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Number processing and calculation in Brazilian children aged 7-12 years
Santos Flávia Heloisa Dos1, Paulo Adilson Da Silva, Fabiana Silva Ribeiro
1Universidade Estadual Paulista, Laboratório de Neuropsicologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia, Departamento de Psicologia Experimental e do Trabalho, SP, Brazil. flaviahs@assis.unesp.br
The Spanish Journal of Psychology
|July 11, 2012
Summary
This study assessed mathematical skills in Brazilian children using the Zareki-R test. Results show environment, age, and gender impact numerical cognition development, with the Zareki-R proving a valid assessment tool.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuropsychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Numerical cognition, comprising number processing and calculation, is crucial for mathematical development.
- Factors influencing numerical cognition include biological, cognitive, educational, and cultural elements.
- Standardized assessment tools are needed to evaluate these skills in diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normative data for the Zareki-R (Battery of neuropsychological tests for number processing and calculation in children, Revised) for Portuguese-speaking Brazilian children aged 7-12.
- To investigate the influence of environmental factors (urban vs. rural), age, and gender on mathematical skill development.
- To confirm the construct validity of the Zareki-R by comparing its results with the WISC-III Arithmetic subtest.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 172 children (7-12 years) from Brazilian public schools was assessed using the Zareki-R.
- Participants were categorized by environment (urban/rural), age group (7-8 vs. older), and gender.
- Correlational analysis was performed between Zareki-R scores and the WISC-III Arithmetic subtest.
Main Results:
- Rural children scored lower in specific aspects of number processing compared to urban children.
- Younger children (7-8 years) exhibited lower overall scores than older children.
- Boys outperformed girls in both number processing and calculation tasks.
- The Zareki-R demonstrated high to moderate correlations with the WISC-III Arithmetic subtest, supporting its validity.
Conclusions:
- The Zareki-R is a valid and suitable instrument for assessing number processing and calculation skills in Brazilian children.
- Environmental background, age, and gender significantly influence the development of mathematical abilities.
- Findings provide valuable normative data for identifying mathematical learning difficulties in Portuguese-speaking children.
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