Visual-spatial attention in developmental dyslexia

Orienting and focusing of visual attention are two processes strictly invol ved in reading. They were studied in a group of dyslexic children and norma l readers. Shifting of attention by both peripheral and central visual cues was studied by means of the covert orienting paradigm. Focusing, consistin g in the ability to control the size of the attentional focus, was investig ated using simple reaction times in central vision. Results showed that dys lexics had a specific disability in the shifting of attention caused by a p eripheral cue at short SOAs, and were also able to maintain attention focus ed for short periods of time only, presumably not long enough for efficient visual processing. Our results support the suggestion that visual selectiv e attention deficits in disabled readers may be due to a specific difficult y in orienting and focusing.