Early maternal autonomy support and mathematical achievement trajectories during elementary school

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that maternal autonomy support fosters mathematical achievement in children. However, the role of autonomy support in mathematical achievement trajectories has never been investigated, despite findings showing that mathematical achievement evolves markedly during elementary school years. In addition, few studies have considered the role of child general cognitive abilities in the links between maternal autonomy support and mathematical achievement. With a sample of 113 mother–child dyads, the current study investigated whether patterns of growth in mathematical achievement during the first three years of elementary school were predicted by the interaction between maternal autonomy support and child general cognitive abilities, both assessed in infancy. Results suggest that early maternal autonomy support is related to later mathematical achievement trajectories in children, although this relation unfolds differently based on children's baseline cognitive abilities. These findings suggest that maternal autonomy support in infancy may confer long-lasting benefits for children's acquisition of mathematical knowledge.