Clinical Report: The Impact of Shared Reading on Preschoolers' Behavior

Overview

This study investigates the relationship between shared reading and emotional/behavioral issues in preschool children, finding that higher shared reading scores correlate with lower odds of such problems and higher prosocial behavior.

Background

Shared reading is a critical component of early literacy development and has been linked to various positive outcomes in preschool children, including cognitive and socioemotional growth. Understanding its impact on emotional and behavioral issues is essential, as these challenges can lead to significant functional impairments and adverse mental health outcomes in children.

Data Highlights

Key Findings

• Higher shared reading scores are associated with lower odds of emotional/behavioral problems.
• Higher shared reading scores correlate with higher odds of adequate prosocial behavior.
• All four dimensions of shared reading showed independent associations with emotional and behavioral outcomes.
• Nonlinear analyses indicated threshold effects for emotional/behavioral problems and prosocial behavior.
• Associations were consistent across various subgroups after correcting for multiple testing.

Clinical Implications

The findings highlight the importance of shared reading practices among parents and caregivers.

Conclusion

This study examines the associations between shared reading and emotional and behavioral outcomes in preschoolers, although causality cannot be established due to the cross-sectional design.

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