Sustained Attention as a Cognitive Bridge Between Memory and Reading Comprehension in Primary School Students

Öksüz H. İ., Yaşartürk İ., YILDIZ M., Yazıcı Arıcı E., Sotiropoulos D., Kalogiannakis M.

Reading Psychology, 2025 (ESCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/02702711.2025.2566025
  • Dergi Adı: Reading Psychology
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Periodicals Index Online, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Psycinfo
  • Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Short-term memory (STM) and verbal working memory (VWM) are well-established contributors to reading comprehension (RC), yet evidence suggests they are distinct cognitive constructs, differing primarily in their reliance on attentional control. This study explored the mediating role of sustained attention (SA) in the STM–VWM–RC relationship. Participants were 106 fourth-grade Turkish students (ages 8–9) from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. RC was measured using curriculum-based assessments, STM via a number sequence task, VWM via a nonword repetition list, and SA via the Bourdon Attention Test. Structural equation modeling revealed that both STM and VWM directly predicted RC, while SA was a strong predictor of RC and mediated the effects of both memory variables—partially for STM and fully for VWM. The model accounted for 36% of SA variance and 35% of RC variance. These findings reinforce the conceptual distinction between STM and VWM and highlight attention’s pivotal role in comprehension processes. Implications point to classroom interventions that actively strengthen STM, VWM, and SA to enhance reading comprehension, offering educators practical pathways to address cognitive underpinnings of literacy development.