Predicting Australian Children’s Inferential Narrative Comprehension Using the Direct and Indirect Effects of Text Model

Inferential narrative comprehension is an important, understudied element of listening comprehension. Research has rarely examined predictors within a unified theoretical framework and has yet to explore autism traits in a neurotypical sample. We address this gap by applying the Direct and Indirect Effects of Text (DIET) model to investigate predictors of inferential narrative comprehension in 113 neurotypical Australian children aged 4-8 years. We assessed foundational cognitive (non-verbal intelligence), oral language (vocabulary, grammar), and social-cognitive skills (theory of mind and autism traits) as predictors of inferential narrative comprehension. Analysis using hierarchical regression found chronological age, vocabulary, and grammar predicted significant variance in inferential comprehension. Theory of mind and autism traits correlated with inferential narrative comprehension but did not explain unique variance beyond existing DIET predictors. Findings support the DIET model’s emphasis on foundational oral language skills and highlight the importance of including age in future models. Findings contribute novel evidence from an Australian context and underscore the need for further research into social-cognitive influences on inferential comprehension. Implications include the potential for early identification of children at risk for comprehension difficulties and the need for further longitudinal and intervention research to clarify developmental pathways.