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Pelegrina S, Martín-Puga ME, Lechuga MT, Justicia-Galiano MJ, Linares R. Role of executive functions in the relations of state- and trait-math anxiety with math performance. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1535:76-91. [PMID: 38598473 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15140] [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] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The detrimental effect of math anxiety on math performance is thought to be mediated by executive functions. Previous studies have primarily focused on trait-math anxiety rather than state-math anxiety and have typically examined a single executive function rather than comprehensively evaluating all of them. Here, we used a structural equation modeling approach to concurrently determine the potential mediating roles of different executive functions (i.e., inhibition, switching, and updating) in the relationships between both state- and trait-math anxiety and math performance. A battery of computer-based tasks and questionnaires were administered to 205 university students. Two relevant results emerged. First, confirmatory factor analysis suggests that math anxiety encompassed both trait and state dimensions and, although they share substantial variance, trait-math anxiety predicted math performance over and above state-math anxiety. Second, working memory updating was the only executive function that mediated the relationship between math anxiety and math performance; neither inhibition nor switching played mediating roles. This calls into question whether some general proposals about the relationship between anxiety and executive functions can be extended specifically to math anxiety. We also raise the possibility that working memory updating or general cognitive difficulties might precede individual differences in math anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rocío Linares
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
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2
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Kwok FY, Wilkey ED, Peters L, Khiu E, Bull R, Lee K, Ansari D. Developmental dyscalculia is not associated with atypical brain activation: A univariate fMRI study of arithmetic, magnitude processing, and visuospatial working memory. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:6308-6325. [PMID: 37909347 PMCID: PMC10681641 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26495] [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: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional neuroimaging serves as a tool to better understand the cerebral correlates of atypical behaviors, such as learning difficulties. While significant advances have been made in characterizing the neural correlates of reading difficulties (developmental dyslexia), comparatively little is known about the neurobiological correlates of mathematical learning difficulties, such as developmental dyscalculia (DD). Furthermore, the available neuroimaging studies of DD are characterized by small sample sizes and variable inclusion criteria, which make it problematic to compare across studies. In addition, studies to date have focused on identifying single deficits in neuronal processing among children with DD (e.g., mental arithmetic), rather than probing differences in brain function across different processing domains that are known to be affected in children with DD. Here, we seek to address the limitations of prior investigations. Specifically, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to probe brain differences between children with and without persistent DD; 68 children (8-10 years old, 30 with DD) participated in an fMRI study designed to investigate group differences in the functional neuroanatomy associated with commonly reported behavioral deficits in children with DD: basic number processing, mental arithmetic and visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM). Behavioral data revealed that children with DD were less accurate than their typically achieving (TA) peers for the basic number processing and arithmetic tasks. No behavioral differences were found for the tasks measuring VSWM. A pre-registered, whole-brain, voxelwise univariate analysis of the fMRI data from the entire sample of children (DD and TA) revealed areas commonly associated with the three tasks (basic number processing, mental arithmetic, and VSWM). However, the examination of differences in brain activation between children with and without DD revealed no consistent group differences in brain activation. In view of these null results, we ran exploratory, Bayesian analyses on the data to quantify the amount of evidence for no group differences. This analysis provides supporting evidence for no group differences across all three tasks. We present the largest fMRI study comparing children with and without persistent DD to date. We found no group differences in brain activation using univariate, frequentist analyses. Moreover, Bayesian analyses revealed evidence for the null hypothesis of no group differences. These findings contradict previous literature and reveal the need to investigate the neural basis of DD using multivariate and network-based approaches to brain imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu Yu Kwok
- Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of EducationNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore
- Macquarie School of EducationMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Eric D. Wilkey
- Brain and Mind InstituteWestern UniversityLondonOntarioCanada
- Vanderbilt Brain InstituteVanderbilt UniversityNashvilleTennesseeUSA
- Department of Psychology & Human DevelopmentPeabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Lien Peters
- Brain and Mind InstituteWestern UniversityLondonOntarioCanada
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology Research in Developmental Disorders LabGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Ellyn Khiu
- Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of EducationNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore
| | - Rebecca Bull
- Macquarie School of EducationMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Kerry Lee
- Department of Early Childhood EducationThe Education University of Hong KongHong Kong
| | - Daniel Ansari
- Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of EducationNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore
- Brain and Mind InstituteWestern UniversityLondonOntarioCanada
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Chan JWY, Chan WWL. Examining the learning effects of concrete and abstract materials among university students using a two-dimensional approach. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 93:1053-1071. [PMID: 37283244 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12619] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The debate on using concrete versus abstract materials in learning mathematics has been longstanding. For decades, research has focused on the physical characteristics of materials when defining them as concrete or abstract. AIMS This study extends the field by proposing a two-dimensional classification, which defines materials as concrete or abstract based on the two dimensions of representation, namely object (i.e., appearance) and language (i.e., label). SAMPLE A total of 120 university students participated in the study. METHODS Participants were randomly assigned to learn the concept of modular arithmetic with one of four types of learning materials: concrete object labelled with concrete language, concrete object labelled with abstract language, abstract object labelled with concrete language and abstract object labelled with abstract language. They were also divided into high and low maths anxiety groups. RESULTS Results showed that the students who learnt with abstract objects, regardless of the level of maths anxiety, outperformed their peers who learnt with concrete objects. However, for students with low maths anxiety only, those who learnt with materials labelled with abstract language showed better far-transfer performance compared with those who learnt with materials labelled with concrete language. CONCLUSIONS The findings offer a new direction in the conceptualization of concrete and abstract learning materials by specifying the dimensions of representation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy Wai Yan Chan
