Study on numerical distance effect in amblyopic children aged from 6 to 13

Abstract

Objective To investigate numerical distance effect of numerical processing in amblyopic children aged from 6 to 13. Methods 46 amblyopic children and 43 control children with normal sight were divided into 3 groups respectively: 7Y group (6~8 years old), 9Y group (9~10 years old) and 12Y group (11~13 years old). The numerical comparison task (judging the magnitude of number) was used in this study and error rate(ER) and reaction times (RTs) were recorded. Results (1) RTs of judging the number 4 (7Y group (995±100)ms, 9Y group (964±141)ms, 12Y group (701±125)ms) were significant longer(P<0.05) than RTs of judging the number 1((882±140)ms, (790±119)ms, (550±41)ms) in 3 control groups; RTs of judging the number 6((968±116)ms, (918±126)ms, (712±125)ms) were significant longer(P<0.05) than RTs of judging the number 9((862±121)ms, (774±151)ms, (625±141)ms). (2) In the 12Y group of amblyopic children: RTs of judging the number 4((942±107)ms) were significant longer (P<0.05) than RTs for judging the number 1((847±136)ms). (3) No developmental significant difference was found neither within the control children nor within amblyopic children using the RTs D-values which gained by the RTs of far distant numbers (1/2/8/9) minus close distant numbers (3/4/6/7). Conclusion Only 12Y group of amblyopic children show numerical distance effect in subitizing(>5). The development of numerical processing in amblyopic children is slower than that in children with normal sight. Key words: Amblyopic children; Numerical processing; Numerical distance effect; Development