TY - JOUR
T1 - The SLS-Berlin
T2 - Validation of a German computer-based screening test to measure reading proficiency in early and late adulthood
AU - Lüdtke, Jana
AU - Fröhlich, Eva
AU - Jacobs, Arthur M.
AU - Hutzler, Florian
PY - 2019/8/14
Y1 - 2019/8/14
N2 - Reading proficiency, i.e., successfully integrating early word-based information and utilizing this information in later processes of sentence and text comprehension, and its assessment is subject to extensive research. However, screening tests for German adults across the life span are basically non-existent. Therefore, the present article introduces a standardized computerized sentence-based screening measure for German adult readers to assess reading proficiency including norm data from 2,148 participants covering an age range from 16-88 years. The test was developed in accordance with the children's version of the Salzburger LeseScreening (SLS, Wimmer & Mayringer, 2014). The SLS-Berlin has a high reliability and can easily be implemented in any research setting using German language. We present a detailed description of the test and report the distribution of SLS-Berlin scores for the norm sample as well as for two subsamples of younger (below 60 years) and older adults (60 and older). For all three samples, we conducted regression analyses to investigate the relationship between sentence characteristics and SLS-Berlin scores. In a second validation study, SLS-Berlin scores were compared with two (pseudo)word reading tests, a test measuring attention and processing speed and eye-movements recorded during expository text reading. Our results confirm the SLS-Berlin's sensitivity to capture early word decoding and later text related comprehension processes. The test distinguished very well between skilled and less skilled readers and also within less skilled readers and is therefore a powerful and efficient screening test for German adults to assess interindividual levels of reading proficiency.
AB - Reading proficiency, i.e., successfully integrating early word-based information and utilizing this information in later processes of sentence and text comprehension, and its assessment is subject to extensive research. However, screening tests for German adults across the life span are basically non-existent. Therefore, the present article introduces a standardized computerized sentence-based screening measure for German adult readers to assess reading proficiency including norm data from 2,148 participants covering an age range from 16-88 years. The test was developed in accordance with the children's version of the Salzburger LeseScreening (SLS, Wimmer & Mayringer, 2014). The SLS-Berlin has a high reliability and can easily be implemented in any research setting using German language. We present a detailed description of the test and report the distribution of SLS-Berlin scores for the norm sample as well as for two subsamples of younger (below 60 years) and older adults (60 and older). For all three samples, we conducted regression analyses to investigate the relationship between sentence characteristics and SLS-Berlin scores. In a second validation study, SLS-Berlin scores were compared with two (pseudo)word reading tests, a test measuring attention and processing speed and eye-movements recorded during expository text reading. Our results confirm the SLS-Berlin's sensitivity to capture early word decoding and later text related comprehension processes. The test distinguished very well between skilled and less skilled readers and also within less skilled readers and is therefore a powerful and efficient screening test for German adults to assess interindividual levels of reading proficiency.
KW - Ageing
KW - Eyetracking
KW - Life span
KW - Reading proficiency
KW - Screening test
KW - Sentence Reading Comprehension
KW - Text comprehension
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85069519838&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31474896/
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6702301/
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/929eeb13-2885-36f6-bd1a-bbb3f2f2e990/
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01682
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01682
M3 - Article
C2 - 31474896
AN - SCOPUS:85069519838
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 10
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
IS - JULY
M1 - 1682
ER -