Adults with Reading Comprehension Problems: Causes and Solutions
Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill that most of us rely on daily, but interpreting and processing written text can be a persistent challenge for many adults. While reading difficulties are often associated with children, adults can also face obstacles in making sense of what they read, affecting everything from professional performance to personal communication.
This article will examine the causes of reading comprehension problems in adults and provide practical strategies for addressing them. By doing so, individuals can enhance their ability to improve their reading difficulties and their quality of life.
Key Takeaways:
Identifying Reading Comprehension Problems: Adults can read words on a page but often struggle to interpret meaning, make inferences, or retain information, impacting their daily and professional lives.
Causes of Reading Comprehension Problems: Common causes of reading comprehension difficulties include learning disabilities such as dyslexia and ADHD, educational gaps, cognitive decline due to aging or conditions like dementia, and emotional factors like stress and anxiety. There also may be lingering language and reading disorders from childhood that impact comprehension skills later in life.
Impact on Life and Work: Reading comprehension issues can hinder job performance and productivity and limit career growth. They can also create difficulties in everyday tasks, social interactions, and written communication.
Improvement Strategies: Techniques such as breaking down texts, active reading, using context clues, vocabulary building, and using supportive technology like audiobooks and apps can help poor readers compensate.
Professional Help: Speech-language pathologists, literacy programs, and cognitive training can provide personalized support, helping adults overcome comprehension difficulties and support the reading process.
Understanding Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension Problems in Adults
Signs and Symptoms of Reading Comprehension Problems
Causes of Reading Comprehension Problems in Adults
Impact of Low Literacy Skills on Daily Life and Work
Strategies to Improve Comprehension in Adults
Professional Help and Resources
Frequently Asked Questions About Adults with Reading Comprehension Problems
Understanding Reading Comprehension
Reading involves recognizing individual words and grasping the meaning of sentences, paragraphs, and entire texts. Effective reading comprehension requires phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and critical thinking. When readers comprehend a text, they can recall information, make inferences, and apply what they have learned to new situations.
Phonological awareness, the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language, is foundational for decoding words. Decoding, or the ability to sound out individual words, allows readers to recognize and understand new vocabulary. Fluency, the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression, ensures that reading is smooth and efficient. A robust vocabulary helps readers understand the meaning of the text, while critical thinking enables them to analyze and interpret the information.
Reading Comprehension Problems in Adults
Reading difficulties in adults can present in different ways, making it difficult for them to fully understand the meaning of written text. Unlike basic reading difficulties, reading comprehension issues arise when individuals can read the words but struggle to interpret their meaning, make inferences, or apply the information.
Adults with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, learning difficulties, or ADHD, may face additional challenges in processing written content. They might find it hard to follow complex instructions, absorb detailed information, or retain what they’ve read, which can affect everything from job performance to social interactions.
A key characteristic of reading comprehension problems is that they often go unnoticed. Adults may blame their reading difficulties on lack of focus or poor memory when the real issue lies in the cognitive processes required for interpreting text. Lingering language disorders from childhood can also play a role, contributing to ongoing struggles in adulthood.
Signs and Symptoms of Reading Comprehension Problems
Reading comprehension problems can manifest in different ways, depending on the individual and the severity of the issue. Some common signs and symptoms include:
Difficulty understanding the main idea or plot of a text: Struggling to grasp the overall message or storyline.
Struggling to recall important details or events: Forgetting key points or specific information after reading.
Trouble making inferences or drawing conclusions: Finding it hard to read between the lines or predict outcomes.
Difficulty identifying the author’s purpose or tone: Not recognizing the intent or emotional undertone of the text.
Struggling to summarize or retell a text in one’s own words: Having trouble paraphrasing or explaining what was read.
Avoiding reading or showing a lack of interest in reading: Reluctance to engage with reading materials due to frustration or lack of confidence.
Causes of Reading Comprehension Problems in Adults
Learning Disabilities: Learning disabilities, such as dyslexia and ADHD, often persist into adulthood and can hinder the ability to process and understand written information. In fact, college students with learning disabilities usually continue to face challenges in processing and understanding written information.
Educational Gaps: Adults who missed key learning opportunities during their school years may struggle with comprehension due to a lack of foundational reading skills. This can stem from limited access to education, language barriers, or disrupted schooling.
Cognitive Decline: Aging or neurological conditions such as stroke or dementia can impair memory, attention, and processing speed, making it harder for adults to comprehend complex texts.
Emotional Factors: Stress, anxiety, or trauma can interfere with focus and concentration, further impacting an individual’s ability to fathom and absorb what they read.
Impact of Low Literacy Skills on Daily Life and Work
Reading comprehension problems in adults can have a profound effect on both daily life and work performance. In professional settings, the inability to fully understand written materials can lead to missed details, miscommunication, and errors in tasks that rely on reading comprehension, such as interpreting reports, following written instructions, or responding to emails. This can hinder job performance, reduce productivity, and limit career advancement opportunities, particularly in fields where reading and writing are central to the role.
Beyond the workplace, these challenges can also affect personal life. Adults with reading comprehension difficulties may struggle with everyday tasks like filling out medical forms, signing contracts, or following written directions.
This can lead to frustration, embarrassment, or a lack of confidence when dealing with written communication, whether reading an important document or engaging with reading material for leisure. Additionally, these struggles can impact social interactions, as individuals might avoid participating in activities that involve reading, such as book clubs, group discussions, or online learning.
