Date of Award
2003
Publication Type
Doctoral Thesis
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Psychology
Keywords
Psychology, Psychometrics.
Supervisor
Rourke, Byron P.,
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
The present study examined the number and nature of factors underlying performance on The Underlining Test (UT), a set of 14 speeded cancellation tasks (subtests) containing letters, digits or shapes, separately or in strings. Using data from a large (n = 844) heterogeneous sample of clinic-referred children, several hypothesized models containing one to four latent constructs were examined using confirmatory factor analysis. A four-factor model had the best fit to the data, and based on the nature of the subtests associated with each construct they were labeled Individual Item Search, Reading-Related, Sequencing, and Complex Visual Analysis. Composite scores were calculated for each factor and compared to several tests of neuropsychological functioning and measures of academic achievement. Only limited information was found regarding the concurrent validity of these factors. Most correlations with neuropsychological tests were small, but the Reading-Related and Sequencing factors had moderate correlations with measures of academic achievement. Several subsequent post hoc analyses revealed that processing speed might play a significant role in UT performance, particularly for the Individual Item Search factor. These results support the hypothesis that the subtests of the UT measure multiple cognitive constructs to varying degrees. They also provide evidence that its factors are primarily sensitive to reading skills, spelling, and processing speed. The UT has the potential to be a valuable tool for researchers and clinicians to examine patterns of neuropsychological functioning in children.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2003 .H39. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 64-10, Section: B, page: 5271. Adviser: Byron P. Rourke. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2003.
Recommended Citation
Hayman-Abello, Brent Albert., "The Underlining Test: An exploration of its construct dimensions in a clinic-referred sample." (2003). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4324.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/4324