The predictive validity of Bannatyne's WISC categories for later reading achievement.

Abstract

Summary. This study was concerned with the Preparatory Grade prediction of later reading performance using recategorised WISC results suggested by Bannatyne (1974). Using the three factors Spatial, Conceptual and Sequential as the dependent variables, and group membership based on subsequent longitudinal reading performance as the independent variables, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) resulted in a significant multivariate F for a sample of 179 children (P < 0.0001). Step‐down tests and post‐hoc comparisons indicated that the Sequential factor accounted for most of between‐group variance and was the only factor to discriminate between the ‘failing readers' and average and above average readers. None of the Bannatyne‐WISC categories was able to discriminate between children who were ‘slow starters' in beginning reading and children who continued to fail at reading throughout the primary school.