Longitudinal relations between reading and socio-behavioral skills in elementary school children: Existing knowledge, some preliminary findings, and future directions

Abstract

Reading and socio-behavioral difficulties often co-occur in elementary school, posing significant developmental and societal concerns. Yet the mechanisms underlying this co-occurrence-whether unidirectional, bidirectional, or due to shared risk factors-remain unclear. This narrative review synthesizes theories and empirical findings on the longitudinal relations between reading and socio-behavioral skills during elementary school. We discuss key frameworks, including the academic incompetence, adjustment erosion, bidirectionality, and shared risk hypotheses. We propose a set of conceptual and methodological considerations, emphasizing the need to examine executive function subconstructs as potential mechanisms or shared risk factors. We also highlight the importance of testing heterogeneity by learning status, time, family socioeconomic background, and specific subconstructs. We also call for analytical methods that separate within-child from between-child effects to better assess for cross-lagged relations. Finally, we present findings from a preliminary study investigating the longitudinal relations between reading and internalizing problem behaviors in both the general population and children with reading difficulties (RD). Using latent growth models with structured residuals and data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11, we observed bidirectional associations between reading and internalizing problem behaviors from Grade 1 to Grade 2, but only in children with RD. Within-person mediation tests suggested that kindergarten reading skills influenced Grade 2 internalizing behaviors through Grade 1 inhibitory control in general population sample. These findings provide preliminary evidence for differential developmental pathways and highlight the need for targeted interventions supporting both reading and socio-behavioral development.

Keywords: Between- and within-child variances; Bidirectionality; Executive function; Heterogeneity; Mechanism; Reading; Socio-behavioral skills.