Nonsymbolic and Symbolic Numerical Magnitude Processing in the Brazilian Children with Mathematics Difficulties.

Isabella Starling-Alves,Ricardo José De Moura,Annelise Júlio-Costa,Vitor Geraldi Haase

doi:10.1590/1980-57642021dn15-040013

Abstract

ABSTRACTIt is still debated if the main deficit in mathematical difficulties (MD) is nonsymbolic or symbolic numerical magnitude processing.Objectives:In the present study, our main goal was to investigate nonsymbolic and symbolic numerical magnitude processing in MD and the relationship between these abilities and arithmetic.Methods:The Brazilian school-age children with MD completed a nonsymbolic and a symbolic numerical magnitude comparison task and an arithmetic task. We compared their performance with a group of children with typical achievement (TA) and investigated the association between numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic with a series of regression analyses.Results:Results indicated that children with MD had low performance in the nonsymbolic numerical magnitude comparison task. Performance in both nonsymbolic and symbolic numerical magnitude comparison tasks predicted arithmetic abilities in children with TA, but not in children with MD.Conclusions:These results indicate that children with MD have difficulties in nonsymbolic numerical magnitude processing, and do not engage basic numerical magnitude representations to solve arithmetic.

Highlights

It is still debated if the main deficit in mathematical difficulties (MD) is nonsymbolic or symbolic numerical magnitude processing
Several studies have found that children with MD have a higher Weber fraction — which is indicative of worse performance — than children with typical achievement (TA).[13,15,20,21]
We have investigated how nonsymbolic and symbolic numerical magnitude processing is associated with an arithmetic performance by conducting zero-order correlations and a series of regression models

Summary

Introduction

It is still debated if the main deficit in mathematical difficulties (MD) is nonsymbolic or symbolic numerical magnitude processing. Mathematics difficulties (MD) impact children’s academic performance and social well-being.[1,2] Children with MD are unsuccessful in performing addition, subtraction, and multiplications problems.[3,4,5] Such struggle is usually manifested by high reaction times (RT), low accuracy, and the use of immature strategies, such as finger counting, while solving arithmetic operations.[3,6,7,8]. It is still unclear how basic number systems contribute to the difficulties observed in MD. The Weber fraction accounts for the variability in the representation of a specific numerical magnitude, and the higher its value, the less accurate the sensitivity to numerical differences is.[17,18,19] Several studies have found that children with MD have a higher Weber fraction — which is indicative of worse performance — than children with typical achievement (TA).[13,15,20,21]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion