Visual–Spatial Ability Predicts Academic Achievement Through Arithmetic and Reading Abilities

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate how visual-spatial ability predicted academic achievement through arithmetic and reading abilities. Four hundred and ninety-nine Chinese children aged from 10.1 to 11.2 years were recruited and measured visual-spatial, arithmetic, and reading abilities. Their mathematical and Chinese language academic achievements were collected for two consecutive school years, respectively, during the same year as cognitive tests and 1 year after the cognitive tests. Correlation analysis indicated that visual-spatial, arithmetic, and reading abilities and academic achievements were significantly correlated with each other. The structural equation modelling analyses showed that there were two paths from visual-spatial ability to academic achievement: a major path mediated by arithmetic ability and a minor serial mediation path from visual-spatial ability to arithmetic ability to reading ability, then to academic achievement. Results shed light on the importance of visual-spatial ability in education.