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Winnie Wai Lan Chan
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Semeraro C, Musso P, Cassibba R, Annese S, Scurani A, Lucangeli D, Taurino A, Coppola G. Relation between fluid intelligence and mathematics and reading comprehension achievements: The moderating role of student teacher relationships and school bonding. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290677. [PMID: 37768944 PMCID: PMC10538704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290677] [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: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have shown the relevance among students of the quality of their interpersonal relationships for their academic achievement. Nevertheless, most studies available have explored the relation between the cognitive functioning and academic achievement without taking into account the quality of the relationships experienced in the school environment. Furthermore, the studies that have begun to consider the joint role of these factors in the prediction of academic achievement are scant. Therefore, it appears of relevance to deepen the relation between cognitive functioning and quality of school relationships in order to support students' academic achievement and the potential of youth. In this paper, we examined the moderating role of the quality of student-teacher relationships and school bonding (STR-SB) in the associations of fluid intelligence (Gf) with academic achievement among adolescents (N = 219). A multiple-group structural equation modelling analysis revealed that STR-SB quality moderated unexpectedly only the link between Gf and mathematics. The findings support the idea that the quality of student-teacher relationships may be a relevant dimension to be considered to clarify the association between cognitive functioning and academic achievement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Semeraro
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Pasquale Musso
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Rosalinda Cassibba
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Susanna Annese
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Lucangeli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Taurino
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Gabrielle Coppola
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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López-Resa P, Moraleda-Sepúlveda E. Working memory capacity and text comprehension performance in children with dyslexia and dyscalculia: a pilot study. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1191304. [PMID: 37529304 PMCID: PMC10389090 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191304] [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: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Different research over the years has shown how the executive processes of Working Memory are a fundamental area that allows the performance of complex cognitive tasks such as language comprehension, reading, mathematical skills, learning or reasoning. Therefore, scientific evidence shows that they are altered in people with dyslexia and dyscalculia. The aim of this research was to study the relationship between semantic updating ability and reading comprehension depending on whether or not the information content had a mathematical character between the two disorders. Methods A Pilot Case Study was carried out for this purpose. The sample consisted of 40 participants aged 6 to 11 years, 20 of them with a diagnosis of dyslexia and the remaining 20 with a diagnosis of dyscalculia. The results indicate that people with dyslexia show more difficulties in all those tasks that require reading. Results People with dyscalculia obtain worse results in the tasks of stimulus integration and reading comprehension of texts with mathematical content. Furthermore, the correlation between the different areas evaluated shows that people with dyslexia and dyscalculia develop different cognitive processes. Discussion Therefore, it is necessary to continue insisting on the importance of explicit work on working memory, since it is a determining and fundamental area in the development of written language comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia López-Resa
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Castilla La Mancha, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain
| | - Esther Moraleda-Sepúlveda
- Department of Psychology and Speech and Language Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, University Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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The Cognitive Ability of Chinese Students with Dyslexia and Mathematical Learning Disabilities. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9121949. [PMID: 36553393 PMCID: PMC9776870 DOI: 10.3390/children9121949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the core cognitive factors that affect reading and math performance of children of the grades 1-6 in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China, as well as the differences between children with dyslexia and mathematical disabilities (MD). Therefore, this study mainly evaluated the Cattell Horn Carroll (CHC) cognitive factors for 427 Chinese children and explored the core cognitive factors that affect Chinese children's reading and math performance. Students with dyslexia (n = 34), students with mathematics learning disabilities (n = 34), and 34 normal children were randomly selected as the control group. In order to explore the differences in cognitive development, we analyzed the differences among the three groups (Dyslexia, mathematical learning disabilities (MD), and normal children). The results revealed the following: (1) almost all cognitive ability factors in this study are significantly related to students' reading and mathematical achievements. (2) the core cognitive factors for predicting Chinese dyslexia students are crystallized intelligence, auditory processing and working memory. Executive function, spatial relationship and working memory are the core cognitive factors to predict Chinese children's mathematical achievements. (3) in addition, there are differences in cognitive deficits between disabled Chinese children in reading and math, among which those with reading deficits have extensive auditory processing deficits; while children with mathematic deficits have worse executive function. Recommendations were made based on these findings.
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Luoni C, Scorza M, Stefanelli S, Fagiolini B, Termine C. A Neuropsychological Profile of Developmental Dyscalculia: The Role of Comorbidity. JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES 2022:222194221102925. [PMID: 35726739 DOI: 10.1177/00222194221102925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Developmental dyscalculia (DD) has long been thought to be determined by multiple components. Dyscalculia has high comorbidity with other learning and developmental disabilities, including reading and writing disorders, attention deficits, and problems in visual/spatial skills, short memory, and working memory. This study aims to assess prevalence rates for isolated as well as comorbid DD in a sample of Italian-speaking children. In addition, we studied the neuropsychological profile of children with isolated or combined dyscalculia. We tested 380 children (176 males and 204 females) between the ages of 8.17 and 9.33 years using an extensive battery to determine the neuropsychological profile. The assessment included an arithmetic battery and nonverbal intelligence, short-term memory, reading, and writing tests. The results indicated that children with DD more frequently have a reading disorder and writing disorder. They also have a lower nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ) and obtain significantly lower scores in short-term memory tests and on a visuospatial skills questionnaire. They also had significantly higher scores (indicative of greater attentional difficulties) in the Conners subscale for attentional problems. Children with DD present different cognitive and neuropsychological profiles.
