title: Screening for working memory deficits in the classroom: the psychometric properties of the working memory rating scale in a longitudinal school-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this 18-month longitudinal study was to explore the psychometric properties of the recently developed Working Memory Rating Scale (WMRS) within a general school population of 524 six- to nine-year-old children (259 boys, 265 girls) and with an examination of sex and time differences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Teachers completed the WMRS and children completed objective measures of WM and standardized measures of academic achievement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Confirmatory factor analyses indicated a poor fit for the 20 original WMRS items. Post hoc analyses, however, revealed that the factor structure of an alternative five-item short form was strong for both boys and girls and at the two time points, spanning two consecutive academic years. Internal consistency, criterion-related validity, and convergent validity of this alternative five-item WMRS were also excellent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The short five-item WMRS may eventually provide teachers with a useful and time-effective method to screen for WM deficits at school.
authors.affiliation: 1Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Canada.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Normand
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tannock
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors