Individual differences in basic numerical skills: The role of executive functions and motor skills

Publication date: June 2019Source: Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, Volume 182Author(s): Venera Gashaj, Nicole Oberer, Fred W. Mast, Claudia M. RoebersAbstractThe aim of the current study was to explore individual differences in basic numerical skills in a normative sample of 151 kindergarteners (mean age = 6.45 years). Whereas previous research claims a substantial link between executive functions and basic numerical skills, motor abilities have been put forward to explain variance in numerical skills. Regarding the current study, these two assumptions have been combined, revealing interesting results. Namely, executive functions (inhibition, switching, and visuospatial working memory) were found to relate to symbolic numerical skills, and motor skills (gross and fine motor skills) showed a significant correlation to nonsymbolic numerical skills. Suggesting that motor skills and executive functions are associated with basic numerical skills could lead to potential avenues for interventions in certain disorders or disabilities such as nonverbal learning disability, developmental dyscalculia, and developmental coordination disorder.
Source: Journal of Experimental Child Psychology - Category: Child Development Source Type: research