Executive Functioning as a Predictor of Children's Mathematics Ability: Inhibition, Switching, and Working Memory

Abstract

Children's mathematical skills were considered in relation to executive functions. Using multiple measures--including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST), dual-task performance, Stroop task, and counting span-it was found that mathematical ability was significantly correlated with all measures of executive functioning, with the exception of dual-task performance. Furthermore, regression analyses revealed that each executive function measure predicted unique variance in mathematics ability. These results are discussed in terms of a central executive with diverse functions (Shallice & Burgess, 1996) and with recent evidence from Miyake, et al. (2000) showing the unity and diversity among executive functions. It is proposed that the particular difficulties for children of lower mathematical ability are lack of inhibition and poor working memory, which result in problems with switching and evaluation of new strategies for dealing with a particular task. The practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed, along with suggestions for task changes and longitudinal studies that would clarify theoretical and developmental issues related to executive functioning.

Behavioral inhibition in children with learning disabilities

“…Besides the important emphasis on a number representation (Butterworth, 1999;2005;Noël & Rouselle, 2011), studies focus on executive functioning as well (Bull & Scerif, 2001;D'Amico & Passolunghi, 2009;De Weerdt, Desoete & Roeyers, 2012). Research has shown that inhibition is predictive for mathematical abilities and necessary in math performance for the active suppression of immature or incorrect strategies (Bull & Scerif, 2001).…”

“…Research has shown that inhibition is predictive for mathematical abilities and necessary in math performance for the active suppression of immature or incorrect strategies (Bull & Scerif, 2001). Children with MD and -to a lesser extent-control children might for instance have the tendency to make tablerelated or counting-string errors (Geary, 2011).…”

“…However, some studies investigated prepotent response inhibition in children with MD (Bull & Scerif, 2001;Censabella & Noel, 2005van der Sluis, de Jong, & van der Leij, 2004). The prepotent response inhibition of Friedman and Miyake (2004) encloses Nigg's behavioral and oculomotor inhibition.…”

“…Zhang and Wu (2011) reported impairments in children with MD on both a color-word and a numerical Stroop. A study of Bull and Scerif (2001) emphasized a significant correlation between mathematical performance and the level of interference control on a numerical Stroop task (the lower the mathematics ability, the higher the interference). However, no impairments on the numerical Stroop were found by Censabella and Noel (2005), nor by van der Sluis et al (2004).…”

A structural analysis of working memory and related cognitive skills in young children

“…Links have been found between these working memory abilities and attainments in the areas of reading (e.g., De Jong, 1998;Swanson, 1994), mathematics (e.g., Bull & Scerif, 2001;Mayringer & Wimmer, 2000;Siegal & Ryan, 1989), and language comprehension (e.g., Nation, Adams, Bowyer-Crane, & Snowling, 1999;Seigneuric, Ehrlich, Oakhill, & Yuill, 2000). Measures of working memory at school entry (at 4 or 5 years, in the UK) have also been found to provide excellent predictors of childrenÕs success in national assessments of scholastic abilities up to 3 years later (Gathercole, Brown, & Pickering, 2003).…”