Reading Frustration Level as Indicated by the Polygraph1

Abstract

A stratified sample of 62 elementary school pupils was monitored by a polygraph as they were administered an informal reading inventory. Evidence was obtained that for these children the mean of ten percent oral reading errors was consistent with the polygraph indication of frustration. Tentative evidence suggests that somewhat more than 50 percent error in comprehension is needed to correspond more closely with polygraph indication of frustration. These results appear in general to support the conventional criteria for determining reading frustration levels for elementary school children.