A Longitudinal Analysis of Sex Differences in Math and Spatial Skills in Primary School Age Children

Autor/inn/en	Lachance, Jennifer A.; Mazzocco, Michele M. M.
Titel	A Longitudinal Analysis of Sex Differences in Math and Spatial Skills in Primary School Age Children
Quelle	In: Learning & Individual Differences, 16 (2006) 3, S.195-216 (22 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1041-6080
DOI	10.1016/j.lindif.2005.12.001
Schlagwörter	Psychometrics; Visual Perception; Spatial Ability; Reading Skills; School Districts; Predictor Variables; Mathematical Aptitude; Public Schools; Gender Differences; Mathematics Tests; Longitudinal Studies; Mathematics Skills; Mathematics Achievement; Computation; Correlation + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Psychometry; Psychometrie; Visuelle Wahrnehmung; Räumliches Vorstellungsvermögen; Reading skill; Lesefertigkeit; School district; Schulbezirk; Prädiktor; Public school; Öffentliche Schule; Geschlechterkonflikt; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung; Mathmatics achievement; Mathematics ability; Mathematische Kompetenz; Mathmatics sikills; Mathematical ability; Korrelation
Abstract	We report on a longitudinal study designed to assess possible sex differences in math achievement, math ability, and math-related tasks during the primary school age years. Participants included over 200 children from one public school district. Annual assessments included measures of math ability, math calculation achievement scores, rapid naming and decoding tasks, visual perception tests, visual motor tasks, and reading skills. During select years of the study we also administered tests of counting and math facts skills. We examined whether girls or boys were overrepresented among the bottom or top performers on any of these tasks, relative to their peers, and whether growth rates or predictors of math-related skills differed for boys and girls. Our findings support the notion that sex differences in math are minimal or nonexistent on standardized psychometric tests routinely given in assessments of primary school age children. There was no persistent finding suggesting a male or female advantage in math performance overall, during any single year of the study, or in any one area of math or spatial skills. Growth rates for all skills, and early correlates of later math performance, were comparable for boys and girls. The findings fail to support either persistent or emerging sex differences on non-specialized math ability measures during the primary school age years. (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10