Do Global Ability Composites Differentially Predict Academic Achievement Across Gender?

Abstract

The present study examined whether global ability influences on reading, writing, and math achievement are generalizable across gender in children and adolescents in Grades 1 to 4 ( n = 1,276), 5 to 8 ( n = 1,265), and 9 to 12 ( n = 1,042) using multiple group structural equation modeling with the standardization samples for the Woodcock–Johnson IV. Results showed a small female advantage in writing achievement across grade levels. The General Intellectual Ability (GIA) composite showed some evidence of slope bias with math achievement, and the Fluid-Crystallized (G f-G c) composite showed some evidence of slope bias with math and reading achievement. The GIA and G f-G c composite scores showed evidence of intercept bias mostly in the area of writing achievement. Findings are generally consistent with previous research showing minimal gender bias in global intelligence predicting achievement.