Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying Achievement Deficits in Children With Mathematical Learning Disability

TLDR

The study identified MLD, LA, and TA groups using strict and lenient achievement cutoffs and assessed them with a battery of math cognition, working memory, and processing speed tests. MLD children exhibited deficits on all math cognition tasks, largely mediated by working memory or processing speed, while LA children showed reduced numerical fluency and fewer addition facts compared to TA.

Abstract

Using strict and lenient mathematics achievement cutoff scores to define a learning disability, respective groups of children who are math disabled (MLD, n = 15) and low achieving (LA, n = 44) were identified. These groups and a group of typically achieving (TA, n = 46) children were administered a battery of mathematical cognition, working memory, and speed of processing measures ( M = 6 years). The children with MLD showed deficits across all math cognition tasks, many of which were partially or fully mediated by working memory or speed of processing. Compared with the TA group, the LA children were less fluent in processing numerical information and knew fewer addition facts. Implications for defining MLD and identifying underlying cognitive deficits are discussed.