The Importance of Defining Shared Criteria for the Diagnosis of Nonverbal Learning Disability

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Memory and comprehension deficits in spatial descriptions of children with non-verbal and reading disabilities

open4The present study investigated the difficulties encountered by children with non-verbal learning disability (NLD) and reading disability (RD) when processing spatial information derived from descriptions, based on the assumption that both groups should find it more difficult than matched controls, but for different reasons, i.e., due to a memory encoding difficulty in cases of RD and to spatial information comprehension problems in cases of NLD. Spatial descriptions from both survey and route perspectives were presented to 9-12-year-old children divided into three groups: NLD (N = 12); RD (N = 12), and typically developing controls (TD; N = 15); then participants completed a sentence verification task and a memory for locations task. The sentence verification task was presented in two conditions: in one the children could refer to the text while answering the questions (i.e., text present condition), and in the other the text was withdrawn (i.e., text absent condition). Results showed that the RD group benefited from the text present condition, but was impaired to the same extent as the NLD group in the text absent condition, suggesting that the NLD children's difficulty is due mainly to their poor comprehension of spatial descriptions, while the RD children's difficulty is due more to a memory encoding problem. These results are discussed in terms of their implications in the neuropsychological profiles of children with NLD or RD, and the processes involved in spatial descriptions.openIrene C. Mammarella;Chiara Meneghetti;Francesca Pazzaglia;Cesare CornoldiMammarella, IRENE CRISTINA; Meneghetti, Chiara; Pazzaglia, Francesca; Cornoldi, Cesar

Math anxiety

Mathematics is often perceived as a difficult subject by many students, parents and teachers alike. Difficulties with the subject are most often attributed to cognitive factors (lack of ability, preparedness, practice and knowledge). Emotional factors are often overlooked and are easily written off as potential persistent and serious causes of mathematical learning difficulties. However, it is increasingly recognized in psychology and education that several students have serious negative emotional reactions to mathematics. These emotional problems can lead to performance difficulties and/or can become obstacles that discourage students from further mathematics training even if their performance is good. This debilitating emotional reaction to mathematics is termed “mathematics anxiety” (MA). MA is “a feeling of tension and anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in… ordinary life and academic situations” (Richardson and Suinn, 1972). MA ranges from the feeling of mild tension to experiencing strong fear. MA is not restricted to classroom situations or to children. Rather, MA can generalize to out of school situations and can affect adults. For example, MA can manifest itself in everyday situations about handling numbers such as when counting change in shops or doing basic mathematics under time pressure. MA is often present in normally performing students, discouraging them from choosing math related careers. A structured universal prevention program for MA does not yet exist. Most of the activities we suggest here are based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). These methods help individuals to identify self-defeating thoughts and feelings, challenge the rationality of those feelings, and replace them with more productive beliefs

Improving spatial-simultaneous working memory in Down syndrome: effect of a training program led by parents instead of an expert

Recent studies have suggested that the visuospatial component of working memory (WM) is selectively impaired in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), the deficit relating specifically to the spatial-simultaneous component, which is involved when stimuli are presented simultaneously. The present study aimed to analyze the effects of a computer-based program for training the spatial-simultaneous component of WM in terms of: specific effects (on spatial-simultaneous WM tasks); near and far transfer effects (on spatial-sequential and visuospatial abilities, and everyday memory tasks); and maintenance effects (1 month after the training). A comparison was drawn between the results obtained when the training was led by parents at home as opposed to an expert in psychology. Thirty-nine children and adolescents with DS were allocated to one of two groups: the training was administered by an expert in one, and by appropriately instructed parents in the other. The training was administered individually twice a week for a month, in eight sessions lasting approximately 30 min each. Our participants' performance improved after the training, and these results were maintained a month later in both groups. Overall, our findings suggest that spatial-simultaneous WM performance can be improved, obtaining specific and transfer gains; above all, it seems that, with adequate support, parents could effectively administer a WM training to their child

Math anxiety in children with and without mathematical difficulties: the role of gender and genetic factors

