Comparison of the Effectiveness of Bakker Neuropsychological Interventions and the Phono-Graphix Method on Reading Attitude and Reading Performance in Elementary Students with Dyslexia

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of Bakker's neuropsychological interventions and the Phono-Graphix method on reading performance and reading attitude in elementary school students with dyslexia.

Methods and Materials: The present research followed a quasi-experimental design with three phases: pre-test, post-test, and follow-up, along with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all elementary school children with dyslexia from the six educational districts of Isfahan who were referred to the Learning Disorders Center during the 2022–2023 academic year. From this population, 45 children were purposefully selected and then randomly assigned (via lottery) to three groups (15 students per group). The Reading Attitude Scale (McKenna & Kear, 1990) and the Reading Performance Scale (Karami Nouri & Moradi, 2005) were utilized to assess the dependent variables across the three stages. The two intervention groups received the necessary training sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test via SPSS version 26.

Findings: The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the Bakker neuropsychological training and Phono-Graphix training compared to the control group regarding both reading attitude and reading performance (p < .001). Moreover, in the post-test phase, Bakker’s neuropsychological intervention demonstrated greater effectiveness than the Phono-Graphix method; however, no significant difference was observed between the two interventions during the follow-up phase (p > .05).

Conclusion: Given the observed effectiveness of Bakker’s neuropsychological training over the Phono-Graphix method in improving reading attitude and reading performance, it is recommended that both interventions be employed for children with reading disabilities in schools and counseling centers.

Keywords: Bakker neuropsychological intervention, Phono-Graphix intervention, reading attitude, reading performance, children with dyslexia