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Impaired Arithmetic Fact Retrieval in an Adult with Developmental Dyscalculia: Evidence from Behavioral and Functional Brain Imaging Data. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060735. [PMID: 35741620 PMCID: PMC9221370 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a developmental disorder characterized by arithmetic difficulties. Recently, it has been suggested that the neural networks supporting procedure-based calculation (e.g., in subtraction) and left-hemispheric verbal arithmetic fact retrieval (e.g., in multiplication) are partially distinct. Here we compared the neurofunctional correlates of subtraction and multiplication in a 19-year-old student (RM) with DD to 18 age-matched controls. Behaviorally, RM performed significantly worse than controls in multiplication, while subtraction was unaffected. Neurofunctional differences were most pronounced regarding multiplication: RM showed significantly stronger activation than controls not only in left angular gyrus but also in a fronto-parietal network (including left intraparietal sulcus and inferior frontal gyrus) typically activated during procedure-based calculation. Region-of-interest analyses indicated group differences in multiplication only, which, however, did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. Our results are consistent with dissociable and processing-specific, but not operation-specific neurofunctional networks. Procedure-based calculation is not only associated with subtraction but also with (untrained) multiplication facts. Only after rote learning, facts can be retrieved quasi automatically from memory. We suggest that this learning process and the associated shift in activation patterns has not fully occurred in RM, as reflected in her need to resort to procedure-based strategies to solve multiplication facts.
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Živković M, Pellizzoni S, Mammarella IC, Passolunghi MC. Executive functions, math anxiety and math performance in middle school students. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 40:438-452. [PMID: 35394078 PMCID: PMC9543615 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12412] [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: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies mainly investigated working memory (WM) and math anxiety (MA) leaving almost unexplored other aspects of executive functions (EFs) in middle school period. Filling the gap in the literature, the aims of this study were: (1) to better examine the relationship between MA and math performance, (2) to better examine the relationship between EFs and math performance and (3) to investigate the interplay between EFs and MA on math performances. This study confirmed a significant and negative relationship between MA and math performance, indicates a significant and positive relationship between visuospatial WM and math performance, shifting and math performance and highlight a scarcely investigated indirect influence of MA through the measure of shifting on math performance. Our findings shed further light on the mediating role of EFs between MA and math performance and underline some future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Živković
- Department of Life Sciences, Gaetano Kanizsa Psychology Unit, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sandra Pellizzoni
- Department of Life Sciences, Gaetano Kanizsa Psychology Unit, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Maria Chiara Passolunghi
- Department of Life Sciences, Gaetano Kanizsa Psychology Unit, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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10
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van Dijck JP, Fias W, Cipora K. Spatialization in working memory and its relation to math anxiety. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1512:192-202. [PMID: 35274298 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is one of the most important cognitive functions that may play a role in the relation between math anxiety (MA) and math performance. The processing efficiency theory proposes that rumination and worrisome thoughts (induced by MA) result in less available WM resources (which are needed to solve math problems). At the same time, high MA individuals have lower verbal and spatial WM capacity in general. Extending these findings, we found that MA is also linked to the spatial coding of serial order in verbal WM: subjects who organize sequences from left-to-right in verbal WM show lower levels of MA compared with those who do not spatialize. Furthermore, these spatial coders have higher verbal WM capacity, better numerical order judgment abilities, and higher math scores. These findings suggest that spatially structuring the verbal mind is a promising cognitive correlate of MA and opens new avenues for exploring causal links between elementary cognitive processes and MA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Philippe van Dijck
- Department of Applied Psychology, Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Flanders, Belgium.,Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wim Fias
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Krzysztof Cipora
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
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Korem N, Cohen LD, Rubinsten O. The link between math anxiety and performance does not depend on working memory: A network analysis study. Conscious Cogn 2022; 100:103298. [PMID: 35217396 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Math anxiety (MA) and working memory (WM) influence math performance. Yet the interplay between them is not fully understood. Inconsistent results possibly stem from the multicomponent structure of math performance and WM. Using network analysis approach, we investigated the drivers of the MA, WM and math performance edges, and the contribution of each node to the network. First, 116 women completed a battery of tests and questionnaires. Second, we explored the generalizability of our model by applying it to a new data-set (Skagerlund et al., 2019; conceptual replication). The results revealed: (1) the links between MA and WM depend on specific task properties, specifically, WM tasks that require manipulation of numbers; (2) WM and MA are independently linked to math performance; and (3) each WM task is associated with different math abilities. The study provides a strong and reliable model showing the direct effects of math anxiety on math performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nachshon Korem
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Israel.
