The effect of reading skill and intelligence on trail making performance in incarcerated male felons

Abstract

Trail Making Test performance was the dependent variable in a 3 x 2 (reading x intelligence) fixed-effects factorial study with six observations per cell. Thirty-six incarcerated adult hale felons were assigned to elementary, junior high, or high school reading level groups on the basis of grade-equivalent achievement scores on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills. The sample was also dichotomized at the median Revised Beta IQ score to establish an intelligence level factor. Interaction between reading ability and intelligence, assessed by a two <1ayy analysis of variance, was not significant, 11. The intelligence main effect was significant at the .01 level. Multiple comparisons of weighted mean Trails scores were significant only between elementary level and junior high level readers, p L .05 and between elementary level and high school level readers, p L .05. Junior high and high school level readers did not differ significantly in mean Trails scores. Findings demonstrated the need to evaluate reading ability in addition to Trail Making performance. The discussion proposed that reading ability norms would contribute to increased precision in scoring for certain categories of low ability readers.