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Carriedo N, Rodríguez-Villagra OA, Pérez L, Iglesias-Sarmiento V. Executive functioning profiles and mathematical and reading achievement in Grades 2, 6, and 10. J Sch Psychol 2024; 106:101353. [PMID: 39251311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2024.101353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Using a person-centered approach, we aimed to identify different executive functioning profiles to assess heterogeneity across individuals within the same school grade through latent profile analysis. A sample of 150 Grade 2 (7-8 years old), 150 Grade 6 (11-12 years old), and 150 Grade 10 (15-16 years old) children and adolescents were assessed on 11 different executive tasks representative of the three main executive functioning subcomponents (i.e., inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory), fluid intelligence, processing speed, problem-solving, and reading comprehension. Three different executive functioning profiles of different patterns of interactions based on inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory within and between grades were identified. Moreover, these profiles were differentially related to reading comprehension and mathematical achievement. Second, as expected, we did not find these profiles to be associated with sociodemographic variables such as chronological age or sex. Still, fluid intelligence and processing speed were differentially related to the different profiles at each grade. We also found that the executive functioning profiles interacted with each cognitive skill (i.e., fluid intelligence and processing speed) in predicting reading comprehension and math achievement. These findings provide valuable insights for developing preventive and intervention strategies in education.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Odir A Rodríguez-Villagra
- Institute for Psychological Research, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica; Neuroscience Research Center, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica
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2
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Kanevski M, Booth JN, Stewart TM, Rhodes SM. Cognitive heterogeneity in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Implications for maths. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39166844 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated whether cognitive function better predicted maths test performance than a clinical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Forty-four drug naïve children (Mage = 101.34 months, SD = 19.39; 30% girls) were recruited from clinical ADHD referral waiting lists. Children underwent assessment of Executive Functions (EF), lower-level cognitive processes, and maths performance. Children were grouped using a categorical approach comprising (1) children with a clinical ADHD diagnosis and (2) children without a diagnosis (i.e., subthreshold ADHD). Secondly, hierarchical cluster analysis generated subgroups of children using EF scores. Children were compared on cognition, maths, and parent-rated symptoms of ADHD and co-occurring difficulties. Children's diagnostic outcomes did not differentiate maths performance. By contrast, EF subgroups generated meaningful cognitive clusters which differentiated maths test scores. This suggests that cognitive patterns of performance, rather than children's diagnostic outcomes, are more informative for identifying meaningful groups with variable maths performance which has implications for remedial support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Kanevski
- Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Josie N Booth
- Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tracy M Stewart
- Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sinead M Rhodes
- Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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3
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Kadlec J, Walsh CR, Sadé U, Amir A, Rissman J, Ramot M. A measure of reliability convergence to select and optimize cognitive tasks for individual differences research. COMMUNICATIONS PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 2:64. [PMID: 39242856 PMCID: PMC11332135 DOI: 10.1038/s44271-024-00114-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Surging interest in individual differences has faced setbacks in light of recent replication crises in psychology, for example in brain-wide association studies exploring brain-behavior correlations. A crucial component of replicability for individual differences studies, which is often assumed but not directly tested, is the reliability of the measures we use. Here, we evaluate the reliability of different cognitive tasks on a dataset with over 250 participants, who each completed a multi-day task battery. We show how reliability improves as a function of number of trials, and describe the convergence of the reliability curves for the different tasks, allowing us to score tasks according to their suitability for studies of individual differences. We further show the effect on reliability of measuring over multiple time points, with tasks assessing different cognitive domains being differentially affected. Data collected over more than one session may be required to achieve trait-like stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Kadlec
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Catherine R Walsh
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Uri Sadé
- Faculty of Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ariel Amir
- Faculty of Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Jesse Rissman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michal Ramot
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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4
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Poole BJ, Phillips NL, Killer BL, Gilmore C, Lah S. Mathematics Skills in Epilepsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Neuropsychol Rev 2024; 34:598-636. [PMID: 37490196 PMCID: PMC11166774 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-023-09600-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Mathematics incorporates a broad range of skills, which includes basic early numeracy skills, such as subitizing and basic counting to more advanced secondary skills including mathematics calculation and reasoning. The aim of this review was to undertake a detailed investigation of the severity and pattern of early numeracy and secondary mathematics skills in people with epilepsy. Searches were guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Twenty adult studies and 67 child studies were included in this review. Overall, meta-analyses revealed significant moderate impairments across all mathematics outcomes in both adults (g= -0.676), and children (g= -0.593) with epilepsy. Deficits were also observed for specific mathematics outcomes. For adults, impairments were found for mathematics reasoning (g= -0.736). However, two studies found that mathematics calculation was not significantly impaired, and an insufficient number of studies examined early numeracy skills in adults. In children with epilepsy, significant impairments were observed for each mathematics outcome: early numeracy (g= -0.383), calculation (g= -0.762), and reasoning (g= -0.572). The gravity of impairments also differed according to the site of seizure focus for children and adults, suggesting that mathematics outcomes were differentially vulnerable to the location of seizure focus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda J Poole
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Natalie L Phillips
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Brittany L Killer
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Camilla Gilmore
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Suncica Lah
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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5
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Aro T, Özbek AB, Torppa M. Predicting adult-age mental health with childhood reading and math disability: do resilience and coping styles matter? ANNALS OF DYSLEXIA 2024; 74:97-122. [PMID: 37878203 PMCID: PMC10847185 DOI: 10.1007/s11881-023-00290-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
We studied the associations between childhood-identified learning disabilities and adult-age mental health and whether adult-age reading and math skills, coping styles, or resilience influenced the associations. The participants were 159 Finnish adults (60.4% males). Of them, 48 (30%) had a reading disability (RD), 22 (14%) had a math disability (MD), 21 (13%) had RD + MD identified in childhood, and 68 (43%) were population-based controls, matched based on gender, age, and place of residence. At ages 20-40 (Mage = 29), they reported their mental health, coping styles, and resilience, and their reading and math skills were assessed. The hierarchical regression analyses, predicting mental health with RD, MD, and their interaction while controlling for gender and age, indicated that childhood MD predicted the occurrence of more mental health problems in adulthood, but this was not observed in the case of RD. The RDxMD positive interaction effect reflected better mental health in both the RD and the RD + MD groups than in the MD group. Controlling for adult-age reading and math skills had no effect on the association between MD and mental health outcomes while controlling for resilience and coping styles diminished the impact of MD. Strong resilience without the use of an emotion-oriented coping may thus alleviate the association between MD and mental health. As childhood MD can have long-term associations with mental health problems, these issues need to be addressed in school, at work, and in healthcare. Based on our findings, strengthening effective coping and resilience may be one avenue of support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuija Aro
- Department of Psychology, Centre of Excellence in Learning Dynamics and Intervention Research (InterLearn) University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
| | - Ahmet Bilal Özbek
- Department of Special Education, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Türkiye
| | - Minna Torppa
- Department of Teacher Education, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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6
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Chamorro Y, Mendizabal-Ruiz AP, Abreu-Mendoza RA, Morales JA, de Lourdes Ramírez-Dueñas M, Matute E. Preliminary Evidence for a Positive Relation Between the COMT rs4680 Met/Met Genotype and Math Achievement. Dev Neuropsychol 2024; 49:138-151. [PMID: 38461456 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2024.2326879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
To identify if COMT polymorphisms interact with executive functions as predictors of math skills, we assessed 38 adolescents (mean age = 16.4 ± 0.80 years, IQ > 80) from a larger study of high-school students screened for their mathematical abilities. Adolescents were genotyped for the COMT Val158Met polymorphism (grouped as Met/Met or Val-carriers) and completed the WRAT math achievement test, working-memory, inhibitory-control, and shifting tasks. Met/Met-carriers achieved higher WRAT scores than the Val-carriers (W = 229, p = .009). Genotype group was a moderate-to-strong predictor of WRAT scores (β = 0.56 to 0.74). No genotype/executive-function interaction was detected. Our findings suggest that the rs4680 Met/Met genotype is positively associated with math achievement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaira Chamorro
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | - Adriana P Mendizabal-Ruiz
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierías, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | | | - J Alejandro Morales
- Departamento de Ciencias Computacionales, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierías, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | - María de Lourdes Ramírez-Dueñas
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | - Esmeralda Matute
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
- Departamento de Estudios en Educación, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
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7
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Cirino PT, Salentine C, Farrell A, Barnes MA, Roberts G. Cognitive Predictors of the Overlap of Reading and Math in Middle School. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2024; 109:102400. [PMID: 38962323 PMCID: PMC11219023 DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Math and reading skills are known to be related, and predictors of each are well researched. What is less understood is the extent to which these predictors, uniquely and collectively, overlap with one another, are differentially important for different academic skills, and account for the overlap of math and reading. We examined 20 potential predictors from four domains (working memory, processing speed, attention, and language) using latent variables and both timed and untimed achievement skill, in a sample (N=212) of at-risk middle schoolers, half of whom were English learners. The predictors accounted for about half of the overlap among achievement skills, suggesting that other factors (e.g., domain specific skills) might also be relevant for the overlap. We also found some differential prediction (language for reading, working memory for math). The present results extend and refine our understanding of the contribution of these cognitive predictors for reading and math.
