
Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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Summary

An extensive psychometric test battery was administered to 125 children with a reading disability, to their parents and siblings, and to members of 125 matched control families (N = 1,044). In addition to expected differences in spelling and reading, probands obtained significantly (P ≤ · 01) lower scores than controls on tests of other cognitive abilities. Manifold deficits were also found in siblings and parents of probands, conclusively demonstrating the familial (genetic and/or common-family environmental) nature of the disorder.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 132 , Issue 4 , April 1978 , pp. 361 - 367
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1978 

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