Rhythmic Reading Training: Comparing the Rhythmic and Visual Contributions to Reading Improvement

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The main objective of the study is to evaluate the specific effect of the sub-components of the reading training program Rhythmic Reading Training (RRT) on reading speed and accuracy in a sample of Italian students with developmental dyslexia (DD). More precisely, in order to better understand the neuropsychological mechanisms involved in reading improvements following RRT, the specific contribution of the visual component of the training (presence of a visual cue) will be investigated in a study with between-groups design.

Official Title
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Rhythmic Reading Training (RRT): Comparing the Rhythmic and Visual Contributions to Reading Improvement in Developmental Dyslexia

Conditions
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Developmental Dyslexia

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: RRT rhythm only
* Behavioral: RRT rhythm + visual cue


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: having been diagnosed with DD (ICD-10 code: F81.0) on the basis of standard inclusion and exclusion criteria (ICD-10: World Health Organization, 1992) and of the diagnosis procedure followed in the Italian practice Exclusion Criteria: presence of comorbidity with other neuropsychiatric or psychopathological conditions having been involved in previous reading intervention programs in the previous 3 months

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 8 Years
Maximum Age: 15 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: RRT rhythm only<br>10 RRT rhythm only sessions of 60 minutes, twice a week under the supervision of a trainer | Behavioral: RRT rhythm only<br>* RRT is a child-friendly computerized reading training program designed for Italian students with DD aged 8-14 yrs. The main feature of this intervention is the integration of a traditional remediation approach (sublexical treatment) with rhythm processing. Therefore, all reading exercises are characterized by a rhythmic accompaniment with gradually increasing speed. In this condition, the RRT activities comprise only a rhythm accompaniment and no visual cue.<br>|
| Experimental: RRT rhythm + visual cue<br>10 RRT rhythm + visual cue sessions of 60 minutes, twice a week under the supervision of a trainer | Behavioral: RRT rhythm + visual cue<br>* RRT is a child-friendly computerized reading training program designed for Italian students with DD aged 8-14 yrs. The main feature of this intervention is the integration of a traditional remediation approach (sublexical treatment) with rhythm processing. Therefore, all reading exercises are characterized by a rhythmic accompaniment with gradually increasing speed. In this condition, the rhythmic accompaniment is synchronize with a visual cue (the verbal stimuli are highlighted using a red font in synchrony with the rhythm).<br>|
| No Intervention: No intervention<br>5 weeks no intervention period | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Word reading speed - DDE-2 | Word reading speed in syllable / second | 5 weeks | 
| Word reading accuracy - DDE-2 | Word reading accuracy in n. of errors | 5 weeks | 
| Word reading speed - DDE-2 | Word reading speed in syllable / second | 3 months | 
| Word reading accuracy - DDE-2 | Word reading accuracy in n. of errors | 3 months | 
| Pseudo-word reading speed - DDE-2 | Pseudo-word reading speed in syllable / second | 5 weeks | 
| Pseudo-word reading accuracy - DDE-2 | Pseudo-word reading accuracy in n. of errors | 5 weeks | 
| Pseudo-word reading speed - DDE-2 | Pseudo-word reading speed in syllable / second | 3 months | 
| Pseudo-word reading accuracy - DDE-2 | Pseudo-word reading accuracy in n. of errors | 3 months | 
| Text reading speed - MT-3-Clinica Battery | Text reading speed in syllable / second | 5 weeks | 
| Text reading accuracy - MT-3-Clinica Battery | Text reading accuracy in n. of errors | 5 weeks | 
| Text reading speed - MT-3-Clinica Battery | Text reading speed in syllable / second | 3 months | 
| Text reading accuracy - MT-3-Clinica Battery | Text reading accuracy in n. of errors | 3 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Phonemic awareness task (Judica et al., in press) | N. of errors in phonemic blending + n. of errors in phonemic elision | 5 weeks | 
| Phonemic awareness task (Judica et al., in press) | N. of errors in phonemic blending + n. of errors in phonemic elision | 3 months | 
| Digit span (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV, WISC-IV) | Forward and backward digit span | 5 weeks | 
| Digit span (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV, WISC-IV) | Forward and backward digit span | 3 months | 
| Rapid Automatized naming task - RAN (De Luca et al., 2005) | RAN speed in seconds | 5 weeks | 
| Rapid Automatized naming task - RAN (De Luca et al., 2005) | RAN speed in seconds | 3 months | 
| Selective Auditory attention task - NEPSY-II | N. of errors | 5 weeks | 
| Selective Auditory attention task - NEPSY-II | N. of errors | 3 months | 
| Rhythm reproduction task | n. of correctly reproduced rhythmic patterns | 5 weeks | 
| Rhythm reproduction task | n. of correctly reproduced rhythmic patterns | 3 months |