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8
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Whitehead HL, Hawes Z. Cognitive Foundations of Early Mathematics: Investigating the Unique Contributions of Numerical, Executive Function, and Spatial Skills. J Intell 2023; 11:221. [PMID: 38132839 PMCID: PMC10744352 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11120221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an emerging consensus that numerical, executive function (EF), and spatial skills are foundational to children's mathematical learning and development. Moreover, each skill has been theorized to relate to mathematics for different reasons. Thus, it is possible that each cognitive construct is related to mathematics through distinct pathways. The present study tests this hypothesis. One-hundred and eighty 4- to 9-year-olds (Mage = 6.21) completed a battery of numerical, EF, spatial, and mathematics measures. Factor analyses revealed strong, but separable, relations between children's numerical, EF, and spatial skills. Moreover, the three-factor model (i.e., modelling numerical, EF, and spatial skills as separate latent variables) fit the data better than a general intelligence (g-factor) model. While EF skills were the only unique predictor of number line performance, spatial skills were the only unique predictor of arithmetic (addition) performance. Additionally, spatial skills were related to the use of more advanced addition strategies (e.g., composition/decomposition and retrieval), which in turn were related to children's overall arithmetic performance. That is, children's strategy use fully mediated the relation between spatial skills and arithmetic performance. Taken together, these findings provide new insights into the cognitive foundations of early mathematics, with implications for assessment and instruction moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zachary Hawes
- Department of Applied Psychology & Human Development, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1V6, Canada;
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9
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Spiller J, Clayton S, Cragg L, Johnson S, Simms V, Gilmore C. Higher level domain specific skills in mathematics; The relationship between algebra, geometry, executive function skills and mathematics achievement. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291796. [PMID: 37931003 PMCID: PMC10627446 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Algebra and geometry are important components of mathematics that are often considered gatekeepers for future success. However, most studies that have researched the cognitive skills required for success in mathematics have only considered the domain of arithmetic. We extended models of mathematical skills to consider how executive function skills play both a direct role in secondary-school-level mathematical achievement as well as an indirect role via algebra and geometry, alongside arithmetic. We found that verbal and visuospatial working memory were indirectly associated with mathematical achievement via number fact knowledge, calculation skills, algebra and geometry. Inhibition was also indirectly associated with mathematical achievement via number fact knowledge and calculation skills. These findings highlight that there are multiple mechanisms by which executive function skills may be involved in mathematics outcomes. Therefore, using specific measures of mathematical processes as well as context-rich assessments of mathematical achievement is important to understand these mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne Spiller
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology and Vision Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Clayton
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy Cragg
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha Johnson
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria Simms
- School of Psychology, Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
| | - Camilla Gilmore
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
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10
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Iglesias-Sarmiento V, Carriedo N, Rodríguez-Villagra OA, Pérez L. Executive functioning skills and (low) math achievement in primary and secondary school. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 235:105715. [PMID: 37307647 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Schoolchildren with better executive functioning skills achieve better mathematics results. It is less clear how inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory combine to predict mathematics achievement and difficulty throughout primary and secondary school. This study aimed to find the best combination of executive function measures for predicting mathematical achievement in Grades 2, 6, and 10 and to test whether this combination predicts the probability of having mathematical difficulties across school grades even when fluid intelligence and processing speed were included in the models. A total of 426 students-141 2nd graders (72 girls), 143 6th graders (72 girls), and 142 10th graders (79 girls)-were cross-sectionally assessed with 12 executive tasks, one standardized mathematical task, and a standardized test of intelligence. Bayesian regression analyses found various combinations of executive predictors of mathematical achievement for each school grade spanning Grade 2 to measures of cognitive inhibition (negative priming) and cognitive flexibility (verbal fluency); Grade 6 to measures of inhibition: resistance to distractor interference (receptive attention), cognitive flexibility (local-global), and working memory (counting span); and Grade 10 to measures of inhibition: resistance to distractor interference (receptive attention) and prepotent response inhibition (stop signal) and working memory (reading span). Logistic regression showed that the executive models derived from the Bayesian analyses had a similar ability to classify students with mathematical difficulty and their peers with typical achievement to broader cognitive models that included fluid intelligence and processing speed. Measures of processing speed, cognitive flexibility (local-global), and prepotent response inhibition (stop signal) were the main risk factors in Grades 2, 6, and 10, respectively. Cognitive flexibility (verbal fluency) in Grade 2 and fluid intelligence, which was more stable in all three grades, acted as protective factors against mathematical difficulty. These findings inform practical considerations for establishing preventive and intervention proposals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentín Iglesias-Sarmiento
- Department of Evolutionary Psychology and Communication, University of Vigo, Campus Universitario de Ourense, 32004, Vigo, Spain
| | - Nuria Carriedo
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, National Distance Education University (UNED), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Odir A Rodríguez-Villagra
- Institute for Psychological Research, University of Costa Rica, San José, 11501-2060, Costa Rica; Neuroscience Research Center, University of Costa Rica, San José 11501-2060, Costa Rica
| | - Leire Pérez
- Department of Evolutionary Psychology and Communication, University of Vigo, Campus Universitario de Ourense, 32004, Vigo, Spain
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Omont-Lescieux S, Menu I, Salvia E, Poirel N, Oppenheim C, Houdé O, Cachia A, Borst G. Lateralization of the cerebral network of inhibition in children before and after cognitive training. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101293. [PMID: 37683326 PMCID: PMC10498008 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control (IC) plays a critical role in cognitive and socio-emotional development. IC relies on a lateralized cortico-subcortical brain network including the inferior frontal cortex, anterior parts of insula, anterior cingulate cortex, caudate nucleus and putamen. Brain asymmetries play a critical role for IC efficiency. In parallel to age-related changes, IC can be improved following training. The aim of this study was to (1) assess the lateralization of IC network in children (N = 60, 9-10 y.o.) and (2) examine possible changes in neural asymmetry of this network from anatomical (structural MRI) and functional (resting-state fMRI) levels after 5-week computerized IC vs. active control (AC) training. We observed that IC training, but not AC training, led to a leftward lateralization of the putamen anatomy, similarly to what is observed in adults, supporting that training could accelerate the maturation of this structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sixtine Omont-Lescieux
- Université Paris Cité, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Imaging biomarkers for brain development and disorders, 75014 Paris, France; GHU-Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Iris Menu
- Université Paris Cité, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Imaging biomarkers for brain development and disorders, 75014 Paris, France; GHU-Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Emilie Salvia
- Université Paris Cité, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France; GHU-Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Poirel
- Université Paris Cité, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France; GIP Cyceron, Caen, France
| | - Catherine Oppenheim
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Imaging biomarkers for brain development and disorders, 75014 Paris, France; GHU-Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Houdé
- Université Paris Cité, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France; GHU-Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, F-75014 Paris, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Cachia
- Université Paris Cité, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Imaging biomarkers for brain development and disorders, 75014 Paris, France; GHU-Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Grégoire Borst
- Université Paris Cité, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France; GHU-Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, F-75014 Paris, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
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12
