UK study finds children with maths difficulties (SLDM/dyscalculia) are 100 times less likely to receive an official diagnosis than peers with dyslexia

By Christian Jarrett Given how important maths skills are in everyday life, it is vital that we develop ways to reliably identify those children with particular learning difficulties related to maths (known as “specific learning disorder in mathematics”/SLDM or dyscalculia) so that they can be provided with appropriate support. Unfortunately, maths-related learning problems are far less understood and recognised compared with similar problems related to reading and language. A recent study in the British Journal of Psychology highlights this issue, being the first to estimate the prevalence of SLDM/dyscalculia in primary school age children using contemporary criteria (as outlined by the American Psychiatric Association in the latest version of its diagnostic manual). The results provide much needed data on this topic, reveal some worrying facts and also useful insights for policy. The research is based on nearly 2,500 children, aged 7 to 13, from 19 rural and urban schools in Northern Ireland. The data are averages of several years’ standardised test results of the children’s maths, reading and IQ, together with background demographic information and notes on any diagnoses of other developmental problems. Historically, diagnosis of SLDM/dyscalculia took a child’s IQ into account a child, such that a specific problem with maths was only diagnosed if their maths ability was low relative to their IQ – the so-called “discrepancy criterion&...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Educational Source Type: blogs