Neuropsychological concomitants of calculation skills in college students referred for learning difficulties

The contributions of 3 conceptual domains from a theoretical model of math skill (Geary, 1993) were examined in a large sample of college students referred for assessment of possible learning disorders. Measures were chosen from a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, and from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, to represent each of the 3 domains (semantic retrieval, executive-procedural, and visuospatial). The proposed model was examined using structural equation modeling (LISREL), and factors representing the 3 latent domains were derived. The domains of semantic retrieval and executive-procedural skills together accounted for approximately 17% of the variance in calculation skills. The domain of visuospatial skills failed to account for significant incremental variance.