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Dumontheil I, Wilkinson HR, Farran EK, Smid C, Modhvadia R, Mareschal D. How Do Executive Functions Influence Children's Reasoning About Counterintuitive Concepts in Mathematics and Science? JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2023; 7:257-275. [PMID: 38186609 PMCID: PMC10770252 DOI: 10.1007/s41465-023-00271-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Many scientific and mathematical concepts are counterintuitive because they conflict with misleading perceptual cues or incorrect naive theories that we build from our everyday experiences of the world. Executive functions (EFs) influence mathematics and science achievement, and inhibitory control (IC), in particular, might facilitate counterintuitive reasoning. Stop & Think (S&T) is a computerised learning activity that trains IC skills. It has been found effective in improving primary children's mathematics and science academic performance in a large scale RCT trial (Palak et al., 2019; Wilkinson et al., Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 4, 296-314, 2020). The current study aimed to investigate the role of EFs and the moderating effects of S&T training on counterintuitive mathematics and science reasoning. A sample of 372 children in school Years 3 (7- to 8-year-olds) and 5 (9- to 10-year-olds) were allocated to S&T, active control or teaching as usual conditions, and completed tasks assessing verbal and visuospatial working memory (WM), IC, IQ, and counterintuitive reasoning, before and after training. Cross-sectional associations between counterintuitive reasoning and EF were found in Year 5 children, with evidence of a specific role of verbal WM. The intervention benefited counterintuitive reasoning in Year 3 children only and EF measures were not found to predict which children would most benefit from the intervention. Combined with previous research, these results suggest that individual differences in EF play a lesser role in counterintuitive reasoning in younger children, while older children show a greater association between EFs and counterintuitive reasoning and are able to apply the strategies developed during the S&T training to mathematics and science subjects. This work contributes to understanding why specifically the S&T intervention is effective. This work was preregistered with the ISRCTN registry (TRN: 54726482) on 10/10/2017. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41465-023-00271-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iroise Dumontheil
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, Henry Wellcome Building, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX UK
| | - Hannah R. Wilkinson
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, Henry Wellcome Building, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX UK
| | - Emily K. Farran
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Claire Smid
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Roshni Modhvadia
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Denis Mareschal
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, Henry Wellcome Building, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX UK
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13
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Spiller J, Gilmore C. Positive impact of sleep on recall of multiplication facts. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230663. [PMID: 37771973 PMCID: PMC10523070 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
This study tested the hypothesis that learning complex multiplication problems (e.g. 8 × 23 = 184) prior to sleep would benefit recall in adult participants compared with learning the problems prior to a period of wakefulness. This study used a within-participant design where all participants learnt complex multiplication problems in two conditions separated by one week. In one condition, learning was before bed (sleep learning condition) and in the other condition learning was in the morning (wake learning condition). In each condition, recall was tested approximately 10.5 h later. Data were collected online from 77 participants. In the subset of the sample with greater than or equal to 60% accuracy at the initial learning session (n = 37), the sleep learning condition participants had better recall compared with the wake learning condition. This equated to a moderate effect size, Cohen's d = 0.51. Regardless of initial levels of learning (n = 70) the same beneficial effect of sleep on recall was found with a small effect size, Cohen's d = 0.33. This study has identified a beneficial effect of learning prior to sleep on recall of complex multiplication problems compared with learning these problems during the daytime. Future research should explore whether similar effects are observed with children learning simple multiplication facts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne Spiller
- School of Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, University of Loughborough, Loughborough, UK
| | - Camilla Gilmore
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, University of Loughborough, Loughborough, UK
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14
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Hu Q, Liang Z, Zhou Y, Feng S, Zhang Q. The role of working memory updating and capacity in children's mathematical abilities: A developmental cascade model. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 93:676-693. [PMID: 36647240 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies indicated that working memory (WM) updating and WM capacity play essential roles in mathematical ability. However, it is unclear whether WM capacity mediates the effect of WM updating on mathematics, and whether the cascading effects vary with different mathematical domains. AIMS The current study aims to explore the longitudinal mediating role of WM capacity between WM updating and mathematical performance, and how the relations change with the age and domains. SAMPLE A total of 131 Chinese first-graders participated the study. METHODS Participants were required to complete tasks on WM updating and WM capacity in Grade 1 and Grade 2, as well as paper-and-pencil tests on mathematics achievement in Grade 3. The role of WM updating and capacity in the development of pupil's mathematical achievement was examined. RESULTS Results revealed that verbal WM updating in Grade 1 predicted basic arithmetic and logical-visuospatial ability in Grade 3 via its cascading effect on verbal WM capacity in Grade 2. Moreover, visuospatial WM updating in Grade 1 predicted visuospatial WM capacity in Grade 2. Visuospatial WM capacity in Grade 1 predicted logical-visuospatial ability in Grade 3 instead of basic arithmetic ability in Grade 3. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggested that WM updating exerts effect on pupil's mathematical performance via WM capacity, meanwhile, this effect depends on children's mathematics domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Hu
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhanhong Liang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanlin Zhou
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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15
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Cai D, Zhao J, Chen Z, Liu D. Executive Functions Training for 7- to 10-Year-Old Students With Mathematics Difficulty: Instant Effects and 6-Month Sustained Effects. JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES 2023; 56:392-409. [PMID: 35962536 DOI: 10.1177/00222194221117513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Executive function (EF) training has shown promise for remedying general EF deficiencies faced by students with mathematics difficulty (MD) and for improving their performance. However, latest research also suggests that the instant and sustained effects of EF training remain inconsistent. In this study, 32 Chinese students with MD, age 7 to 10 years, were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: the training group (n = 16, 25 training sessions) and the control group (n = 16). Both groups took a pretest, a posttest, and a follow-up test (after 6 months) on EF, fluid intelligence, and mathematics skills. In the posttest, the training group's performance significantly improved in 2-back, number shifting, letter shifting, calculation fluency, and mathematics problem-solving tasks, but not in Stroop, Flanker, 1-back, numerical operations, and colored progressive matrices tasks. In the follow-up test after 6 months, the effects of training only on the 2-back and letter shifting tasks were sustained. The effect on the numerical operations task appeared; however, the effects on number shifting, calculation fluency, and mathematics problem-solving tasks disappeared. The results of this study show that EF training has instant effects of improving EF and mathematics skills of students with MD, and 6-month sustained effects on some of the improved skills. However, for fluid intelligence, the effects may be very limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Cai
- Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Di Liu
- East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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16
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Gilmore C. Understanding the complexities of mathematical cognition: A multi-level framework. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2023; 76:1953-1972. [PMID: 37129432 PMCID: PMC10466984 DOI: 10.1177/17470218231175325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Mathematics skills are associated with future employment, well-being, and quality of life. However, many adults and children fail to learn the mathematics skills they require. To improve this situation, we need to have a better understanding of the processes of learning and performing mathematics. Over the past two decades, there has been a substantial growth in psychological research focusing on mathematics. However, to make further progress, we need to pay greater attention to the nature of, and multiple elements involved in, mathematical cognition. Mathematics is not a single construct; rather, overall mathematics achievement is comprised of proficiency with specific components of mathematics (e.g., number fact knowledge, algebraic thinking), which in turn recruit basic mathematical processes (e.g., magnitude comparison, pattern recognition). General cognitive skills and different learning experiences influence the development of each component of mathematics as well as the links between them. Here, I propose and provide evidence for a framework that structures how these components of mathematics fit together. This framework allows us to make sense of the proliferation of empirical findings concerning influences on mathematical cognition and can guide the questions we ask, identifying where we are missing both research evidence and models of specific mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Gilmore
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
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17
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McDougal E, Silverstein P, Treleaven O, Jerrom L, Gilligan-Lee KA, Gilmore C, Farran EK. Associations and indirect effects between LEGO® construction and mathematics performance. Child Dev 2023; 94:1381-1397. [PMID: 37186278 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
There is a known association between LEGO® construction ability and mathematics achievement, yet the mechanisms which drive this association are largely unknown. This study investigated the spatial mechanisms underlying this association, and whether this differs for concrete versus digital construction. Between January 2020 and July 2021, children aged 7-9 years (N = 358, 189 female, ethnicity not recorded) completed spatial and mathematics tasks, and either a concrete or digital Lego construction task. Mediation analyses examining direct and indirect pathways (through spatial skills) between Lego construction ability and mathematics explained 8.4% to 26.6% of variance in mathematics scores. Exploratory moderated mediation analyses revealed that only the indirect path through mental rotation differed between Lego conditions. Findings are discussed in relation to theories of spatial-numerical associations and the potential of Lego training for mathematics improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Priya Silverstein
- Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education, Preston, UK
| | | | | | - Katie A Gilligan-Lee
- University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Birkbeck University of London, London, UK
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Emily K Farran
