Spatial Ability in Children with Mathematics Learning Disorder (MLD) and Its Impact on Executive Functions

Mathematics Learning Disorder (MLD) has been found to be related to impairments in cognitive functions. Spatial ability (SA), which is made up of eight single but unified elements can be assumed to have a leading part in different areas of math skills. The first objective of this study was to explore differences in SA factors in 128 school children of third to sixth grade with and without MLD. The Flexibility of Closure, Closure Speed, Perceptual Speed, Visualization, Spatial Relation, Spatial Orientation, Spatial Temporal, and Wayfinding were measured through eight tasks. The second objective of the study was to explore the SA factors' ability to predict the performance of MLD participants in three executive functions. The results revealed that participants with MLD had poorer performance in all the SA tasks and it took longer to finish the visualization, spatial relation, and spatial orientation tasks compared to children with typical development (TD). Regression analysis indicated that some of the SA factors could predict working memory and cognitive flexibility, but they were unable to predict response inhibition. Regarding these results, applying SA factors in cognitive rehabilitation programs of children with MLD seems necessary.