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Published on: October 3, 2018
Counting, Cardinality and Conservation in Autistic Children
Irene Polo-Blanco1, Raúl Fernández-Cobos1, Agustín Vicente2,3
1Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
Summary
Autistic children understand cardinality similarly to peers but struggle with conservation tasks and counting strategies. Targeted interventions may improve foundational numerical skills in autistic children.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Understanding numerical concepts like cardinality and conservation is crucial for mathematical development.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can impact cognitive processing, potentially affecting numerical understanding.
- Previous research has explored numerical cognition in autistic individuals, but specific strategy use requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare cardinality and conservation understanding in autistic and non-autistic children (aged 4-7 years).
- To investigate the relationship between counting strategies and numerical understanding in these groups.
- To identify potential areas for intervention to support mathematical development in autistic children.
Main Methods:
- Study included 82 children (41 autistic, 41 neurotypical), aged 4-7 years, without intellectual disability.
- Participants completed tasks assessing cardinality, conservation, and counting strategies (verbal counting with pointing [VCP], rapid recognition [N]).
- Response times during counting tasks were recorded.
Main Results:
- Both groups showed similar cardinality understanding.
- Autistic children performed significantly lower on conservation tasks and had longer counting response times.
- Autistic children favored VCP and used the N strategy less, even for small sets; N strategy linked to conservation.
Conclusions:
- Autistic children may face relative difficulties in conservation and specific counting strategy use.
- Foundational numerical skills, particularly conservation, may benefit from targeted interventions.
- Supporting diverse counting strategies could enhance mathematical development in autistic children.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
01:17Piaget's Stage 3 of Cognitive Development
During Piaget's concrete operational stage, from ages 7 to 11, children exhibit a marked increase in logical thinking skills, specifically in relation to tangible, real-world events. This stage is characterized by the development of several essential cognitive concepts, including conservation, reversibility, and classification, all of which support the child's evolving capacity for structured thought.
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01:14Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development
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