| | - Lital Daches Cohen
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Israel; Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Israel
| | - Orly Rubinsten
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Israel; Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Israel
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Caviola S, Toffalini E, Giofrè D, Ruiz JM, Szűcs D, Mammarella IC. Math Performance and Academic Anxiety Forms, from Sociodemographic to Cognitive Aspects: a Meta-analysis on 906,311 Participants. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10648-021-09618-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe relationship between anxiety and mathematics has often been investigated in the literature. Different forms of anxiety have been evaluated, with math anxiety (MA) and test anxiety (TA) consistently being associated with various aspects of mathematics. In this meta-analysis, we have evaluated the impact of these forms of anxiety, distinguishing between different types of mathematical tasks. In investigating this relationship, we have also included potential moderators, such as age, gender, working memory, type of task, and type of material. One hundred seventy-seven studies met the inclusion criteria, providing an overall sample of 906,311 participants. Results showed that both MA and TA had a significant impact on mathematics. Sociodemographic factors had modest moderating effects. Working memory (WM) also mediated the relationship between MA and TA with mathematics; however, this indirect effect was weak. Theoretical and educational implications, as well as future directions for research in this field, are discussed.
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Ashkenazi S, Cohen N. Developmental trajectories of strategy use in children with mathematical anxiety. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2021; 215:103293. [PMID: 33743502 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2021.103293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The main goal of the present study was to explore strategy selection in high mathematical anxiety (MA) individuals, and to test the role of development in the selection of strategy. We tested 2nd, 3rd and 5th graders with high or low MA in simple and complex addition problems. Participants first solved the problems and were then asked to report the strategy that they used. During elementary school, typically developing children change strategy use. In the first years backup strategies of counting are very frequent, but with maturation and schooling, they can shift to memory- based strategies. Hence, we tested finger counting and advanced memory based strategies in high MA children. In finger counting, high MA children showed developmental delay. For example, in the third grade, low MA children stopped using finger counting, while high MA participants continued to use it. However, in the case of advanced strategy use, we found a different pattern: regardless of age, high MA children used less advanced strategies than low MA participants. Moreover, usage of advanced memory based strategies was modulated by visuospatial working memory abilities in the two groups. The present results suggest that the MA participant has atypical developmental trajectories in strategy use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarit Ashkenazi
- The Seymour Fox School of Education, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Israel.
| | - Nitzan Cohen
- The Seymour Fox School of Education, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Israel
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Khasawneh E, Gosling C, Williams B. What impact does maths anxiety have on university students? BMC Psychol 2021; 9:37. [PMID: 33632322 PMCID: PMC7905856 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-021-00537-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maths anxiety is defined as a feeling of tension and apprehension that interferes with maths performance ability, the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in a wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations. Our aim was to identify the facilitators and barriers of maths anxiety in university students. METHOD A scoping review methodology was used in this study. A search of databases including: Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Scopus, PsycInfo, Medline, Education Resources Information Centre, Google Scholar and grey literature. Articles were included if they addressed the maths anxiety concept, identified barriers and facilitators of maths anxiety, had a study population comprised of university students and were in Arabic or English languages. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION After duplicate removal and applying the inclusion criteria, 10 articles were included in this study. Maths anxiety is an issue that effects many disciplines across multiple countries and sectors. The following themes emerged from the included papers: gender, self-awareness, numerical ability, and learning difficulty. The pattern in which gender impacts maths anxiety differs across countries and disciplines. There was a significant positive relationship between students' maths self-efficacy and maths performance and between maths self-efficacy, drug calculation self-efficacy and drug calculation performance. CONCLUSION Maths anxiety is an issue that effects many disciplines across multiple countries and sectors. Developing anxiety toward maths might be affected by gender; females are more prone to maths anxiety than males. Maths confidence, maths values and self-efficacy are related to self-awareness. Improving these concepts could end up with overcoming maths anxiety and improving performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eihab Khasawneh
- Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Monash University, Monash University-Peninsula Campus, McMahons Road, Frankston, VIC, Australia.
- Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
| | - Cameron Gosling
- Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Monash University, Monash University-Peninsula Campus, McMahons Road, Frankston, VIC, Australia
| | - Brett Williams
- Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Monash University, Monash University-Peninsula Campus, McMahons Road, Frankston, VIC, Australia
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Grant JG, Siegel LS, D'Angiulli A. From Schools to Scans: A Neuroeducational Approach to Comorbid Math and Reading Disabilities. Front Public Health 2020; 8:469. [PMID: 33194932 PMCID: PMC7642246 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We bridge two analogous concepts of comorbidity, dyslexia-dyscalculia and reading-mathematical disabilities, in neuroscience and education, respectively. We assessed the cognitive profiles of 360 individuals (mean age 25.79 ± 13.65) with disability in reading alone (RD group), mathematics alone (MD group) and both (comorbidity: MDRD group), with tests widely used in both psychoeducational and neuropsychological batteries. As expected, the MDRD group exhibited reading deficits like those shown by the RD group. The former group also exhibited deficits in quantitative reasoning like those shown by the MD group. However, other deficits related to verbal working memory and semantic memory were exclusive to the MDRD group. These findings were independent of gender, age, or socioeconomic and demographic factors. Through a systematic exhaustive review of clinical neuroimaging literature, we mapped the resulting cognitive profiles to correspondingly plausible neuroanatomical substrates of dyslexia and dyscalculia. In our resulting "probing" model, the complex set of domain-specific and domain-general impairments shown in the comorbidity of reading and mathematical disabilities are hypothesized as being related to atypical development of the left angular gyrus. The present neuroeducational approach bridges a long-standing transdisciplinary divide and contributes a step further toward improved early prediction, teaching and interventions for children and adults with combined reading and math disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy G Grant
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Linda S Siegel
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Morsanyi K, van Bers BM, O'Connor PA, McCormack T. The role of numerical and non-numerical ordering abilities in mathematics and reading in middle childhood. CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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17
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State- and trait-math anxiety and their relation to math performance in children: The role of core executive functions. Cognition 2020; 200:104271. [PMID: 32428703 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This study examines the interplay of state- and trait-math anxiety (MA) and core executive functions (CEF) on math achievement in children. According to attention control theory, MA affects the CEF by triggering the inhibition function, so that some working memory (WM) is blocked, thus reducing task processing capacity. However, research on the interplay between MA and CEF in children is rare, and the findings in the literature are inconsistent. In this paper, state- and trait-MA, math achievement, CEF (inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory capacity, global index of CEF) and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms (attention deficits, hyperactivity, impulsiveness) of 646 fourth and fifth grade students (48.1% girls) are assessed. CEF were evaluated with a tablet-based test. The data revealed negative correlations between state-MA and math achievement for all CEF levels and cognitive processes. However, inhibition control functioned as a moderator of the relation between state-MA and math achievement. Children with higher inhibition abilities showed more pronounced negative relations. No moderation effects were identified for working memory capacity and the CEF global index. The findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between these three CEF and raise questions for future research on the interplay between cognitive and affective factors as predictors of math achievement.
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Pelegrina S, Justicia-Galiano MJ, Martín-Puga ME, Linares R. Math Anxiety and Working Memory Updating: Difficulties in Retrieving Numerical Information From Working Memory. Front Psychol 2020; 11:669. [PMID: 32328018 PMCID: PMC7160366 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Haberstroh S, Schulte-Körne G. The Diagnosis and Treatment of Dyscalculia. DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 116:107-114. [PMID: 30905334 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2019.0107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND 3-7% of all children, adolescents, and adults suffer from dyscalculia. Severe, persistent difficulty performing arithmetical calculations leads to marked impairment in school, at work, and in everyday life and elevates the risk of comorbid mental disorders. The state of the evidence underlying various methods of diagnosing and treating this condition is unclear. METHODS Systematic literature searches were carried out from April 2015 to June 2016 in the PsycInfo, PSYNDEX, MEDLINE, ProQuest, ERIC, Cochrane Library, ICTRP, and MathEduc databases. The main search terms on dyscalculia were the German terms "Rechenstörung," "Rechenschwäche," and "Dyskalkulie" and the English terms "dyscalculia," "math disorder, and "math disability." The data from the retrieved studies were evaluated in a meta-analysis, and corresponding recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of dyscalculia were jointly issued by the 20 societies and associations that participated in the creation of this guideline. RESULTS The diagnosis of dyscalculia should only be made if the person in question displays below-average mathematical performance when seen in the context of relevant information from the individual history, test findings, clinical examination, and further psychosocial assessment. The treatment should be directed toward the individual mathematical problem areas. The mean effect size found across all intervention trials was 0.52 (95% confidence interval [0.42; 0.62]). Treatment should be initiated early on in the primary-school years and carried out by trained specialists in an individual setting; comorbid symptoms and disorders should also receive attention. Persons with dyscalculia are at elevated risk of having dyslexia as well (odds ratio [OR]: 12.25); the same holds for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and for other mental disorders, both internalizing (such as anxiety and depression) and externalizing (e.g., disorders characterized by aggression and rule-breaking). CONCLUSION Symptom-specific interventions involving the training of specific mathematical content yield the best results. There is still a need for high-quality intervention trials and for suitable tests and learning programs for older adolescents and adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Haberstroh
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich
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Pappas MA, Polychroni F, Drigas AS. Assessment of Mathematics Difficulties for Second and Third Graders: Cognitive and Psychological Parameters. Behav Sci (Basel) 2019; 9:bs9070076. [PMID: 31336844 PMCID: PMC6681099 DOI: 10.3390/bs9070076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mathematical achievement during the first years of primary school seems to be a reliable predictor of students’ later performance. In addition, cognitive, metacognitive, and psychological parameters are considered to be factors related to mathematical achievement. However, in the Greek educational system, there is a shortage of valid and reliable tools for the assessment of mathematics difficulties and as a consequence, identification of children with these difficulties does not take place before the last years of primary school. This study aims to investigate the relationship between working memory, sustained attention, executive functions, and math anxiety with mathematical achievement in 2nd and 3rd graders. The design of the study was based on the parameters of mathematics difficulties, as they arise from the literature review. Ninety-one Year 2 and Year 3 primary school students (mean age 8.06 years) from three public schools situated in Attica, Greece participated in the study. The students completed three different scales including educational, cognitive, and psychological tasks. Results showed that mathematical skills were significantly correlated with sustained attention, inductive reasoning, math anxiety, and working memory. Moreover, mental arithmetic ability, sustained attention, and working memory predicted mathematical achievement of second and third graders. The study’s outcomes verify that sustained attention, inductive reasoning, working memory, and math anxiety are correlated with young students’ mathematical performance. The implications of the results for the development of an assessment tool for early detection of mathematics difficulties will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marios A Pappas
- Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 84 Athens, Greece.
