The Development of Spatial Skills in Elementary School Students

• Published in: Child development Vol. 89; no. 2; pp. 446 - 460
• Main Authors: Carr, Martha, Alexeev, Natalia, Wang, Lu, Barned, Nicole, Horan, Erin, Reed, Adam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley for the Society for Research in Child Development 01.03.2018; Wiley-Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Academic Success; Child; Child Development; Child Development - physiology; Children; Elementary School Students; Elementary schools; EMPIRICAL ARTICLES; Female; Gender Differences; Humans; Language; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Mathematics; Mathematics Achievement; Mathematics Tests; Memory, Short-Term - physiology; Pattern Recognition, Visual - physiology; Prediction; Profiles; Role; Sex Factors; Short Term Memory; Skill Development; Social Class; Socioeconomic factors; Socioeconomic Status; Space Perception - physiology; Spatial Ability; Tests; Verbal Ability; Verbal Learning - physiology
• ISSN: 0009-3920; 1467-8624
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12753

Through five waves of data collection, this longitudinal study investigated the development of spatial skills in 304 elementary school children (Mage = 7.64 years) as they progressed from the second to fourth grade. The study focused on whether multiple latent classes with different developmental profiles best explain development. Spatial skills were measured by tests featuring two-dimensional figures. Mathematics achievement was measured by the statewide end-of-year test and was included as a distal outcome variable. The role of covariates, including socioeconomic status, verbal working memory, and gender, was also explored. The results indicate a need to view two-dimensional spatial skills development as multidimensional with two developmental profiles predicted by socioeconomic status, verbal working memory, and gender. The developmental profiles predicted differences in mathematics achievement.