Associations between inhibition and word reading are task-dependent, ranging from negligible to large (r = .59)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · quant-synthesis r2 · q2 · i3 large
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i3 Some inhibition-word reading pairs show large associations, e.g., interference control with TOWRE word reading (r = .59). → Ting Zhou 2026 q2 i? Other inhibition-word reading pairs show negligible associations, e.g., Simon task with the Single Word Reading Test. → Ting Zhou 2026 (2)

Evidence¶

Ting Zhou 2026¶

Ting Zhou, Thuy Anh Nguyen, Aprezo Pardodi Maba, Damon Thomas, Young-Suk Grace Kim, Elizabeth J. Edwards. (2026). Executive Functions and Reading in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10160-5

q2 · i3 · quant-synthesis · r?

Qualitative synthesis of 13 inhibition-word reading studies. Two reported large effects, including "interference control task to measure inhibition and the TOWRE to assess word reading (r = .59)"; the other reported r = .53 with WJ Letter-Word Identification.

"two studies yielded large effects: one using interference control task to measure inhibition and the TOWRE to assess word reading (r = .59; Meiri et al., 2019)"

Ting Zhou 2026 (2)¶

Ting Zhou, Thuy Anh Nguyen, Aprezo Pardodi Maba, Damon Thomas, Young-Suk Grace Kim, Elizabeth J. Edwards. (2026). Executive Functions and Reading in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10160-5

q2 · i? · quant-synthesis · r2

Qualitative synthesis contrast: the same inhibition domain (interference control) showed a negligible association when paired with the Single Word Reading Test, unlike Stroop-based pairs with WRMT Word Identification and WIAT Word Reading.

"when interference control was indexed by the Simon task and word reading assessed using The Single Word Reading Test, the association was negligible (Babayiğit et al., 2022)"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Inhibition shows moderate to large associations with reading comprehension in most studies, but the association depends on the inhibition task used — related
• Early interference suppression, but not response inhibition, correlates with emergent literacy measures in both 4–5- and 5–6-year-old subsamples — related
• Interference suppression, but not response inhibition, relates to academic achievement and schooling skills — related