| | - Fotini Polychroni
- Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 84 Athens, Greece
| | - Athanasios S Drigas
- Net Media Lab-Mind & Brain R&D, I.I.T., N.C.S.R. 'Demokritos', 153 41 Agia Paraskevi, Greece
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21
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Morsanyi K, van Bers BM, O’Connor PA, McCormack T. Developmental Dyscalculia is Characterized by Order Processing Deficits: Evidence from Numerical and Non-Numerical Ordering Tasks. Dev Neuropsychol 2018; 43:595-621. [DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2018.1502294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Morsanyi
- School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Bianca M.C.W. van Bers
- School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Teresa McCormack
- School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
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22
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Hartwright CE, Looi CY, Sella F, Inuggi A, Santos FH, González-Salinas C, García Santos JM, Kadosh RC, Fuentes LJ. The Neurocognitive Architecture of Individual Differences in Math Anxiety in Typical Children. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8500. [PMID: 29855608 PMCID: PMC5981328 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26912-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Math Anxiety (MA) is characterized by a negative emotional response when facing math-related situations. MA is distinct from general anxiety and can emerge during primary education. Prior studies typically comprise adults and comparisons between high- versus low-MA, where neuroimaging work has focused on differences in network activation between groups when completing numerical tasks. The present study used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to identify the structural brain correlates of MA in a sample of 79 healthy children aged 7-12 years. Given that MA is thought to develop in later primary education, the study focused on the level of MA, rather than categorically defining its presence. Using a battery of cognitive- and numerical-function tasks, we identified that increased MA was associated with reduced attention, working memory and math achievement. VBM highlighted that increased MA was associated with reduced grey matter in the left anterior intraparietal sulcus. This region was also associated with attention, suggesting that baseline differences in morphology may underpin attentional differences. Future studies should clarify whether poorer attentional capacity due to reduced grey matter density results in the later emergence of MA. Further, our data highlight the role of working memory in propagating reduced math achievement in children with higher MA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E Hartwright
- Aston Brain Centre, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Chung Yen Looi
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Francesco Sella
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Flávia Heloísa Santos
- Departamento de Psicología Básica y Metodología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Carmen González-Salinas
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Luis J Fuentes
- Departamento de Psicología Básica y Metodología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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Kucian K, Zuber I, Kohn J, Poltz N, Wyschkon A, Esser G, von Aster M. Relation Between Mathematical Performance, Math Anxiety, and Affective Priming in Children With and Without Developmental Dyscalculia. Front Psychol 2018; 9:263. [PMID: 29755376 PMCID: PMC5932531 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Many children show negative emotions related to mathematics and some even develop mathematics anxiety. The present study focused on the relation between negative emotions and arithmetical performance in children with and without developmental dyscalculia (DD) using an affective priming task. Previous findings suggested that arithmetic performance is influenced if an affective prime precedes the presentation of an arithmetic problem. In children with DD specifically, responses to arithmetic operations are supposed to be facilitated by both negative and mathematics-related primes (=negative math priming effect).We investigated mathematical performance, math anxiety, and the domain-general abilities of 172 primary school children (76 with DD and 96 controls). All participants also underwent an affective priming task which consisted of the decision whether a simple arithmetic operation (addition or subtraction) that was preceded by a prime (positive/negative/neutral or mathematics-related) was true or false. Our findings did not reveal a negative math priming effect in children with DD. Furthermore, when considering accuracy levels, gender, or math anxiety, the negative math priming effect could not be replicated. However, children with DD showed more math anxiety when explicitly assessed by a specific math anxiety interview and showed lower mathematical performance compared to controls. Moreover, math anxiety was equally present in boys and girls, even in the earliest stages of schooling, and interfered negatively with performance. In conclusion, mathematics is often associated with negative emotions that can be manifested in specific math anxiety, particularly in children with DD. Importantly, present findings suggest that in the assessed age group, it is more reliable to judge math anxiety and investigate its effects on mathematical performance explicitly by adequate questionnaires than by an affective math priming task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Kucian
- Center for MR-Research, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.,Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Zuber
- Center for MR-Research, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Juliane Kohn
- Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Nadine Poltz
- Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Anne Wyschkon
- Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Günter Esser
- Academy for Psychotherapy and Intervention Research, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Michael von Aster
- Center for MR-Research, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.,Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, German Red Cross Hospitals, Berlin, Germany
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25
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Nemmi F, Nymberg C, Darki F, Banaschewski T, Bokde ALW, Büchel C, Flor H, Frouin V, Garavan H, Gowland P, Heinz A, Martinot JL, Nees F, Paus T, Smolka MN, Robbins TW, Schumann G, Klingberg T. Interaction between striatal volume and DAT1 polymorphism predicts working memory development during adolescence. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 30:191-199. [PMID: 29567584 PMCID: PMC6969124 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
There is considerable inter-individual variability in the rate at which working memory (WM) develops during childhood and adolescence, but the neural and genetic basis for these differences are poorly understood. Dopamine-related genes, striatal activation and morphology have been associated with increased WM capacity after training. Here we tested the hypothesis that these factors would also explain some of the inter-individual differences in the rate of WM development. We measured WM performance in 487 healthy subjects twice: at age 14 and 19. At age 14 subjects underwent a structural MRI scan, and genotyping of five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in or close to the dopamine genes DRD2, DAT-1 and COMT, which have previously been associated with gains in WM after WM training. We then analyzed which biological factors predicted the rate of increase in WM between ages 14 and 19. We found a significant interaction between putamen size and DAT1/SLC6A3 rs40184 polymorphism, such that TC heterozygotes with a larger putamen at age 14 showed greater WM improvement at age 19. The effect of the DAT1 polymorphism on WM development was exerted in interaction with striatal morphology. These results suggest that development of WM partially share neuro-physiological mechanism with training-induced plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Nemmi
