The results of the "Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies" (PIAAC) were already published in December 2024. Even then, it was evident that since the last survey in 2011, the group of 16- to 65-year-olds with reading problems had practically doubled to 29 percent. Compared to the other 30 countries that participated in PIAAC, Austria landed significantly below the OECD average in reading (254 compared to 260 points) - in 2011, it was still above the OECD average.

Reading competencies of adults diverge

In their results report published on Tuesday, the statisticians have now examined the results in detail and identified specific groups responsible for the decline, while the results for others did not significantly deteriorate. For example, the decline in reading competence was mainly attributable to the older cohorts.

On one hand, the average reading scores generally decrease with increasing age, and on the other hand, in the cohort comparison between 2011 and 2022/23, declines were only observed in the older groups. While there were no significant changes among the 16- to 24-year-olds and the 25-34-year-olds, significant deteriorations were recorded among the 35- to 44-year-olds, the 45-54-year-olds, and the 55- to 65-year-olds.

A similar picture emerges when looking at developments based on educational attainment: Here, too, there are different developments - while reading competence significantly deteriorated among those with lower educational qualifications (maximum compulsory schooling, apprenticeship, or vocational middle school/BMS), this was not the case for higher qualifications.

"Adult PISA": Differences also among occupational groups

This is also reflected among the individual occupational groups: No significant declines in reading abilities were recorded among managers, academic professions, technicians, and office workers, but they were among service professions, agricultural and forestry workers, craftsmen, and unskilled laborers. Interestingly, part-time employees achieve a higher reading level than full-time employees - this is attributed to the higher proportion of academics among part-timers.

There are also differences among the so-called non-working persons, i.e., those who are neither employed nor unemployed. Pupils and students remained roughly stable in terms of competence, while significant deteriorations were registered among retirees and so-called homemakers (such as housewives).

Reading activity has also changed: In Austria, there is less reading both in leisure time and at the workplace. This is a marked difference compared to Germany: There, no changes in leisure time and even higher reading activity at the workplace were recorded. Regarding individual reading sources, Statistics Austria reports a particularly strong decline in the consumption of so-called "complex" reading materials (articles in newspapers, magazines, and newsletters) in Austria, which was less pronounced in Germany. At the same time, an increase in reading shorter texts (emails, letters, notes) was recorded in both countries - this increase is more pronounced in Germany.

(APA/Red.)

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