Toward a Consensus Model of Cognitive–Reading Achievement Relations Using Meta-Structural Equation Modeling

Cognitive tests measure psychological constructs that predict the development of academic skills. Research on cognitive-reading achievement relations has primarily been completed with single-test batteries and samples, resulting in inconsistencies across studies. The current study developed a consensus model of cognitive-reading achievement relations using meta-structural equation modeling (meta-SEM) through a cross-sectional analysis of subtest correlations from English-language norm-referenced tests. The full dataset used for this study included 49,959 correlations across 599 distinct correlation matrices. These included correlations among 1112 subtests extracted from 137 different cognitive and achievement test batteries. The meta-SEM approach allowed for increased sampling of cognitive and academic reading skills measured by various test batteries to better inform the validity of construct relations. The findings were generally consistent with previous research, suggesting that cognitive abilities are important predictors of reading skills and generalize across different test batteries and samples. The findings are also consistent with integrated cognitive-reading models and have implications for assessment and intervention frameworks.