Mathematics anxiety is generally defined as feeling tense, fearful and apprehensive about mathematics (Richardson & Suinn, 1972). It is a multi-dimensional construct, characterized by different types of reactions: emotional (i.e., negative feelings); cognitive (e.g., intrusive concerns and thoughts); physiological (e.g., increased arousal, stress and agitation); and behavioural (e.g., avoiding contexts that require the use of mathematical skills, disengagement and off-task behaviours).From a different angle, math anxiety can generate reverse effect than positive factors, such as an interest toward mathematics and self-efficacy (Moore, Rudig & Ashcraft, 2014). Individuals with high levels of math anxiety tend to take fewer mathematics courses; gain lower grades in those they do attend; and avoid, where possible, additional maths classes (Ashcraft, 2002).In addition, highly math-anxious students are also more likely to avoid mathematically-oriented college majors and career paths that require quantitative skills (Ashcraft, Krause, & Hopko, 2007; Ashcraft & Moore, 2009).Math anxiety seems to have serious long-term consequences, adversely influencing an individual’s choice of career, type of occupation, and professional growth in adulthood (Ashcraft & Ridley, 2005; Beasley, Long & Natali, 2001; Hembree, 1990; Ho et al., 2000). Beyond consequences for an individual’s personal life, math anxiety also affects society. For example, in the USA math anxiety may contribute to the shortage of graduates, who want to work in the area of science, technology, engineering and mathematics-for the demands of a technology-dependent society -despite increased emphasis on improving mathematical education (Beilock & Maloney, 2015). Because of its consequences in limiting people’s mastery of mathematics, math anxiety has become a subject of increasing interest in educational, rather than only clinical settings. Many factors are involved in the links between math anxiety and mathematics. For example, these links depend on the nature of mathematics, such as increasing complexity of its contents during the school-years. In the following sections, we summarize previous studies of math anxiety, focusing on gender differences, distinction between mathematics difficulties related to math anxiety vs those related to specific mathematics impairments, and the role of genetic factors

Differences in verbal and visuospatial forward and backward order recall: A review of the literature

How sequential, verbal and visuospatial stimuli are encoded and stored in memory is not clear in cognitive psychology. Studies with order recall tasks, such as the digit, and Corsi span, indicate that order of presentation is a crucial element for verbal memory, but not for visuospatial memory. This seems to be due to the different effects of forward and backward recall in verbal and visuospatial tasks. In verbal span tasks, performance is worse when recalling things in backward sequence rather than the original forward sequence. In contrast, when it comes to visuospatial tasks, performance is not always worse for a modified backward sequence. However, worse performance in backward visuospatial recall is evident in individuals with weak visuospatial abilities; such individuals perform worse in the backward version of visuospatial tasks than in the forward version. The main aim of the present review is to summarize findings on order recall in verbal and visuospatial materials by considering both cognitive and neural correlates. The results of this review will be considered in the light of the current models of WM, and will be used to make recommendations for future studie

Predictors of mathematics in primary school: Magnitude comparison, verbal and spatial working memory measures.

We determined the relative importance of the so-called approximate number system (ANS), symbolic number comparison (SNC) and verbal and spatial short-term and working memory (WM) capacity for mathematics achievement in 1,254 Grade 2, 4 and 6 children. The large sample size assured high power and low false report probability and allowed us to determine effect sizes precisely. We used reading decoding as a control outcome measure to test whether findings were specific to mathematics. Bayesian analysis allowed us to provide support for both null and alternative hypotheses. We found very weak zero-order correlations between ANS measures and math achievement. These correlations were not specific to mathematics, became non-significant once intelligence was considered and ANS measures were not selected as predictors of math by regression models. In contrast, overall SNC accuracy and spatial WM measures were reliable and mostly specific predictors of math achievement. Verbal short-term and WM and SNC reaction time were predictors of both reading and math achievement. We conclude that ANS tasks are not suitable as measures of math development in school-age populations. In contrast, all other cognitive functions we studied are promising markers of mathematics development

Multidimensional components of (state) mathematics anxiety: Behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and psychophysiological consequences

The present study aimed to analyze the different components of state mathematics anxiety that students experienced while solving calculation problems by manipulating their stress levels. A computerized mathematical task was administered to 165 fifth-graders randomly assigned to three different groups: positive, negative, and control conditions, in which positive, negative, or no feedback during the task was given, respectively. Behavioral (task performance), emotional (negative feelings), cognitive (worrisome thoughts and perceived competence), and psychophysiological responses (skin conductance and vagal withdrawal) were analyzed. Behavioral responses did not differ in the positive and negative conditions, while the latter was associated with children's reportedly negative emotional states, worries, and perceived lack of competence. The stress induced in the negative condition led to an increase in skin conductance and cardiac vagal withdrawal in children. Our data suggest the importance of considering students' interpretation of mathematics-related experiences, which might affect their emotional, cognitive, and psychophysiological responses

Math self-efficacy or anxiety? The role of emotional and motivational contribution in math performance

Various studies have highlighted the important influence of math ability in a numerate society. In this study, we investigated the influence of emotional (math anxiety and math enjoyment) and cognitive-motivational (math self-efficacy) factors on math performance. Participants were 145 fifth-grade students (84 boys and 61 girls). The results showed that math performance was negatively correlated with math anxiety and positively correlated with math enjoyment and math self-efficacy. Moreover, math anxiety was negatively associated with enjoyment in math and math self-efficacy, whereas math enjoyment was positively correlated with math self-efficacy. Hierarchical regression analysis showed a significant influence of math anxiety and math self-efficacy on math performance in fifth-grade students. Results are discussed in terms of a new perspective in emotional and motivational factors to train in school contexts