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - C Nymberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - F Darki
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - T Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - A L W Bokde
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - C Büchel
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - H Flor
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - V Frouin
- NeuroSpin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - H Garavan
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - P Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham,University Park, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - A Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - J-L Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM Unit 1000 "Neuroimaging & Psychiatry", University Paris Sud - Paris Saclay, University Paris Descartes, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, Orsay; and Maison de Solenn, Paris, France
| | - F Nees
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - T Paus
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest and Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - M N Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - T W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - G Schumann
- Medical Research Council - Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - T Klingberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Effectiveness of working memory training among children with dyscalculia: evidence for transfer effects on mathematical achievement-a pilot study. Cogn Process 2017; 19:375-385. [PMID: 29273913 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-017-0853-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
We examined whether the working memory (WM) capacity of developmentally dyscalculic children can be improved by a WM training program and whether outcomes relate to mathematical performance. The experimental design comprised two groups with developmental dyscalculia with grade 4 schooling: an experimental group (n = 14; mean age = 115.29 months) and a control group (n = 14; mean age = 116.07 months). All participants were assessed on measures of WM, mathematic attainment, and nonverbal mental ability (Raven test) before and after training. The WM training program focused on manipulating and maintaining arithmetic information. The results show that both WM and mathematical performances improved significantly after intervention, indicating a strong relationship between these two constructs. The control group improved slightly in Raven's progressive matrices and a reading number task. These findings are discussed in terms of near and far transfer toward trained and untrained skills and stress the positive impact of WM training on learning mathematics in children with dyscalculia.
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Cargnelutti E, Tomasetto C, Passolunghi MC. The interplay between affective and cognitive factors in shaping early proficiency in mathematics. Trends Neurosci Educ 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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28
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Myers T, Carey E, Szűcs D. Cognitive and Neural Correlates of Mathematical Giftedness in Adults and Children: A Review. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1646. [PMID: 29118725 PMCID: PMC5661150 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Most mathematical cognition research has focused on understanding normal adult function and child development as well as mildly and moderately impaired mathematical skill, often labeled developmental dyscalculia and/or mathematical learning disability. In contrast, much less research is available on cognitive and neural correlates of gifted/excellent mathematical knowledge in adults and children. In order to facilitate further inquiry into this area, here we review 40 available studies, which examine the cognitive and neural basis of gifted mathematics. Studies associated a large number of cognitive factors with gifted mathematics, with spatial processing and working memory being the most frequently identified contributors. However, the current literature suffers from low statistical power, which most probably contributes to variability across findings. Other major shortcomings include failing to establish domain and stimulus specificity of findings, suggesting causation without sufficient evidence and the frequent use of invalid backward inference in neuro-imaging studies. Future studies must increase statistical power and neuro-imaging studies must rely on supporting behavioral data when interpreting findings. Studies should investigate the factors shown to correlate with math giftedness in a more specific manner and determine exactly how individual factors may contribute to gifted math ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Myers
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Dénes Szűcs
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Caviola S, Carey E, Mammarella IC, Szucs D. Stress, Time Pressure, Strategy Selection and Math Anxiety in Mathematics: A Review of the Literature. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1488. [PMID: 28919870 PMCID: PMC5585192 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We review how stress induction, time pressure manipulations and math anxiety can interfere with or modulate selection of problem-solving strategies (henceforth “strategy selection”) in arithmetical tasks. Nineteen relevant articles were identified, which contain references to strategy selection and time limit (or time manipulations), with some also discussing emotional aspects in mathematical outcomes. Few of these take cognitive processes such as working memory or executive functions into consideration. We conclude that due to the sparsity of available literature our questions can only be partially answered and currently there is not much evidence of clear associations. We identify major gaps in knowledge and raise a series of open questions to guide further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Caviola
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of CambridgeCambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Carey
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of CambridgeCambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Denes Szucs
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of CambridgeCambridge, United Kingdom
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Mammarella IC, Caviola S, Giofrè D, Szűcs D. The underlying structure of visuospatial working memory in children with mathematical learning disability. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 36:220-235. [DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Irene C. Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology; University of Padova; Italy
| | - Sara Caviola
- Department of Psychology; University of Cambridge; UK
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Natural Sciences and Psychology; Liverpool John Moores University; UK
| | - Dénes Szűcs
- Department of Psychology; University of Cambridge; UK
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31
