Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The relationship between cognitive abilities and students’ achievement in math is well documented. However, theoretical views on the chronological development of cognitive ability and math success remain controversial. Empirically, mutual effects between these concepts amongst primary school children have not yet been adequately addressed, because longitudinal data have mostly been limited to two measurement time points. The present study aims to fill this gap by investigating whether cognitive abilities can predict math success across time (unidirectional effect) or whether a reciprocal effect according to the theory of mutualism is more in line with longitudinal data. It also provides information on the stability of intelligence and mathematics achievement in primary school children. Taking into account four measurement occasions, cognitive ability, and achievement in math, N = 1726 primary school students were annually examined. We analyzed construct-specific latent variables and cross-lagged effects over four years. Results indicate a unidirectional cross-lagged relationship pattern rather than a mutual effect between reasoning ability and math achievement. However, over time, the influence of math achievement on cognitive ability increases slightly, which stresses the importance of knowledge acquisition in math for cognitive development over time, and a fairly high stability of cognitive ability and mathematics achievement in primary school age.
Source: Journal of Intelligence
Authors: Daniela Fiedler, Samantha Barton, Ulrike Kipman
Language: English
Subfield: Statistics and Probability
Field: Mathematics
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W4415813956