- University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
- Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education, Preston, UK
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18
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Van der Ven SHG, Prast EJ, Van de Weijer-Bergsma E. Towards an Integrative Model of Math Cognition: Interactions between Working Memory and Emotions in Explaining Children's Math Performance. J Intell 2023; 11:136. [PMID: 37504779 PMCID: PMC10381454 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11070136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual variation in mathematical skills can be ascribed to differences in cognitive ability, but also to students' emotional experiences of mathematics, such as enjoyment and anxiety. The current study investigated how the interplay of working memory with math anxiety and enjoyment explains mathematical performance in primary school students. We also explored whether these relations differed with the type of math test and students' age. Using mixed effect models, we reanalyzed data from 4471 Dutch primary school students (grades 2-6) who had completed two computerized working memory tasks, had filled out a questionnaire on math emotions, and had completed two math tests: story problems and speeded arithmetic. Findings showed that working memory, anxiety, and enjoyment were linear (but not curvilinear) predictors of performance on both tests, while some relations were stronger for the math (story)-problem-solving test. Higher math anxiety negatively impacted performance more strongly for students with stronger working memory skills, but only on the arithmetic test. No interaction between working memory and enjoyment was found. The relation between math anxiety and math performance increased with grade level, but no other age-related changes were found. Interpretations and recommendations focus on situated views on learning and emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne H G Van der Ven
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Thomas van Aquinostraat 4, 6525 GD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Emilie J Prast
- Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eva Van de Weijer-Bergsma
- Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Department Education and Pedagogy, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
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19
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Atagi N, Sandhofer CM. Monolingual and bilingual children's performance on arithmetic fluency varies by language fluency. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 233:105695. [PMID: 37167848 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Research has demonstrated that learning two or more languages during development (i.e., becoming bilingual) shapes children's cognition in myriad ways. However, because such studies have largely been conducted using laboratory experiments, it is unclear how bilingualism may modulate more naturalistic cognitive skills such as arithmetic fluency. Moreover, how the relationship between speaking two (or more) languages and arithmetic varies with language fluency-specifically, the degree of bilingualism-has been understudied. Therefore, this study examined third- to fifth-grade monolingual (n = 70) and bilingual (n = 51) children's performance on an arithmetic fluency task. Monolinguals' and bilinguals' performance on the arithmetic fluency task did not differ. However, individual differences in the relation between children's arithmetic fluency and their language fluency were found, suggesting that bilingual children's skill in their nondominant language was associated with arithmetic fluency. These findings point to the importance of examining individual differences in language fluency among bilinguals to understand how bilingualism may shape cognitive skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsuki Atagi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA.
| | - Catherine M Sandhofer
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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20
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Skrbic R, Bugarski-Ignjatovic V, Komazec Z, Veselinovic M. Verbal, Figural, and Arithmetic Fluency of Children with Cochlear Implants. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:bs13050349. [PMID: 37232588 DOI: 10.3390/bs13050349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cochlear implantation gives children with prelingual severe hearing loss and deafness the opportunity to develop their hearing abilities, speech, language, cognitive abilities and academic skills with adequate rehabilitation. The aim of the research was to analyze verbal, figural and arithmetic fluency and their interrelationship in children with a cochlear implant (CI) and children with normal hearing (NH). A total of 46 children with CI and 110 children with NH, aged 9 to 16, participated in the research. Verbal fluency was assessed using phonemic and semantic fluency, and non-verbal fluency using figural fluency. Arithmetic fluency was assessed using simple arithmetic tasks within the number range up to 100. The results showed that children with CI achieved poorer results in phonemic fluency (z = -4.92; p < 0.001), semantic fluency (z = -3.89; p < 0.001), figural fluency (z = -3.07; p = 0.002), and arithmetic fluency (z = -4.27; p < 0.001). In both groups, a positive correlation was obtained between the measured modalities and types of fluency. In the group of children with CI, a sex difference was obtained on the phonemic fluency test, in favor of girls. The age of children with CI was correlated with arithmetic fluency. Verbal, figural and arithmetic fluency of children with CI speak in favor of the importance of early auditory and language experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Skrbic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21 137 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Vojislava Bugarski-Ignjatovic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21 137 Novi Sad, Serbia
- Clinic for Neurology, University Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21 137 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Zoran Komazec
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21 137 Novi Sad, Serbia
- Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21 137 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Mila Veselinovic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21 137 Novi Sad, Serbia
- Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21 137 Novi Sad, Serbia
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21
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Prager EO, Ernst JR, Mazzocco MMM, Carlson SM. Executive function and mathematics in preschool children: Training and transfer effects. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 232:105663. [PMID: 36948040 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023]
Abstract
Identifying the underpinnings of mathematics proficiency is relevant for all societies. A growing literature supports a relation between executive function (EF) and mathematics across a wide age range, but causal links are not well understood. In the current study, typically developing preschool children (N = 104) were randomly assigned to one of four training conditions: EF, Number, EF + Number, or an active Control. They participated in three brief training sessions and pretest and posttest sessions measuring EF and mathematics skills. EF training improved EF skills on a task similar to the training but did not extend to an untrained EF task. In addition, the EF training improved number skills but not general mathematics skills. The EF + Number training improved number and general mathematics skills but not EF skills. The EF + Number training did not yield significantly greater benefits for EF and mathematics beyond other training conditions. Finally, differential training effects emerged, such that children with lower pretest EF skills had greater EF benefits on only the trained EF skill. In addition, children from lower versus higher socioeconomic households had greater gains in numerical skills following EF training. No training condition improved verbal knowledge, suggesting that results were specific to the targeted skills. These results extend prior findings on the effectiveness of improving EF and mathematical skills through short-term trainings during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jasmine R Ernst
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Michèle M M Mazzocco
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Stephanie M Carlson
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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22
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Lee CSC. Relationship Between Inhibitory Control and Arithmetic in Elementary School Children With ADHD: The Mediating Role of Working Memory. J Atten Disord 2023; 27:899-911. [PMID: 36915040 DOI: 10.1177/10870547231161527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To test if inhibitory control was a significant predictor for arithmetic in children with ADHD and if the relationship between inhibitory control and arithmetic was mediated by working memory. METHODS Eighty-four children (ADHD, n = 54; Non-ADHD, n = 30) were tested on their interference control, behavioral inhibition, working memory, and arithmetic. Regression analysis was used to test the predictive role of inhibitory control in arithmetic. Moreover, mediation analysis was done to test whether working memory mediated the relationship between inhibitory control and arithmetic memory. RESULTS Interference control but not behavioral inhibition was a significant predictor for arithmetic. In addition, interference control had direct and indirect effects via working memory on arithmetic. CONCLUSIONS Results demonstrated that inhibitory control contributed to arithmetic in children with ADHD. Furthermore, interference control had direct and indirect effects via working memory on arithmetic, suggesting interventions for arithmetic difficulties should involve training on both inhibition and working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara S C Lee
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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23
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Wong TTY. Cognitive predictors of children's arithmetic principle understanding. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 227:105579. [PMID: 36442327 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The understanding of arithmetic principles (APs) is an important component of our conceptual mathematical knowledge, but we have limited knowledge about how children acquire APs. The current study examined this issue through a longitudinal study with 273 Chinese fourth graders. These children were assessed on various cognitive capacities (e.g., verbal and visuospatial working memory, processing speed, inhibition skill, numerical magnitude representation) in Grade 4 as well as on their AP understanding using multifaceted assessment and their arithmetic competence in Grade 5. Results from structural equation modeling suggested that verbal memory and inhibition skill directly predicted AP understanding, which in turn predicted arithmetic competence. Visuospatial working memory predicted AP understanding through numerical magnitude representation. The findings allow researchers to better account for the individual differences in AP understanding.
