Newswise — A study conducted on over 10,000 young adolescents in the United States has revealed that children who engage in early reading for pleasure tend to exhibit superior performance in cognitive tests and experience better mental health during adolescence.
Published in Psychological Medicine, the study involved researchers from the United Kingdom and China who discovered that dedicating approximately 12 hours per week to reading was the optimal amount associated with improved brain structure. This finding potentially helps shed light on the observed correlations.
Reading for pleasure holds significant value as an enjoyable childhood activity. Unlike listening and spoken language, which naturally and swiftly develop in young children, reading is a skill that requires explicit learning and gradual acquisition over time.
The period of childhood and adolescence is crucial for brain development, making it an opportune time to establish behaviors that foster cognitive growth and promote optimal brain health. However, until now, it has remained uncertain what impact encouraging children to read from an early age would have on their brain development, cognition, and mental well-being later in life.
To explore this further, researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of Warwick in the UK, along with Fudan University in China, analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) cohort in the United States, which encompassed over 10,000 young adolescents.
The research team conducted a comprehensive analysis involving various types of data, including clinical interviews, cognitive assessments, evaluations of mental and behavioral traits, and brain scans. They compared young individuals who began reading for pleasure at an early age (between two and nine years old) with those who started later or did not engage in such reading at all. The analysis took into account important factors like socio-economic status to ensure accurate findings.
Out of the 10,243 participants examined, nearly half (48%) had limited exposure to reading for pleasure or commenced this activity later in their childhood. The remaining half had actively pursued reading for pleasure for a duration ranging from three to ten years.
The team discovered a significant association between early engagement in reading for pleasure and positive outcomes during adolescence. The young individuals who began reading early exhibited enhanced performance on cognitive tests measuring aspects such as verbal learning, memory, speech development, and academic achievement in school.
Furthermore, these children demonstrated improved mental well-being, as evidenced by clinical scores and feedback from parents and teachers. They displayed fewer indications of stress, depression, and behavioral issues such as aggression and rule-breaking, while also exhibiting enhanced attention span.
Children who developed a penchant for reading at an early age also exhibited reduced screen time, such as watching TV or using smartphones and tablets, both during the week and weekends throughout their adolescence. Additionally, these children tended to have longer sleep durations.
Upon examining brain scans of the adolescent cohort, the researchers made an intriguing observation. The participants who had embraced reading for pleasure early in life showcased moderately larger total brain areas and volumes. Notably, these brain regions played crucial roles in cognitive functions. Furthermore, specific brain regions associated with improved mental health, behavior, and attention, which had been previously identified, displayed notable differences among this group.
Professor Barbara Sahakian from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge remarked, "Reading goes beyond being a delightful experience – it is widely acknowledged to stimulate thinking and creativity, foster empathy, and alleviate stress. However, we have now uncovered substantial evidence linking it to critical developmental factors in children. It enhances their cognition, mental well-being, and brain structure, which are fundamental for future learning and overall welfare."
The study findings indicated that the optimal duration of reading for pleasure during early childhood was approximately 12 hours per week. Beyond this threshold, no additional advantages were observed. Interestingly, there was a gradual decline in cognitive benefits, which the researchers speculate could be attributed to increased sedentary behavior and reduced engagement in other activities that contribute to cognitive enrichment, such as sports and social interactions.
Professor Jianfeng Feng, affiliated with Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and the University of Warwick in the UK, emphasized the importance of nurturing the joy of reading in children from a young age. When done effectively, it not only brings pleasure and enjoyment but also promotes their development and fosters long-term reading habits. These habits can prove beneficial throughout adulthood as well. Thus, parents are encouraged to make earnest efforts to cultivate a love for reading in their children, recognizing the long-term advantages it can bring.
Funders included: Wellcome and the National Institute for Health & Care Research (UK) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.*
RSS