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Preschool risk factors as predictors of early school performance
Insights
Assessing preschool academic potential requires evaluating multiple factors, not just individual tests. A new Risk Index of School Capability (RISC) scale effectively predicts school success or failure.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Early academic potential is crucial for lifelong success.
- Identifying at-risk preschoolers allows for targeted interventions.
- Previous assessments often focused on limited factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the relative importance of developmental, medical, and social factors in predicting early academic potential.
- To develop a comprehensive risk index for school capability.
- To assess the predictive value of the Sprigle School Readiness Screening Test (SSRST) and Beery Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI) individually and in combination.
Main Methods:
- Prospective evaluation of 210 preschoolers in a rural southern school district.
- Administered SSRST and VMI; physician-rated attention span; parental questionnaire on medical, behavioral, social, and family variables.
- Regression analyses used to correlate factors with reading/math achievement and grade failure; developed a Risk Index of School Capability (RISC) scale.
Main Results:
- Maternal education, SSRST, VMI, and lack of learning problem history correlated with higher achievement.
- Low VMI, lower maternal education, late birthdays in boys, and learning problem history predicted grade failure.
- Physician-rated attention span correlated with reading and math scores; medical issues and parental concerns did not.
Conclusions:
- A multifactorial approach is essential for assessing preschool academic potential.
- The developed RISC scale demonstrates high predictive value for academic success (98% for scores ≥7) and failure (70% for scores ≤3).
- Combined assessment of multiple risk factors is more effective than using individual tests like VMI and SSRST alone.
Abstract:
The relative importance of selected developmental, medical, and social factors in assessing a child's early academic potential was evaluated prospectively in a rural southern school district. Two hundred and ten (210) preschoolers were given the Sprigle School Readiness Screening Test (SSRST) and the Beery Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI) while physicians rated the children's attention span. A parental questionnaire assessed medical, behavioral, social, and family variables. Follow-up school data were available on 176 children (84%). Using regression techniques, reading and math achievement scores were directly correlated with maternal education, SSRST and VMI results, and lack of family history of learning problems, whereas grade failure was associated with low VMI scores, decreased maternal education, boys with late birthdays, and family history of learning problems. Medical problems and parental preschool behavior concerns were unrelated to school achievement, but physician rating of preschool attention span showed a significant correlation with reading and math scores. A 0-11 Risk Index of School Capability (RISC) scale based on data analyses was developed to rate a preschooler's early academic potential. A score of 7 or above had a 98% positive predictive value of successful grade completion, whereas a score of 3 or below had a 70% predictive value for grade failure. The value of assessing the scores of the VMI and SSRST alone was also considered, but was found less useful. This study demonstrates the importance of evaluating a number of risk factors in assessing a preschooler's early academic potential. Such data can be used to focus school resources for children at increased risk for grade failure.