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Stokes SF, Klee T, Kornisch M, Furlong L. Visuospatial and Verbal Short-Term Memory Correlates of Vocabulary Ability in Preschool Children. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2017; 60:2249-2258. [PMID: 28793161 DOI: 10.1044/2017_jslhr-l-16-0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies indicate that school-age children's patterns of performance on measures of verbal and visuospatial short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) differ across types of neurodevelopmental disorders. Because these disorders are often characterized by early language delay, administering STM and WM tests to toddlers could improve prediction of neurodevelopmental outcomes. Toddler-appropriate verbal, but not visuospatial, STM and WM tasks are available. A toddler-appropriate visuospatial STM test is introduced. METHOD Tests of verbal STM, visuospatial STM, expressive vocabulary, and receptive vocabulary were administered to 92 English-speaking children aged 2-5 years. RESULTS Mean test scores did not differ for boys and girls. Visuospatial and verbal STM scores were not significantly correlated when age was partialed out. Age, visuospatial STM scores, and verbal STM scores accounted for unique variance in expressive (51%, 3%, and 4%, respectively) and receptive vocabulary scores (53%, 5%, and 2%, respectively) in multiple regression analyses. CONCLUSION Replication studies, a fuller test battery comprising visuospatial and verbal STM and WM tests, and a general intelligence test are required before exploring the usefulness of these STM tests for predicting longitudinal outcomes. The lack of an association between the STM tests suggests that the instruments have face validity and test independent STM skills.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lisa Furlong
- LaTrobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Mammarella IC, Caviola S, Giofrè D, Borella E. Separating math from anxiety: The role of inhibitory mechanisms. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-CHILD 2017; 7:342-353. [DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2017.1341836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Irene C. Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sara Caviola
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Ashkenazi S, Danan Y. The role of mathematical anxiety and working memory on the performance of different types of arithmetic tasks. Trends Neurosci Educ 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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34
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Justicia-Galiano MJ, Martín-Puga ME, Linares R, Pelegrina S. Math anxiety and math performance in children: The mediating roles of working memory and math self-concept. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 87:573-589. [DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2016] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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35
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Caviola S, Primi C, Chiesi F, Mammarella IC. Psychometric properties of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS) in Italian primary school children. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2017.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Demir-Lira ÖE, Prado J, Booth JR. Neural Correlates of Math Gains Vary Depending on Parental Socioeconomic Status (SES). Front Psychol 2016; 7:892. [PMID: 27378987 PMCID: PMC4911362 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the neural predictors of math development, and asked whether these predictors vary as a function of parental socioeconomic status (SES) in children ranging in age from 8 to 13 years. We independently localized brain regions subserving verbal versus spatial processing in order to characterize relations between activation in these regions during an arithmetic task and long-term change in math skill (up to 3 years). Neural predictors of math gains encompassed brain regions subserving both verbal and spatial processing, but the relation between relative reliance on these regions and math skill growth varied depending on parental SES. Activity in an area of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) identified by the verbal localizer was related to greater growth in math skill at the higher end of the SES continuum, but lesser improvements at the lower end. Activity in an area of the right superior parietal cortex identified by the spatial localizer was related to greater growth in math skill at the lower end of the SES continuum, but lesser improvements at the higher end. Results highlight early neural mechanisms as possible neuromarkers of long-term arithmetic learning and suggest that neural predictors of math gains vary with parental SES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özlem Ece Demir-Lira
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, EvanstonIL, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, ChicagoIL, USA
| | - Jérôme Prado
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5304, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Université de Lyon Bron, France
| | - James R Booth
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, EvanstonIL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Texas at Austin, AustinTX, USA
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Passolunghi MC, Caviola S, De Agostini R, Perin C, Mammarella IC. Mathematics Anxiety, Working Memory, and Mathematics Performance in Secondary-School Children. Front Psychol 2016; 7:42. [PMID: 26869951 PMCID: PMC4735424 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Mathematics anxiety (MA) has been defined as “a feeling of tension and anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of math problems in a wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations.” Previous studies have suggested that a notable proportion of children in primary and secondary school suffer from MA, which is negatively correlated with calculation skills. The processing efficiency and attentional control theories suggest that working memory (WM) also plays an important part in such anxious feelings. The present study aimed to analyze the academic achievement and cognitive profiles of students with high math anxiety (HMA) and low math anxiety (LMA). Specifically, 32 students with HMA and 34 with LMA matched for age, gender, generalized anxiety, and vocabulary attending sixth to eighth grades were selected from a larger sample. The two groups were tested on reading decoding, reading comprehension, mathematics achievement, and on verbal short-term memory and WM. Our findings showed that HMA students were weak in several measures of mathematics achievement, but not in reading and writing skills, and that students with HMA reported lower scores on short-term memory and WM performances (with associated difficulties in inhibiting irrelevant information) than children with LMA. In addition, a logistic regression showed that weaknesses in inhibitory control and fact retrieval were the strongest variables for classifying children as having HMA or LMA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Caviola
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Perin
- Department of Psychology, University of Trieste Trieste, Italy
| | - Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova Padova, Italy
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Iuculano T. Neurocognitive accounts of developmental dyscalculia and its remediation. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2016; 227:305-33. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2016.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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