The relationship between working memory and cognitive functioning in children

O'Connor, Brett and Spencer, Fiona H. and Patton, Wendy A. (2003) The relationship between working memory and cognitive functioning in children. In: 38th APS Annual Conference 2003, 2 - 5 October 2003, Perth, Australia.

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Abstract

One-hundred and forty-four Year 1 children (51% boys and 49% girls, mean age 6) from Queensland State primary schools participated in a study to investigate the relationship between working memory and cognitive functioning. Children were given two tests of cognitive functioning (the School-Years Screening Test for the Evaluation of Mental Status (SYSTEMS) and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT)) and six subtests of working memory from the Working Memory Test Battery for Children (WMTB-C) (Backward Digit Recall, Listening Recall, Digit Recall, Word List Matching, Word List Recall and Non-word List Recall). The two cognitive tests correlated at r = .50. Results showed a high correlation between SYSTEMS and the Phonological Loop (PL) component of working memory. The K-BIT also correlated highly with PL component. The SYSTEMS and K-BIT showed various levels of correlation with the working memory sub-tests. A measurement model utilising Confirmatory Factor Analysis method showed a strong relationship between working memory and cognitive functioning, the degree of fit for the model was very high at GFI = .996.

ID Code:	940
Item Type:	Conference Paper
Additional URLs :	http://www.psychology.org.au
Keywords :	working memory, children’s cognitive functioning
ISBN:	0909881235
Subjects:	Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES (220000) Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > PSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITIVE SCIENCES (170000) > PSYCHOLOGY (170100) > Educational Psychology (170103) Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > EDUCATION (130000) > SPECIALIST STUDIES IN EDUCATION (130300) > Learning Sciences (130309)
Divisions:	QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Education
Copyright Owner :	Copyright 2003 Australian Psychological Society
Copyright Statement :	This is an electronic version of an article published in Proceedings of the 38th APS Annual Conference 2 - 5 October 2003, Perth WA : development through diversity. Melbourne, 2003.
Deposited On:	31 Mar 2005
Last Modified:	03 Dec 2008 12:15

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