Spatial skills uniquely predict 27% of the variance in preschool mathematics over and above executive function¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2014 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Entering TOSA and VMI after the EF measures significantly added 27.1% of variance (adj. R2 = .271) to prediction of WIAT math scores, leading the authors to reject the null that spatial skills add nothing beyond EF. → Verdine 2014

Evidence¶

Verdine 2014¶

Verdine, B. N., Irwin, C. M., Golinkoff, R. M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2014). Contributions of Executive Function and Spatial Skills to Preschool Mathematics Achievement. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 126, 37-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2014.02.012

q3 · i? · associational · r2

Step-2 change statistic of the final hierarchical regression in the same 44-child longitudinal sample. The spatial block's unique contribution was adj. R2 = .271, F(2, 39) = 19.82, p < .001; the authors state they "reject the null hypothesis that spatial skills do not predict early mathematics achievement over and above EF alone."

"To determine the unique contribution of spatial skills, the TOSA and VMI scores were then entered in the second step of the regression, and significantly added to the variance accounted for on the WIAT ( adj. R2 = .271, F(2, 39) = 19.82, p = <.001)"

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Spatial Ability — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• Executive function and spatial skills jointly predict 70% of the variance in age-4 mathematics performance without an explicit number-knowledge measure — related
• Vocabulary (PPVT) is not a significant unique predictor of preschool mathematics once EF and spatial skills are in the model, despite alone accounting for 41% of variance — related
• Spatial assembly skill measured at age 3 (TOSA) strongly correlates with mathematics performance one year later at age 4 — related
• EF measures jointly account for 43% of math variance, with inhibition (Tap Test) a significant unique predictor but cognitive flexibility (FIST) not significant in any model — related
• Higher-SES preschoolers outperform lower-SES peers on math, spatial, EF, and vocabulary measures, except the Tap Test where the difference is a non-significant trend — related
• Cognitive flexibility uniquely predicts mathematics achievement in Grades 4 and 6, with a larger effect in Grade 6 than in Grade 4 — related
• Longitudinal evidence shows spatial ability predicts STEM educational and occupational outcomes beyond mathematical and verbal ability — related
• Preschool executive functions robustly predict mathematical skills during preschool and later in development — related
• Spatial ability scores are positively associated with mathematics performance across children and adults, as the review reports — a broader claim this one bears on