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Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying Achievement Deficits in Children With Mathematical Learning Disability
Author(s) -
Geary David C.,
Hoard Mary K.,
ByrdCraven Jennifer,
Nugent Lara,
Numtee Chattavee
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01069.x
Subject(s) - cognition , psychology , working memory , learning disability , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , information processing , psychiatry
Using strict and lenient mathematics achievement cutoff scores to define a learning disability, respective groups of children who are math disabled (MLD, n = 15) and low achieving (LA, n = 44) were identified. These groups and a group of typically achieving (TA, n = 46) children were administered a battery of mathematical cognition, working memory, and speed of processing measures ( M = 6 years). The children with MLD showed deficits across all math cognition tasks, many of which were partially or fully mediated by working memory or speed of processing. Compared with the TA group, the LA children were less fluent in processing numerical information and knew fewer addition facts. Implications for defining MLD and identifying underlying cognitive deficits are discussed.