Reader’s sons also perform better on cognitive tests, according to a study released in the United States.

Children who start reading at an early age achieve better results on cognitive tests and better mental health as they enter their teens, according to a study recently released in the United States and according to a specialty magazine.

In the study, in which more than 10,000 young adolescents were consulted and published by the journal ‘Psychological Medicine’ (published by the University of Cambridge), researchers from the UK and China found that “12 hours a week is the optimal amount of reading, related to proper brain structure.” better, which helps explain the result.”

“Reading for pleasure is an important and enjoyable activity in childhood. Unlike listening comprehension and spoken language, which develop quickly and easily in young children, reading is a skill that is taught and acquired and developed through explicit learning over time.

“During childhood and adolescence, our brains develop, so this is an important time to shape behaviors that support our cognitive development and promote good brain health,” the report expands.

To investigate this impact on children’s brains, researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Warwick in the UK and Fudan University in China analyzed data from the US startup Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development, which recruited more than 10,000 young adolescents.

The team analyzed multiple clinical interviews, cognitive tests, mental and behavioral assessments, and brain scans, and “compared adolescents who began reading for pleasure at a relatively early age (between the ages of two and nine) with those who began reading for pleasure. pleasure.” to do it later or never,” the DPA news agency reported.

This thesis establishes a close relationship between reading for pleasure at an early age and positive performance in adolescence on cognitive tests such as “verbal learning, memory, speech development, and school academic performance.”

“Kids who start reading earlier tend to spend less time in front of screens, watching television or using the network as teenagers, and sleep more. Reading is not only a pleasurable experience, it inspires thought and creativity, increases empathy and reduces stress,” said Professor Barbara Sahakian, from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge.

“We encourage parents to do everything possible to awaken in their children a love of reading, at an early age, if done well it will contribute to their development and encourage long-term reading habits, which can also be beneficial in adult life,” said Professor Jianfeng Feng, from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. (DIB)