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We investigated whether phonological awareness mediated the relationship between speechreading and reading comprehension in Chinese adults with hearing impairment (HI) and normal hearing (NH). Speechreading, phonological awareness, and reading comprehension tests were administered to 154 young adults with HI and 97 young adults with NH in China. Results revealed significant correlations between speechreading, phonological awareness, and reading comprehension in adults with HI, but not those with NH. Phonological awareness did not mediate the relationship between speechreading and reading comprehension in either group of participants. These results suggest that visual speech information (speechreading) contributes to the development of phonological representations in adults with HI, which in turn supports reading comprehension. This relationship was not observed in the adults with NH. Teachers and clinicians working with HI students need to have an understanding of this difference, and take into account the developmental nature of the relationship between speechreadaing, phonological awareness and reading comprehension in the HI students for differentiated reading intervention. If attention to the visual speech information via speechreading indeed contributes to better phonological awareness, HI students may benefit from other visual methods to develop component skills that are foundational to reading success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our article, we conduct an empirical analysis utilizing a 5-year panel data sourced from the China Family Panel Studies. Our findings indicate that elevated housing price exert a significantly adverse influence on fertility decisions, with observed heterogeneity that is more pronounced among urban-dwelling families, those without property rights, those with existing children, and females aged between 31 and 40. Following the relaxation of the family planning policy, this negative effect becomes notably more pronounced. These conclusions remain robust with IV estimation. Considering the underlying mechanisms, the impact of high housing prices extends beyond a mere crowding-out effect on fertility through consumption. It also serves to motivate females to enhance their education, diminishes their self-identity, raises the cost of child-rearing, and exerts an inhibitory effect on marriage. Collectively, these factors further amplify the adverse impact of housing prices on the fertility rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]