Associations Between Repeating Patterning, Growing Patterning, and Numerical Ability: A Longitudinal Panel Study in...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Development
• Early Childhood Education
• Mathematics Education

Background:

• Numerical ability and patterning skills are crucial for early academic success.
• Understanding the developmental relationship between these skills is essential for targeted interventions.
• Previous research suggests links, but the directionality and temporal dynamics require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the directionality of associations between repeating patterning, growing patterning, and numerical ability in preschool children.
• To examine how these relationships evolve from ages 4 to 6 years.
• To determine if these associations persist after controlling for spatial skills.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study with 410 children assessed annually from ages 4 to 6 years.
• Utilized a cross-lagged panel model to analyze bidirectional associations.
• Included assessments of repeating patterning, growing patterning, and numerical ability, alongside spatial skills.

Main Results:

• Bidirectional associations were found between patterning abilities and numerical ability from ages 4 to 5 years, controlling for spatial skills.
• From ages 5 to 6 years, patterning abilities uniquely predicted numerical ability, but not vice versa.
• The direct associations between repeating and growing patterning performances diminished over time.

Conclusions:

• Early patterning skills, particularly repeating and growing patterns, are significant predictors of later numerical ability in young children.
• The developmental trajectory shows a shift from bidirectional influence to a unidirectional predictive relationship from patterning to numerical ability.
• These findings underscore the importance of fostering patterning skills to support mathematical development in early childhood, independent of spatial abilities.