In our study of over 250 children between 8 and 10 years old there were none who were identified as dyscalculic who did not have other problems. I just wondered if our sample was unusual.
It seems a little bit tricky~ dyscalculic students' performance definitely show some problem, especially in math, and it must be one of the most important criterion of identifying them. However, if the samples in your study don't show any psychological problem, it may be inconsistent with plenty of evidence which show they have some problems in working memory, executive function, and cognitive inhibition (you can read it in one of my papers). So, I do recommend that you can test more some of their obvious cognitive deficits to fit the traditional theories of dyscalculia.
Thanks for your reply. I am going to read your paper. I am sorry if i was unclear. What i mean is that all the children in our sample identified as dyscalculic also had problems in at least one of the following: working memory, processing speed, socio-emotional functioning.
No problem at all, it's very useful to me to discuss some issues with you in the same interesting academic domain. These three indexes are very classic, and it would be enough to be criterion, but I have some questions following: (a) are these three cognitive abilities the only criterion you have for dyscalculia? or there are still some academic performance? (b) what cognitive ability you test to be the "other areas of psychological functioning" in the title?
I believe that Daniel Ansari at University of Western Ontario has done so. He should be contacted for confirmation.
Whether children with Developmental dyscalculia have a specific foundational numerical deficit or are their numerical deficits also contributed to by other cognitive abilities like executive functioning or working memory deficits are two major lines of thinking and research, in this field. While Scientists like Butterworth (2005) and Dehaene (2001) present strong evidences for the presence of a core deficit of number sense,(the neural substrate of which is the Horizontal intra-parietal sulcus),which when disturbed leads to number processing deficits, they also acknowledge the presence of general cognitive deficits having a contributory role to math deficits as opined by Geary (1993), Mc Lean& Hitch (1999).
Again in your study, I'm not sure whether the variables covered under psychological functioning covers the cognitive domains.
It may be useful to refer the work, Developmental dyscalculia and basic numerical
capacities: a study of 8–9-year-old students.
by Landerl, Bevan & Butterworth(2004) who have included pure cases of dyscalculia and the early work by Subtypes of reading and arithmetical abilities:A neuropsychological analysis by Rourke&Strang(1983) & Rourke(1993).
Thanks for your contribution Nandini. The study by Landerl Bevan and Butterworth had a very unusual approach to sample selection and it did not control for visuospatial ability.
here is a study i completed on the topic
Article Diagnostic Assessment and Mathematical Difficulties: An Expe...
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Geoscience
- Asia
- India