Phonological storage and executive function deficits in children with mathematics difficulties

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Children with mathematics difficulties often exhibit working memory deficits.
• Understanding the specific profile of these deficits is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the working memory deficit profile, including phonological storage and executive functions, in children with mathematics difficulties.
• To differentiate deficits in children with mathematics difficulties (MD) versus those with mathematics and reading difficulties (MDRD).

Main Methods:

• Screened 805 fifth graders, identifying 68 children for the study.
• Classified participants into three groups: MD (n=18), MDRD (n=20), and typically developing (TD, n=30).
• Administered individual assessments of phonological storage, dual-task performance, inhibition, and updating for verbal and numerical materials.

Main Results:

• Children with MD showed numerical storage and inhibition deficits, plus dual-task deficits for both verbal and numerical information.
• Children with MDRD exhibited widespread deficits in phonological storage and executive functions across verbal and numerical tasks.
• Executive function deficits were observed independently of phonological storage deficits.

Conclusions:

• Working memory deficits in children with mathematics difficulties are specific and extend beyond phonological storage.
• The findings highlight distinct working memory profiles for MD and MDRD, informing tailored interventions.
• Implications for working memory training strategies for children facing mathematics challenges were discussed.