Preliminary validation of the Brazilian version of SPRouT for screening reading difficulties

Purpose  To investigate preliminary evidence of validity based on relations to external variables for the Brazilian version of the Screening Pediatric Patients for Reading Difficulties Test (SPRouT).

Methods  Following approval by the Research Ethics Committee, 27 children aged four to eight years were individually assessed using the SPRouT and standardized instruments measuring intelligence and phonological processing skills. Analyses included Spearman correlations (controlling for intelligence) and simple linear regressions to examine the predictive capacity of the SPRouT.

Results  Moderate to strong negative correlations were observed between SPRouT scores and measures of phonological awareness, phonological working memory, and rapid naming. The total SPRouT score explained between 23% and 32% of the variance in phonological measures, with medium to large effect sizes.

Conclusion  Findings provide initial evidence of convergent validity for the SPRouT, as it demonstrated associations with skills related to reading development. Regression analyses also suggest its predictive potential, although longitudinal studies and clinical samples are needed to confirm this property. The SPRouT represents a promising tool for screening reading difficulties, and further psychometric investigations with larger and more diverse samples are recommended.

Keywords:
Screening; Reading; Dyslexia; Literacy; Psychometrics