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24
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Medrano J, Prather RW. Rethinking Executive Functions in Mathematical Cognition. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2023.2172414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Josh Medrano
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard W. Prather
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
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25
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Vernucci S, Canet-Juric L, Richard's MM. Effects of working memory training on cognitive and academic abilities in typically developing school-age children. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 87:308-326. [PMID: 35107614 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01647-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Process-based working memory (WM) training in typically developing children usually leads to short- and long-term improvements on untrained WM tasks. However, results are mixed regarding far transfer to academic and cognitive abilities. Moreover, there is a lack of studies jointly evaluating the different types of transfer, using an adequate design and considering motivational factors. In addition, evidence is needed about how pre-training performance is related to individual differences in training-induced transfer. Therefore, this study aimed to implement and evaluate the efficacy of a computerized process-based WM training in typically developing school-age children. Near and far transfer effects were evaluated both immediately after training and after 6 months, as well as individual differences in training-induced transfer. The sample was composed of 89 typically developing children aged 9-10 years (M = 9.52, SD = 0.30), who were randomized to a WM training group or an active control group. They were evaluated at pre-training, post-training, and follow-up phases with measures of visuospatial and verbal WM, reading comprehension, math computation, and fluid intelligence. Results showed that the training group significantly improved performance in verbal WM and fluid intelligence compared to the active control group, immediately after training and after 6 months. Trained children with lower initial performance in verbal WM or fluid intelligence showed greater transfer gains. No group differences were found in motivational factors. Findings of this study suggest that process-based WM training may promote transfer to cognitive abilities and lead to compensation effects of individual differences in typically developing school-age children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Vernucci
- Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - Lorena Canet-Juric
- Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - María M Richard's
- Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina
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26
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Zhang Y, Tolmie A, Gordon R. The Relationship between Working Memory and Arithmetic in Primary School Children: A Meta-Analysis. Brain Sci 2022; 13:brainsci13010022. [PMID: 36672004 PMCID: PMC9856839 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory (WM) plays a crucial role in the development of arithmetic ability. However, research findings related to which factors influence the relationship between WM and arithmetic skills are inconsistent. The present meta-analysis aimed to examine the links between WM and arithmetic in primary school children and investigate whether this is dependent on WM domains (i.e., verbal, visual, spatial), child age, arithmetic operation type, and arithmetic task type. A total of 11,224 participants with an age range of 6- to 12 years, from 55 independent samples were included in the meta-analysis. Analysis of 46 studies with 187 effect sizes revealed an overall significant and medium correlation between WM and arithmetic. Heterogeneity analyses indicated that verbal WM showed a stronger correlation with arithmetic than visuospatial WM, and that correlations between verbal WM and arithmetic declined with age, whereas correlations between spatial-sequential, and spatial-simultaneous WM and arithmetic remained stable throughout development. Addition and subtraction were more involved in verbal WM than multiplication and division. Moreover, mental and written arithmetic showed comparable correlations with WM in all domains. These findings suggest moderation effects of WM domains, age, and operation types in the WM-arithmetic relationship and highlight the significant role of verbal WM in arithmetic ability in primary school children.
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27
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Zelazo PD, Carlson SM. Reconciling the Context-Dependency and Domain-Generality of Executive Function Skills from a Developmental Systems Perspective. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2156515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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28
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Escobar JP, Rosas Díaz R. Direct and Indirect Effects of Inhibition and Flexibility to Reading Comprehension, Reading Fluency, and Decoding in Spanish. READING PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/02702711.2022.2141395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- José-Pablo Escobar
- Centre for Development of Inclusion Technologies, School of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ricardo Rosas Díaz
- Centre for Development of Inclusion Technologies, School of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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29
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Aro T, Eklund K, Eloranta AK, Ahonen T, Rescorla L. Learning Disabilities Elevate Children's Risk for Behavioral-Emotional Problems: Differences Between LD Types, Genders, and Contexts. JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES 2022; 55:465-481. [PMID: 34779295 PMCID: PMC9554152 DOI: 10.1177/00222194211056297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Our purpose was to study the frequency of behavioral-emotional problems among children identified with a learning disability (LD). The data were obtained for 579 Finnish children (8-15 years) with reading disability (RD-only), math disability (MD-only), or both (RDMD) assessed at a specialized clinic between 1985 and 2017. We analyzed percentages of children with behavioral-emotional symptoms reaching clinical range (i.e., z score ≥1.5 SDs) and the effects of the LD type, gender, and context (home vs. school) on them. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of the severity of LD and gender on the amount of behavioral-emotional symptoms reported by teachers and parents. Alarmingly high percentages of children, irrespective of LD type, demonstrated behavioral-emotional problems: more than 37% in Affective, Anxiety, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) problems. Contextual variation was large, as more problems were reported by teachers than by mothers. The unique effects of gender and LD type were rare, but the results raised concern for those with MD-only, especially boys. The results underscore the need to draw attention to the importance of assessing children with LD for behavioral-emotional problems and emphasize the importance of teachers' awareness of behavioral-emotional problems among students with LD and cooperation among child, teacher, and parents in assessment and support planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuija Aro
- University of Jyväskylä, Finland
- Niilo Mäki Institute, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | | | | | - Timo Ahonen
- University of Jyväskylä, Finland
- Niilo Mäki Institute, Jyväskylä, Finland
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30
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Anobile G, Bartoli M, Masi G, Tacchi A, Tinelli F. Math difficulties in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder do not originate from the visual number sense. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:949391. [PMID: 36393991 PMCID: PMC9649814 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.949391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
There is ample evidence from literature and clinical practice indicating mathematical difficulties in individuals with ADHD, even when there is no concomitant diagnosis of developmental dyscalculia. What factors underlie these difficulties is still an open question. Research on dyscalculia and neurotypical development suggests visual perception of numerosity (the number sense) as a building block for math learning. Participants with lower numerosity estimation thresholds (higher precision) are often those with higher math capabilities. Strangely, the role of numerosity perception in math skills in ADHD has been neglected, leaving open the question whether math difficulties in ADHD also originate from a deficitary visual number sense. In the current study we psychophysically measured numerosity thresholds and accuracy in a sample of children/adolescents with ADHD, but not concomitant dyscalculia (N = 20, 8-16 years). Math abilities were also measured by tasks indexing different mathematical competences. Numerosity performance and math scores were then compared to those obtained from an age-matched control group (N = 20). Bayesian statistics indicated no difference between ADHD and controls on numerosity perception, despite many of the symbolic math tasks being impaired in participants with ADHD. Moreover, the math deficits showed by the group with ADHD remained substantial even when numerosity thresholds were statistically regressed out. Overall, these results indicate that math difficulties in ADHD are unlikely to originate from an impaired visual number sense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Anobile
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Mariaelisa Bartoli
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Masi
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | - Annalisa Tacchi
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Tinelli
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
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Menu I, Rezende G, Le Stanc L, Borst G, Cachia A. Inhibitory control training on executive functions of children and adolescents: A latent change score model approach. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Ernst JR, Grenell A, Carlson SM. Associations between executive function and early math and literacy skills in preschool children. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH OPEN 2022; 3:100201. [PMID: 36578863 PMCID: PMC9794199 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedro.2022.100201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The current study directly compared the magnitude of associations between executive function (EF) and math versus literacy and investigated whether they differed by age within the preschool years. Participants were 92 typically developing, preschool children in the United States (M age=58.53 months; 47.8% Female; 58.7% White; 29.3% Non-White). Children completed a developmentally sensitive battery of direct EF assessments, math and literacy achievement tests, and IQ tests. Results showed an EF Composite was associated with math, but not literacy, after controlling for age, verbal and nonverbal IQ, and socioeconomic status. Extending prior work to a younger age, we examined whether the association between EF and academic achievement was moderated by age but found no significant interactions. These findings support the link between EF and math before kindergarten and indicate a similar magnitude of associations in younger and older preschoolers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine R. Ernst
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, 51 E River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Amanda Grenell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, 1101 E 10th St, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - Stephanie M. Carlson
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, 51 E River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
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Menu I, Rezende G, Le Stanc L, Borst G, Cachia A. A network analysis of executive functions before and after computerized cognitive training in children and adolescents. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14660. [PMID: 36038599 PMCID: PMC9424216 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17695-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive functions (EFs) play a key role in cognitive and socioemotional development. Factor analyses have revealed an age dependent structure of EFs spanning from a single common factor in early childhood to three factors in adults corresponding to inhibitory control (IC), switching and updating. IC performances change not only with age but also with cognitive training. Surprisingly, few studies have investigated training-related changes in EFs structure. We used the regularized partial correlation network model to analyze EFs structure in 137 typically developing children (9-10 years) and adolescents (15-17 years) before and after computerized cognitive training. Network models (NMs) -a graph theory-based approach allowing us to describe the structure of complex systems- can provide a priori free insight into EFs structures. We tested the hypothesis that training-related changes may mimic developmental-related changes. Quantitative and qualitative changes were detected in the EFs network structure with age and also with cognitive training. Of note, the EFs network structure in children after training was more similar to adolescents' networks than before training. This study provided the first evidence of structural changes in EFs that are age and training-dependent and supports the hypothesis that training could accelerate the development of some structural aspects of EFs. Due to the sample size, these findings should be considered preliminary before replication in independent larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Menu
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, UMR CNRS 8240, Universite Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Gabriela Rezende
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, UMR CNRS 8240, Universite Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Lorna Le Stanc
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, UMR CNRS 8240, Universite Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Grégoire Borst
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, UMR CNRS 8240, Universite Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Cachia
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, UMR CNRS 8240, Universite Paris Cité, Paris, France.
