Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (February 20, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

The latent variable structure of the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML) test (Sheslow & Adams, 1990) has been suggested to contain an attention factor comprised of the subtests: Finger Windows, Number/Letter, and Sentence Memory. The multidimensional nature of the attention construct has not been addressed in previous studies with the WRAML. The present investigation was designed to investigate the relationship between the WRAML subtests and a diverse battery of attention tests. Three competing latent variable models of the attention construct were developed in which the WRAML subtests were hypothesized to be affected by different components of attention. The battery, administered to 120 males between 9 and 14 years of age consisted of the WRAML subtests, Digit Span, Arithmetic, Coding, Trails A, Trails B, Category Test, Speech Sounds Perception Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and a Continuous Performance Test.Significant correlations were obtained between all the tests in the battery. Confirmatory factor analysis results suggested that a four factor model of attention (Focus-Execute, Shift, Sustain, Encode) similar to that obtained by Mirsky and others, (1991) was the best data fit. The WRAML subtests were affected by the Encode element of attention in the current analysis. / Department of Educational Psychology