Is Visual Memory Predictive of Below‐Average Academic Achievement in Second through Fourth Graders?

Purpose. Controversy exists regarding the relation between visual memory and academic achievement. Methods. A masked investigation of the relation between visual memory and academics was performed in 155 second‐ through fourth‐grade children (mean age = 8.83 years). Visual memory ability was assessed with the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills visual memory subtest. The school administered the Otis‐Lennon School Ability Test and Stanford Achievement Test. Age and verbal ability were controlled in all regression analyses. Results. Visual memory score was significantly predictive of below‐average word decoding (p = 0.027), total math score (p = 0.031), and Stanford complete battery score (p = 0.018). Visual memory score showed a positive trend in predicting reading comprehension (p = 0.093). Conclusions. Poor visual memory ability (as measured by the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills) is significantly related to below‐average reading decoding, math, and overall academic achievement (as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test) in second‐ through fourth‐grade children, while controlling for age and verbal ability.