Strategies to Improve Comprehension in Adults
Break Down the Text
Break information into smaller, manageable chunks. For example, when reading a news story, focus on key sections or paragraphs rather than tackling the entire article at once.
Active Reading Techniques
Take notes, highlight key points, or ask questions while reading to engage more deeply.
Summarize the material in your own words to reinforce your learning.
Re-read difficult passages and look up unfamiliar words for better clarity.
Practice recognizing words to improve pronunciation and understanding, which can help with reading aloud and reduce issues like taking excessive time or slipping up on familiar words.
Expand Vocabulary
Read a variety of materials to encounter new words.
Use dictionaries or vocabulary-building apps to discover the meanings of unfamiliar terms within their specific contexts.
Use Supportive Technology
Try audiobooks or text-to-speech programs to listen while reading.
Use comprehension apps that offer interactive ways to practice and improve reading skills.
Professional Help and Resources
Speech therapy is crucial in supporting adults with reading comprehension difficulties, particularly when these challenges are tied to language processing or cognitive issues. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are uniquely trained to evaluate the specific causes of reading struggles, whether they stem from conditions like dyslexia, ADHD, or neurological disorders.
By conducting thorough assessments, SLPs can pinpoint decoding, phonological awareness, and memory retention deficits that may hinder reading comprehension.
SLPs then develop personalized therapy plans that focus on improving key reading skills. For example, they might work with adults on decoding strategies, teaching them how to break down words into manageable parts and recognize patterns in spelling and pronunciation.
This helps not only with reading fluency but also with understanding complex text. They also focus on expanding vocabulary, teaching adults to use context clues and root word recognition to enhance comprehension.
In addition to working on language and reading skills, SLPs can help adults manage attention and memory challenges that affect comprehension. Techniques like active reading strategies (e.g., summarizing, questioning, and predicting) are introduced to keep readers engaged and improve retention. Speech therapy may also involve building stronger subvocalization control to reduce reliance on silent speech when reading, which can slow down comprehension.
By combining targeted interventions and practical strategies, SLPs help adults improve their reading comprehension, boosting their confidence and ability to process written information in everyday life. Through this individualized support, adults can regain a sense of competence and enjoyment in reading.
Frequently Asked Questions About Adults with Reading Comprehension Problems
1. What causes reading comprehension problems in adults?
Reading comprehension problems in adults can be caused by several factors, including learning disabilities such as dyslexia or ADHD, which may persist into adulthood. Educational gaps, where an individual missed critical learning opportunities during their formative years, can also contribute.
Additionally, cognitive decline due to aging or neurological conditions like stroke or dementia can impair comprehension. Emotional factors, such as stress or anxiety, can further interfere with an adult’s ability to focus and process written text.
2. How many adults struggle with reading comprehension?
In the United States, approximately 43 million adults possess low literacy skills, frequently including reading comprehension difficulties. The American Psychological Association also reports that 21% of U.S. adults read below a 5th-grade level, and 19% of high school graduates struggle with reading. These challenges can severely impact daily life, work performance, and social interactions, so addressing this widespread issue through targeted support and educational programs is crucial.
3. How do you fix poor reading comprehension?
Improving poor reading comprehension involves a combination of strategies. Adults can break down text into smaller chunks, use active reading techniques such as note-taking and summarization, and build a broader vocabulary.
Additionally, seeking professional help from tutors or speech-language pathologists, participating in literacy programs, and using technology like audiobooks or comprehension apps can provide targeted support. Consistent practice and applying these methods can significantly improve comprehension skills over time.
How Connected Speech Pathology Can Help
Connected Speech Pathology is uniquely positioned to help adults with reading comprehension problems through specialized speech therapy services. With a deep knowledge of how language and cognitive processes influence reading skills, our team addresses the root causes of comprehension difficulties related to learning disabilities, cognitive decline, or other neurological conditions.
What sets us apart is our ability to deliver these services remotely, making expert care accessible to adults regardless of their location. Whether through video conferencing or online therapy platforms, clients can receive the same high-quality care they would in a traditional setting from the comfort of their homes. This approach is convenient and personalized to each individual’s needs, with therapists providing one-on-one support and customized therapy plans.
Connected Speech Pathology has a long-standing record of success in helping adults with reading comprehension problems. Our remote services have been delivering excellent results for years, enabling individuals to rediscover their confidence in reading. We continuously adapt therapy plans with a client-centered approach to reflect each person's unique needs and progress.
Summary
Reading comprehension problems in adults are common but can be effectively addressed with the right strategies and support. Identifying causes like learning disabilities, educational gaps, or cognitive decline is vital, and applying techniques such as active reading, vocabulary building, and using supportive tools can lead to significant improvements.
Seeking professional help from experts like Connected Speech Pathology can also make a lasting difference, enabling individuals to overcome their reading challenges and regain confidence in both personal and professional settings.
About the Author
Allison Geller is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the owner of Connected Speech Pathology. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida in Speech-Language Pathology. Allison has practiced speech therapy in a number of settings including telepractice, acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and private practice. She has worked extensively with individuals across the lifespan including toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, and adults. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of communication disorders including receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, voice disorders, fluency disorders, brain injury, and swallowing disorders.
Allison served as the clinical coordinator of research in aphasia in the Neurological Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. She is on the Board of Directors for the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN), a Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) certified clinician, and a proud Family Empowerment Scholarship/Step-Up For Students provider. Allison is passionate about delivering high quality-effective treatment remotely because it’s convenient and easy to access. What sets us apart from other online speech therapy options is—Allison takes great care to hire the very best SLPs from all over the country.
