The differential role of verbal and visuospatial working memory in mathematics and reading

TL;DR

This study investigates how verbal and visuospatial working memory differentially predict mathematical and reading abilities in middle school children, emphasizing the importance of modality-specific WM assessment.

Contribution

It provides evidence that verbal and visuospatial WM are distinct and have different predictive roles in math and reading achievement, highlighting the need for modality-specific evaluation.

Findings

Verbal and visuospatial WM are distinguishable factors.

Different WM modalities predict math and reading variably.

Modality-specific WM assessments improve understanding of academic skills.

Abstract

Objectives: Several studies have focused on the role of working memory (WM) in predicting mathematical and reading literacy. Alternative models of WM have been proposed and a modality-dependent model of WM, distinguishing between verbal and visuospatial WM modalities, has been advanced. In addition, the relationship between verbal and visuospatial WM and academic achievement has not been extensively and consistently studied, especially when it comes to distinguishing between mathematical and reading tasks. Method: In the present study, we tested a large group of middle school children in several measures of WM, and in mathematical and reading tasks. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses showed that verbal and visuospatial WM can be differentiated and that these factors have a different predictive power in explaining unique portions of variance in reading and mathematics. Conclusions: Our findings point to the importance of distinguishing between WM modalities in evaluating the relationship between mathematics and reading.