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Dyslexic individuals exhibit slow reaction times (RTs) in Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) tasks. Using hierarchical Bayesian meta-analysis, we asked whether slower processing in dyslexia extends beyond RAN to include RT-based motor-skills and nonverbal tasks (simple, choice, interference control). Following a systematic review, we identified studies comparing dyslexic and age-matched neurotypical groups on RT-based tasks. For RAN, we restricted study selection to letter-naming tasks (30 studies [k], 37 effects [m]), and found a large slowing effect in dyslexia (

Many Pre-K through grade 12 (PK-12) students have experienced traumatic events throughout the pandemic in a myriad of ways including the death of family members and peers, loss of social interaction and increased violence at home. The consequences can be traumatic and manifest themselves in fear, anxiety, anger, isolation, and loneliness. Too often this leads to depression, anxiety, grief, substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation and even suicides. This study assesses the impact of an innovative virtual human role-play simulation that prepares PK-12 educators, administrators, and school staff to respond to a student death in the school community by creating communities of support to help manage traumatic loss. The simulation addresses crisis response planning, postvention plans, and provides learners with role-play practice in using evidence-based motivational interviewing communication strategies in conversations with students and colleagues after the occurrence of a death. The sample consisted of educators and staff who were recruited from geographically dispersed areas across the US between January 2021 through December 2021. Matched sample t-tests and ANOVAs were used to assess quantitative data, and a qualitative analysis software, MAXQDA, was used to assess open-ended response data. Results show statistically significant increases in school personnel's preparedness and self-efficacy to recognize signs of trauma in their students and colleagues, and to approach them to talk about concerns and, if necessary, make a referral to support services. Simulations such as this hold tremendous potential in teaching educators how address trauma due to a student death.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition affecting information processing across domains. The current meta-analysis investigated whether slower processing speed is associated with the ASD neurocognitive profile and whether findings hold across different time-based tasks and stimuli (social vs. nonsocial; linguistic vs. nonlinguistic). Mean RTs of ASD and age-matched neurotypical comparison groups (N = 893 ASD, 1063 neurotypical; mean age ASD group = 17 years) were compared across simple RT, choice RT, and interference control tasks (44 studies, 106 effects) using robust variance estimation meta-analysis. Simple RTâ¯tasks required participants to respond to individual stimuli, whereas choice RT tasks required forced-choice responses to two or more stimuli. Interference control tasks required a decision in the context of a distractor or priming stimulus; in an effort to minimize inhibitory demands, we extracted RTs only from baseline and congruent conditions of such tasks. All tasks required nonverbal (motor) responses. The overall effect-size estimate indicated significantly longer mean RTs in ASD groups (g = .35, 95% CI = .16; .54) than comparison groups. Task type moderated effects, with larger estimates drawn from simple RT tasks than interference control tasks. However, across all three task types, ASD groups exhibited significantly longer mean RTs than comparison groups. Stimulus type and age did not moderate effects. Generalized slowing may be a domain-general characteristic of ASD with potential consequences for social, language, and motor development. Assessing processing speed may inform development of interventions to support autistic individuals and their diverse cognitive profiles., Author(s): Nicole M. Zapparrata [sup.1] [sup.2] , Patricia J. Brooks [sup.1] [sup.2] , Teresa M. Ober [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.254498.6, 0000 0001 2198 5185, The College of Staten Island, [...]

Purpose: Individuals with developmental language disorder (DLD) often exhibit slower processing on time-based tasks in comparison with age-matched peers. Processing speed has been linked to various linguistic skills and might serve as a global indicator of individual differences in language abilities. Despite an extensive literature on processing speed in DLD, it remains unclear whether slower processing is domain general or restricted to linguistic and/or auditory tasks. Method: This meta-analysis used robust variance estimation to compare response/reaction times (RTs) of DLD and age-matched groups (N = 812 DLD, 870 neurotypical; M[subscript age] [DLD] = 8.9 years, range: 4.3--22.7 years). Moderators included task (simple RT, choice RT, naming, congruent/baseline conditions of interference control tasks), stimulus type (linguistic/nonlinguistic), stimulus modality (auditory/nonauditory), and response modality (verbal/nonverbal). Age and publication year were covariates. Results: The overall effect based on 46 studies and 144 estimates indicated longer mean RTs in DLD groups (g = 0.47, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.38, 0.55]). Moderator analyses indicated larger effects when tasks required verbal as opposed to nonverbal responses. No other moderators approached significance. All subgroup analyses were significant, indicating longer mean RTs in DLD groups across tasks, stimulus types, stimulus modalities, and response modalities. Conclusions: Individuals with DLD exhibit longer RTs across verbal and nonverbal tasks, which may contribute to observed difficulties in language, motor skills, and executive functioning. Simple processing speed measures should be included in screening for language delays but may not be suitable for differential diagnosis, given that slower processing may occur across multiple disorders.

Research suggests individual differences in motor skills may be associated with reading ability in school-age children. This meta-analysis explored whether deficits in motor skills are evident in developmental dyslexia, using estimates from 33 studies (k) with 122 effects (m) from dyslexic and age-matched neurotypical samples (N dyslexia = 1248, M age = 11.6 years, range 7.0 to 25.3 years). An overall effect of moderate magnitude, g = –.52 [95% CI –.74; –.29], confirmed that motor skills are impaired in dyslexia. Meta-regression analyses indicated no significant effects of participant age or language. Subgroup analyses revealed significant group differences for tasks with nonlinguistic stimuli (k = 28, m = 83), e.g., pegboard task, g = –.46 [–.71; –.22], or linguistic stimuli (k = 10, m = 39), e.g., word copying task, g = –.66 [–1.09; –.24]. Effects were significant for groups with confirmed dyslexia diagnoses (k = 27, m = 103), g = –.56 [–.81; –.30], but not for groups identified as poor readers, (k = 6, m = 19), g = –.32 [–.93; .28]. Effects were significant for fine motor skills (k = 29, m = 106), g = –.61 [95% CI –.83; –.39], but not for gross motor or composite measures (k = 10, m = 16), g = –.26 [95% CI –.76; .24]. The results suggest that fine motor tasks might help to identify children at risk of dyslexia. Longitudinal research may further elucidate relations between motor and reading skills.