- Imaging Biomarkers for Brain Development and Disorders, UMR INSERM 1266, GHU Paris psychiatrie & neurosciences, Universite Paris Cité, 75005, Paris, France.
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Optimizing the Development of Space-Temporal Orientation in Physical Education and Sports Lessons for Students Aged 8–11 Years. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9091299. [PMID: 36138608 PMCID: PMC9497162 DOI: 10.3390/children9091299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to analyze how we can improve the space–temporal orientation ability with the help of physical exercises in physical education and sports lessons. In total,148 children between the ages of 8 and 11 participated in this study (M = 9.70; SD = 0.79). They were subjected to three tests, which measured general intelligence (Raven Progressive Matrices) and space–temporal orientation skills (Piaget-Head test and Bender–Santucci test). The tests were carried out both in the pre-test and in the post-test period. In the case of participants in the experimental group, a specific program was applied for a period of 12 weeks. The results showed that general intelligence level was identified as a predictor of spatial–temporal orientation (beta = 0.17, t = 2.08, p = 0.03) but only for the Piaget-Head test. Similarly, no differences between children’s age groups were identified in any of the spatial–temporal orientation test scores. However, children in the “+9” age category had higher scores on the intelligence test compared to younger children (77.31 vs. 35.70). In conclusion, the intervention program had a positive effect on spatial orientation skills.
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Peiris DLIHK, Duan Y, Vandelanotte C, Liang W, Yang M, Baker JS. Effects of In-Classroom Physical Activity Breaks on Children's Academic Performance, Cognition, Health Behaviours and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:9479. [PMID: 35954831 PMCID: PMC9368257 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
In-Classroom physical activity breaks (IcPAB) are a promising way to promote children’s health behaviors, while contributing to the development of their academic and cognitive ability and health outcomes. Yet the effect of the activity breaks, which are exclusive to classroom settings, are still mixed and unclear. Hence, this review was conducted to identify the characteristics and the effects of IcPAB among primary school children. The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021234192). Following the Cochrane guidelines, PubMed, PsycINFO (ProQuest), MEDLINE (EBSCOhost), Embase/Ovid, SportDISCUS (EBSCOhost), Web of Science, Scopus and Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost) databases were searched to collect data on randomised control trials without a time restriction. The final database search was conducted on the 8 November 2021. Random effects models were used to calculate the effect sizes. The systematic review identified ten eligible studies, nine of which were also included in the meta-analysis. Few studies used the theoretical frameworks and process evaluations. IcPAB showed mixed effectiveness on academic outcomes: i.e., IcPAB had effects on spelling performance (p < 0.05) and foreign language learning (p < 0.01) but not on mathematics and reading performance. Health behaviors such as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels were improved (p < 0.01), but IcPAB did not have an impact on cognition outcomes and health outcomes. Given these mixed results, further research is needed underpinned by strong methodological quality, theoretical underpinnings and reliable process evaluation methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. L. I. H. K. Peiris
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (D.L.I.H.K.P.); (W.L.); (M.Y.); (J.S.B.)
| | - Yanping Duan
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (D.L.I.H.K.P.); (W.L.); (M.Y.); (J.S.B.)
- Centre for Health and Exercise Science Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Corneel Vandelanotte
- Physical Activity Research Group, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton 4701, Australia
| | - Wei Liang
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (D.L.I.H.K.P.); (W.L.); (M.Y.); (J.S.B.)
- Centre for Health and Exercise Science Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Min Yang
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (D.L.I.H.K.P.); (W.L.); (M.Y.); (J.S.B.)
| | - Julien Steven Baker
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (D.L.I.H.K.P.); (W.L.); (M.Y.); (J.S.B.)
- Centre for Health and Exercise Science Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
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36
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Nazari S, Hakiminejad F, Hassanzadeh S. Effectiveness of a process-based executive function intervention on arithmetic knowledge of children with Developmental Dyscalculia. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2022; 127:104260. [PMID: 35617846 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arithmetic knowledge has long been known as an essential factor for educational and vocational success. AIMS This study aims to explore the effectiveness of a process-based Executive Function (EF) intervention program on the improvement of components of arithmetic. METHODS AND PROCEDURE A goal-directed sampling method was applied in this study. Participants were assigned into active control and experimental groups. Semi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test and follow-up was utilized in this research. Participants were included in this study based on their WISC-IV and Key-Math test performance. 30 male students aged 8-10 years with a formal diagnosis of Developmental Dyscalculia (DD), selected from a learning disability center in Ahvaz, Iran, participated in the study. The pre-test took 1 month, the intervention including 17 sessions, took two months and the post-test took 1 month. All the students' arithmetic knowledge were tested in pre-test, post-test, and 3 months after post-test to test the longevity of the intervention effects. Repeated measure Univariate Analysis of Variance was conducted in this study. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS The results indicate that the students who attended the intervention, outperformed control group in the components of factual and procedural arithmetic in post-test and follow-up, however; the performance of two groups in conceptual knowledge was not different. This study contributes to the emerging evidence that EF intervention may improve factual and procedural arithmetic knowledge in children with DD. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Process-based EF interventions can improve arithmetic knowledge of students with DD, which can contribute to the literature of this area WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS?: The current research helps cognitive science to present a more meticulous theoretical and conceptual pattern for EF components and math, using process-based EF intervention programs with arithmetic content. Furthermore, this research allows for specification of cognitive fundamentals of arithmetic development and understanding the mechanisms underlying the transfer effect of EF intervention to math. The findings of this research can contribute to evidence-based EF intervention studies and help educational psychologists in preparation of appropriate curricula based on the fundamental components of arithmetic development in preschool and primary school.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Nazari
- Faculty of Psychology and Special Education, Farhangian University, Iran
| | - Farnaz Hakiminejad
- Faculty of Psychology and Special Education, Farhangian University, Iran; Department of psychology and Special Education, University of Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeid Hassanzadeh
- Department of psychology and Special Education, University of Tehran, Iran.
