Investigating the role of mediation of executive functions in the relationship between fine motor skills and reading skills in students with reading disorders

Abstract Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of executive functions in the relationship between fine motor skills and reading skills in students with reading disorders. Method: This research was descriptive-correlation and structural equation modeling. The research population of the study included all students with reading disorders who referred to educational and rehabilitation centers for special learning problems in the academic year of (2018-2019), in Ilam city which a sample of 120 people was available by sampling method based on Morgan table and randomly selected. The research instruments included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale (2003), the Jiva Executive Function Questionnaire, Izguth and Kenworthy (2002), the Linkoln Osertsky Motor Development Test (1950), and the Korami Nouri and Moradi Reading and Dyslexia Test (2008). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and AMOS-21 software. Results: The results showed that fine motor skills have a significant effect on reading skills of students with reading disorders both directly and through executive functions (P <0.05). Conclusion: This study confirms the positive and significant relationship between fine motor skills and reading skills and the inverse and significant relationship between fine motor skills and executive functions as well as the inverse and significant relationship between executive functions and reading skills. Therefore, the results of this study should be considered in the centers of special learning problems as well as preschool centers in order to prevent and treat reading disorders by the instructors of the centers in their educational and rehabilitation programs.