Relationship Between Reading and Working Memory in Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Given the central role of working memory in reading, this meta-analysis examined the relationship between reading, specifically decoding, and working memory in children and adolescents. Across 127 studies and 632 effect sizes, reading and working memory showed a significant moderate positive correlation. This relationship was consistent across children and adolescents, suggesting that age group alone did not explain the association. Working memory domain significantly moderated the relationship, with composite working memory showing the strongest association with reading, followed by verbal-numerical working memory. Typically developing children showed stronger reading-working memory associations than children with reading difficulties. The findings underscore the importance of considering working memory in reading development and highlight the need for future work on age-related differences in this relationship.