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Passolunghi MC, De Blas GD, Carretti B, Gomez-Veiga I, Doz E, Garcia-Madruga JA. The role of working memory updating, inhibition, fluid intelligence, and reading comprehension in explaining differences between consistent and inconsistent arithmetic word-problem-solving performance. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 224:105512. [PMID: 35901670 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Children's performance in arithmetic word problems (AWPs) predicts their academic success and their future employment and earnings in adulthood. Understanding the nature and difficulties of interpreting and solving AWPs is important for theoretical, educational, and social reasons. We investigated the relation between primary school children's performance in different types of AWPs and their basic cognitive abilities (reading comprehension, fluid intelligence, inhibition, and updating processes). The study involved 182 fourth- and fifth-graders. Participants were administered an AWP-solving task and other tasks assessing fluid intelligence, reading comprehension, inhibition, and updating. The AWP-solving task included comparison problems incorporating either the adverb more than or the adverb less than, which demand consistent or inconsistent operations of addition or subtraction. The results showed that consistent problems were easier than inconsistent problems. Efficiency in solving inconsistent problems is related to inhibition and updating. Moreover, our results seem to indicate that the consistency effect is related to updating processes' efficiency. Path analyses showed that reading comprehension was the most important predictor of AWP-solving accuracy. Moreover, both executive functions-updating and inhibition-had a distinct and significant effect on AWP accuracy. Fluid intelligence had both direct and indirect effects, mediated by reading comprehension, on the overall measure of AWP performance. These domain-general factors are important factors in explaining children's performance in solving consistent and inconsistent AWPs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Barbara Carretti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | | | - Eleonora Doz
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34128 Trieste, Italy
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38
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Transcoding counts: Longitudinal contribution of number writing to arithmetic in different languages. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 223:105482. [PMID: 35785589 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Number writing involves transcoding from number words (e.g., "thirty-two") to written digit strings (32) and is an important unique predictor of arithmetic. The existing longitudinal evidence about the relation between transcoding and arithmetic is mostly language specific. In languages with number word inversion (e.g., German), the order of tens and units is transposed in spoken number words compared with Arabic numbers. This makes transcoding more challenging than in languages without number word inversion (e.g., English). In the current study, we aimed to understand whether the contribution of number writing to the development of arithmetic is similar in languages with and without number word inversion. German-speaking children (n = 166) and English-speaking children (n = 201) were followed over the first 3 years of primary school. In a series of multiple linear regressions, we tested whether number writing of multi-digit numbers was a significant unique predictor of arithmetic after controlling for well-known non-numerical predictors (nonverbal reasoning and working memory) and numerical predictors (symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitude comparison). Number writing in Grade 1 predicted arithmetic in Grades 1, 2, and 3 over and above the other predictors. Crucially, number writing performance was of comparable importance for arithmetic development in German- and English-speaking children. Our findings extend previous evidence by showing that transcoding predicts the development of arithmetic skills during the first 3 years of primary school in languages with and without number word inversion.
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39
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Intra-Subject Variability in Mathematical Learning Difficulties. J Cogn 2022; 5:33. [PMID: 36072114 PMCID: PMC9400629 DOI: 10.5334/joc.226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Method: Results: Conclusions:
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40
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Messer D, Kearvell-White J, Danielsson H, Faulkner D, Henry L, Ibbotson P. The structure of executive functioning in 11 to 14 year olds with and without special educational needs. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 40:453-470. [PMID: 35578406 PMCID: PMC9544157 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The structure and development of executive functioning (EF) have been intensively studied in typically developing populations, with little attention given to those with Special Educational Needs (SEN). This study addresses this by comparing the EF structure of 132 adolescents (11-14 years-old) with SEN and 138 adolescents not requiring additional support (Non-SEN peers). Participants completed verbal and non-verbal assessments of key components of EF: inhibition, working memory and switching. Confirmatory Factor Analysis on each group tested one-, two- and three-factor models of EF. In both groups, there was statistical support for the fit of one- and two-factor models with no model being clearly better than the others; there was little support for three-factor models. Parsimony suggests that the one-factor model best represents the structure of EF. In light of our results, the implications for the nature of EF in early adolescence in both SEN and Non-SEN groups are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Messer
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.,City, University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Henrik Danielsson
- Linkoping University, Linköping, Sweden.,The Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linköping, Sweden
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Predicting Math Ability Using Working Memory, Number Sense, and Neurophysiology in Children and Adults. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12050550. [PMID: 35624937 PMCID: PMC9139259 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous work has shown relations between domain-general processes, domain-specific processes, and mathematical ability. However, the underlying neurophysiological effects of mathematical ability are less clear. Recent evidence highlighted the potential role of beta oscillations in mathematical ability. Here we investigate whether domain-general (working memory) and domain-specific (number sense) processes mediate the relation between resting-state beta oscillations and mathematical ability, and how this may differ as a function of development (children vs. adults). We compared a traditional analysis method normally used in EEG studies with a more recently developed parameterization method that separates periodic from aperiodic activity. Regardless of methods chosen, we found no support for mediation of working memory and number sense, neither for children nor for adults. However, we found subtle differences between the methods. Additionally, we showed that the traditional EEG analysis method conflates periodic activity with aperiodic activity; in addition, the latter is strongly related to mathematical ability and this relation differs between children and adults. At the cognitive level, our findings do not support previous suggestions of a mediation of working memory and number sense. At the neurophysiological level our findings suggest that aperiodic, rather than periodic, activity is linked to mathematical ability as a function of development.
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42
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Daches Cohen L, Rubinsten O. Math anxiety and deficient executive control: does reappraisal modulate this link? Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1513:108-120. [PMID: 35389529 PMCID: PMC9544869 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The literature suggests an interplay between executive control functions and emotion regulation processes, with each playing a key role in math anxiety. We examined the relation between the use of two different emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal and suppression) and the ability to reduce emotional interference in high‐conflict situations (i.e., executive control of attention) in cases of math anxiety. A sample of 107 adults completed emotion regulation tendencies and math anxiety questionnaires and performed a flanker task following the priming of a math‐related or negative word. The findings revealed: (1) highly math‐anxious individuals had difficulty controlling emotional distractions induced by math information, even as simple as math‐related words, in high‐conflict conditions; and (2) the tendency to use reappraisal in everyday situations was associated with math‐anxious individuals’ ability to avoid heightened emotional reactions when encountering math‐related (i.e., threatening) information. These findings point to the efficacy of reappraisal‐focused intervention and suggest an innovative mechanism through which reappraisal reduces emotional reactions and improves performance among math‐anxious individuals, indicating a new way to approach interventions for math anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lital Daches Cohen
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Orly Rubinsten
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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Domain-specific skills, but not fine-motor or executive function, predict later arithmetic and reading in children. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2022.102141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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44
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Bidirectional associations among executive functions, visual-spatial skills, and mathematical achievement in primary school students: Insights from a longitudinal study. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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45
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Qi Y, Chen Y, Yang X, Hao Y. How does working memory matter in young children's arithmetic skills: The mediating role of basic number processing. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 42:1-13. [PMID: 35370384 PMCID: PMC8956146 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-02998-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The current study investigated whether and how each component of the working memory model was associated with kindergarten children's arithmetic performance. A total of 103 Chinese kindergarten children were administered tests of the visuospatial sketchpad, the phonological loop, the central executive, and basic number processing (i.e., number line estimation, nonverbal numerosity estimation and numerical magnitude comparison). The results showed that among the three working memory components, the central executive accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in young children's arithmetic performance. In terms of basic number processing, number line estimation and numerical magnitude comparison had significant influences on young children's arithmetic performance. Furthermore, numerical magnitude comparison played a mediating role between the visuospatial sketchpad and early arithmetic skills. These findings highlight the importance of working memory and basic number processing in early arithmetic skills and reveal different pathways through which the three working memory components influence young children's arithmetic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Qi
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, 100875 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, 100875 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yinghe Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, 100875 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, 100875 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiujie Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, 100875 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yusi Hao
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, 100875 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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Perry V, Ellis K, Moss J, Beck SR, Singla G, Crawford H, Waite J, Richards C, Oliver C. Executive function, repetitive behaviour and restricted interests in neurodevelopmental disorders. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2022; 122:104166. [PMID: 35016127 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with genetic syndromes show unique profiles of repetitive behaviours and restricted interests (RRBs). The executive dysfunction account of RRBs suggests that in autistic (AUT) individuals executive function impairments underpin RRBs, but not communication and social interaction autistic characteristics. AIMS To 1) describe profiles of behavioural manifestations of executive function (EF behaviours) and 2) explore the relationship between EF behaviours and autistic traits across individuals with Cornelia de Lange (CdLS), fragile X (FXS) and Rubinstein-Taybi syndromes (RTS), and AUT individuals. METHOD Carers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool Version and the Social Communication Questionnaire. Data reporting on 25 individuals with CdLS (Mage = 18.60, SD = 8.94), 25 with FXS (Mage = 18.48, SD = 8.80), 25 with RTS (Mage = 18.60, SD = 8.65) and 25 AUT individuals (Mage = 18.52, SD = 8.65) matched on chronological age and adaptive ability were included in analyses. RESULTS All groups showed impairments across EF behaviours compared to two-to-three-year-old typically developing normative samples with no differences between groups. Different EF behaviours predicted RRBs in the syndrome groups with no associations found in the AUT group. CONCLUSIONS Syndrome related differences should be considered when developing targeted interventions that focus on EF behaviours and/or RRBs in these groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Perry
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, Wayside House, Wilsons Lane, Coventry, CV6 6NY, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine Ellis
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom; School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom.
