Graduate Program

School Psychology

Degree Name

Specialist in School Psychology

Semester of Degree Completion

2005

Thesis Director

Gary Canivez

Thesis Committee Member

J. Michael Havey

Thesis Committee Member

Assege HaileMariam

Abstract

Previous research on the incremental validity of the Learning Behaviors Scale (LBS; McDermott, Green, Francis, & Stott, 1999) has shown that good learning behaviors were associated with good academic achievement (Schaefer & McDermott, 1999; Yen, Konold, & McDermott, 2004). Additionally, research has indicated that learning behaviors account for appreciable variation in student grades and academic achievement test scores above and beyond the contribution of intelligence (Schaefer, 1996). The present study investigated the influence of cognitive ability and learning behaviors in the prediction of scores from standardized academic achievement tests. Learning behaviors were assessed with the LBS (McDermott et al., 1999) and cognitive ability was measured with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV; Wechsler, 2003a). This study used an independent sample of 57 students in grades kindergarten through 10. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between ability, learning behaviors and academic achievement. The criterion variable was academic achievement scores and the predictor variables were cognitive ability (Full Scale IQ score and index scores) and learning behaviors (LBS Total scale score and subscale scores). Results showed that cognitive ability alone was a better predictor of academic achievement than interaction of ability and learning behaviors. Also, results indicated that learning behaviors did not aid in the prediction of academic achievement. For this sample, learning behaviors did not possess incremental validity.

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