New research from the University of South Australia shows that reading aloud can build a child’s resilience at school, especially for at-risk children. The research was published in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect. This is the first study that has shown the benefits of reading to mitigate some of the detrimental trajectories of child maltreatment.
The study explored factors that could modify the negative effects of adverse life circumstances, finding that one of the biggest predictors of resilience in both boys and girls in struggling families was being read to at home. In Australia in 2021, nearly 300,000 children aged zero to 17 years had one or more child protection notifications with 105,000 the subject of an investigation and nearly 50,000 the subject of substantiated abuse or neglect.
Lead researcher Professor Leonie Segal said there is an acute need to support these children and their families before the children start school. She said, “A good start to school is predictive of later outcomes, so it’s vital that we not only identify those at risk early on but also find ways to support children’s emotional, social and physical development before they start school.”
She added, “Reading out loud can create many positive outcomes for children. As a shared experience between parent and child, it encourages connection, while also directly contributing to child development through exposure to words and stories. Children in families that are struggling to create a nurturing environment will especially benefit from reading with a parent or carer, improving their resilience and keeping them developmentally more on track, despite their adversity exposure.”
The study analysed data covering 65,083 children who had completed the Early Australian Development Census (AEDC) at five to six years old, when starting primary school, identifying 3,414 high-risk children who had experienced maltreatment.
“Our study found that boys had a much higher risk of being developmentally behind than girls, as did children living in remote or rural areas, and those with a physical, sensory, or learning disability. All these groups need far greater supports,” Prof Segal said. “Paying particular attention to boys, especially those who are victims of child maltreatment is critical. Encouraging parents to read to their boys while valuable, is not enough, the onus is on the education sector to identify other mechanisms to support boys,” she added.