Effectiveness of Cognitive Intervention based on PASS Theory Improving Working Memory and Attention in Children with Reading Disability

Abstract

Reading disability, or dyslexia, is one of the most common types of learning disability among school-going children. So, finding the best treatment for dyslexia requires an hour. The few methods include phonological intervention, multi-sensory methods, cognitive processing training, and games-based interventions to improve literacy and cognitive difficulties among children with reading disabilities. The current study examined the effectiveness of cognitive interventions based on the PASS theory in 20 poor readers from the age group of 6–8 years who had significant difficulty in attention and working memory areas. CAS and WISC IV were administered in pre- and post-test conditions. The group got remedial training for 45 hours. The T-test showed marked improvements in attention and working memory with P values of 2.16E-07and 4.31E-09, respectively. Based on the PASS theory of intelligence, the PASS Reading Enhancement Program (PREP) and Cognitive Enhancement Training (COGENT) help children improve their attention and working memory skills by improving the underlying cognitive processes through inductive and discovery learning. The findings support the efficacy of the PASS-based intervention in addressing deficits in reading disabled children.