Prediction of school performance using the Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP): A validity study

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of the Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP) to predict academic performance of Israeli preschoolers after a period of 5 to 7 years. METHOD. Thirty children who were classified according to the MAP as preschoolers at risk (n = 15) and not at risk (n = 15) for pre-academic problems were tracked after 5 to 7 years. Follow-up evaluations were done on motor, visual-motor integrative, and cognitive performance components; reading and handwriting academic performance areas; and a variety of measures taken to establish overall school functional status. RESULTS. Results indicate that children classified by the MAP as preschoolers at risk performed significantly worse 5 to 7 years later on visual-motor, cognitive, and reading and handwriting tests than those preschoolers classified not at risk and demonstrated reduced overall school functional status. CONCLUSION. The findings indicate that the MAP can predict academic performance even over a 5-year to 7-year interval. Furthermore, by linking academic performance data to performance components of children in different cultures, our investigation contributes to the overall understanding of children's functioning.