Abstract:
The aim of the present study was to compare groups of dyslexic children and matched normal readers with different language and cultural backgrounds. Besides nationally standardized tests of intelligence as well as specific tests of language and scholastic performance in German and Mexican a developmental neuropsychological battery were used to complete the neuropsychological profiles. In the Mexican as well as the German group of dyslexic children, major deficits were found for phonological awareness, visual attention and memory form names. These problems can be seen to be syndrome specific; the similarity between the groups could be attributed to both German and Mexican being equally transparent languages. Differences between German and Mexican children – both in the dyslexic and the normal controls – were found for tests of planning and problem solving, as well as tests of creativity and of memory for faces. These latter differences are explained by cultural influences, including – among others – educational demands and differences in social perception.