Home sweet home: Does where you live matter to working memory and other cognitive skills?

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Abstract

Learning outcomes are associated with a variety of environmental and cognitive factors, and the aim of the current study was to compare the predictive power of these factors in longitudinal outcomes. We recruited children in kindergarten and tested their learning outcomes 2. years later. In kindergarten, children completed tests of IQ, phonological awareness, and memory (sentence memory, short-term memory, and working memory). After 2. years, they took national assessments in reading, writing, and math. Working memory performance was not affected by socioeconomic status (SES), whereas IQ, phonological awareness, and sentence memory scores differed as a function of SES. A series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that working memory and phonological awareness were better predictors of learning than any other factors tested, including SES. Educational implications include providing intervention during the early years to boost working memory and phonological awareness so as to prevent subsequent learning difficulties. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Publication Title

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

Volume

124

Issue

1

First Page

124

Last Page

131

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/j.jecp.2013.11.012

PubMed ID

24508377

ISSN

00220965

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