| | - Jo Moss
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom; School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah R Beck
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Gursharan Singla
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Hayley Crawford
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom; CMHWR and Mental Health and Wellbeing Unit, Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Waite
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom; School of Health & Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Richards
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Oliver
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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47
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Meijer AM, Aben B, Reynvoet B, Van den Bussche E. Reactive and proactive cognitive control as underlying processes of number processing in children. J Exp Child Psychol 2021; 215:105319. [PMID: 34801736 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive control is crucial to resolve conflict in tasks such as the flanker task. Reactive control is used when conflict is rare, whereas proactive control is more efficient in situations where conflict is frequent. Macizo and Herrera (Psychological Research, 2013, Vol. 77, pp. 651-658) found that these two control processes can also underlie two-digit number comparison in adults. Specifically, they observed that the unit-decade compatibility effect decreased in a block containing many conflict trials as compared with a block containing few conflict trials (i.e., a list-wide proportion congruency effect). In the current study, we assessed whether this finding also applies to children (7-, 9-, and 11-year-olds). Participants performed a flanker task and a two-digit number comparison task. In both tasks, the proportion of conflict was manipulated (80% vs. 20%). Results from the flanker task showed a typical list-wide proportion congruency effect in reaction times in all participating age groups. In the number comparison task, we observed list-wide proportion congruency effects in both reaction times and error rates, which did not interact with age. Our findings support the assumption that children as young as 7 years can effectively use proactive and reactive control strategies. We showed that this effect is not limited to standardized artificial laboratory tasks, such as the flanker task, but also underlies more daily life tasks, such as the processing of Arabic numbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Merel Meijer
- Brain & Cognition, KU (Katholieke Universiteit) Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Bart Aben
- Brain & Cognition, KU (Katholieke Universiteit) Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bert Reynvoet
- Brain & Cognition, KU (Katholieke Universiteit) Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven Kulak, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - Eva Van den Bussche
- Brain & Cognition, KU (Katholieke Universiteit) Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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48
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Kanevski M, Booth JN, Oldridge J, McDougal E, Stewart TM, McGeown S, Rhodes SM. The relationship between cognition and mathematics in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review. Child Neuropsychol 2021; 28:394-426. [PMID: 34724883 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.1985444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive processes play an imperative role in children's mathematics learning. Difficulties in cognitive functioning are a core feature of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children, who also tend to show lower levels of mathematics attainment than their typically developing peers. This review (registration number: CRD42020169708) sought to aggregate findings from studies assessing the relationship between cognition and mathematics in children with a clinical ADHD diagnosis aged 4-12 years. A total of 11,799 studies published between 1992 and August 2020 were screened for eligibility using various database (PsycINFO, PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, ERIC, Web of Science, and additional sources), from which four studies met inclusion criteria. A narrative synthesis was conducted on the correlations between mathematics and cognitive domains, including an evaluation of the risk of bias within the studies. Across four studies meeting inclusion criteria, memory, inhibitory control, and processing speed were assessed. The results showed a positive association between cognition and mathematics performance in this population. The strength of associations across these studies varied as a function of the cognitive domain in question, means by which mathematics performance was assessed, as well as whether confounding factors such as age and IQ were controlled for. Collectively, this review demonstrates a lack of research in this area and points to various methodological considerations for identifying the association between cognition and mathematics performance in ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Kanevski
- Child Life and Health, Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Josephine N Booth
- Institute of Education, Community and Society, Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jessica Oldridge
- Child Life and Health, Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Emily McDougal
- Child Life and Health, Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tracy M Stewart
- Institute of Education, Community and Society, Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sarah McGeown
- Institute of Education, Community and Society, Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sinead M Rhodes
- Child Life and Health, Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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The cognitive profiles for different samples of mathematical learning difficulties and their similarity to typical development: Evidence from a longitudinal study. J Exp Child Psychol 2021; 214:105288. [PMID: 34555559 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Several cognitive deficits have been suggested to induce mathematical learning difficulties (MLD), but it is unclear whether the cognitive profile for all children with MLD is the same and to what extent it differs from typically developing (TD) children. This study investigated whether such a profile could be distinguished when cognitive skills and math performance are compared between TD children and children with MLD. This was accomplished by employing two-way repeated-measures analyses of covariance in 276 10-year-old participants (60 with MLD) from fourth and fifth grades. In addition, we investigated whether more restrictive selection criteria for MLD result in different mathematical and cognitive profiles by means of independent-samples t tests. Results revealed that cognitive mechanisms for math development are mostly similar for children with MLD and TD children and that variability in sample selection criteria did not produce different mathematical or cognitive profiles. To conclude, the cognitive mechanisms for math development are broadly similar for children with MLD and their TD counterparts even when different MLD samples were selected. This strengthens our idea that MLD can be defined as the worst performance on a continuous scale rather than as a discrete disorder.
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50
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Clayton S, Simms V, Cragg L, Gilmore C, Marlow N, Spong R, Johnson S. Etiology of persistent mathematics difficulties from childhood to adolescence following very preterm birth. Child Neuropsychol 2021; 28:82-98. [PMID: 34472423 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.1955847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Children born very preterm (VP; <32 weeks' gestation) have poorer mathematics achievement than term-born peers. This study aimed to determine whether VP children's mathematics difficulties persist from primary to secondary school and to explore the nature of mathematics difficulties in adolescence. For this study, 127 VP and 95 term-born adolescents were assessed at age 11-15 years. Mathematics achievement was assessed using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-II. Specific mathematics skills and general cognitive skills were assessed using standardized and experimental tests. VP adolescents had poorer mathematics achievement than term-born adolescents (-10.95 points; 95% CI -16.18, -5.73) and poorer number fact knowledge, understanding of arithmetic concepts, written arithmetic, counting, reading and writing large numbers, and algebra. Between-group differences in mathematics skills were no longer significant when working memory and visuospatial skills were controlled for (p's >0.05), with the exception of writing large numbers and conceptual understanding of arithmetic. In a previous study, 83 of the VP adolescents and 49 of the term-born adolescents were assessed at age 8-10 years using measures of the same skills. Amongst these, the between-group difference in mathematics achievement remained stable over time. This study extends findings of a persistent deficit in mathematics achievement among VP children over the primary and secondary school years, and provides evidence of a deficit in factual, procedural and conceptual mathematics skills and in higher order mathematical operations among VP adolescents. We provide further evidence that VP children's mathematics difficulties are driven by deficits in domain-general rather than domain-specific cognitive skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Clayton
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, George Davies Centre, University Road, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Lucy Cragg
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
| | - Camilla Gilmore
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Neil Marlow
- Research Department of Academic Neonatology, Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Spong
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, George Davies Centre, University Road, Leicester, UK
| | - Samantha Johnson
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, George Davies Centre, University Road, Leicester, UK
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