title: Do different types of school mathematics development depend on different constellations of numerical versus general cognitive abilities?
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the interplay between basic numerical cognition and domain-general abilities (such as working memory) in explaining school mathematics learning. First graders (N = 280; mean age = 5.77 years) were assessed on 2 types of basic numerical cognition, 8 domain-general abilities, procedural calculations, and word problems in fall and then reassessed on procedural calculations and word problems in spring. Development was indexed by latent change scores, and the interplay between numerical and domain-general abilities was analyzed by multiple regression. Results suggest that the development of different types of formal school mathematics depends on different constellations of numerical versus general cognitive abilities. When controlling for 8 domain-general abilities, both aspects of basic numerical cognition were uniquely predictive of procedural calculations and word problems development. Yet, for procedural calculations development, the additional amount of variance explained by the set of domain-general abilities was not significant, and only counting span was uniquely predictive. By contrast, for word problems development, the set of domain-general abilities did provide additional explanatory value, accounting for about the same amount of variance as the basic numerical cognition variables. Language, attentive behavior, nonverbal problem solving, and listening span were uniquely predictive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. lynn.fuchs@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Lynn S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Geary
authors.forename: Donald L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Compton
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Carol L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hamlett
authors.forename: Pamela M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Seethaler
authors.forename: Joan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schatschneider
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D001076:Aptitude; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D032882:Comprehension; D005260:Female; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D017145:Models, Educational; D011340:Problem Solving; D011446:Prospective Studies
references.citation: J Psychoeduc Assess. 2009 Jun;27(3):265-279
references.pmid: 20161145
references.citation: Except Child. 2012 Jan;78(2):201-220
references.pmid: 22736804
references.citation: J Exp Child Psychol. 2001 Jul;79(3):294-321
references.pmid: 11394931
references.citation: Br J Psychol. 1991 Aug;82 ( Pt 3):375-86
references.pmid: 1954527
references.citation: J Educ Psychol. 2008 Feb 1;100(1):30-47
references.pmid: 20057912
references.citation: J Exp Child Psychol. 2004 Aug;88(4):348-67
references.pmid: 15265681
references.citation: J Exp Psychol Gen. 1999 Sep;128(3):309-331
references.pmid: 10513398
references.citation: Int J Educ Psychol Assess. 2012 Apr;10(1):51-70
references.pmid: 26504617
references.citation: Child Dev. 2010 Sep-Oct;81(5):1520-33
references.pmid: 20840238
references.citation: Child Dev. 1989 Aug;60(4):973-80
references.pmid: 2758890
references.citation: Child Dev. 2008 Jul-Aug;79(4):1016-31
references.pmid: 18717904
references.citation: Cognition. 2003 Aug;89(1):B15-25
references.pmid: 12893126
references.citation: Cognition. 2004 Sep;93(2):99-125
references.pmid: 15147931
references.citation: J Exp Psychol Gen. 1982 Mar;111(1):1-22
references.pmid: 6460833
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2006 Jan;42(1):189-201
references.pmid: 16420128
references.citation: Child Dev. 2007 Jul-Aug;78(4):1343-59
references.pmid: 17650142
references.citation: Child Dev. 2007 Nov-Dec;78(6):1723-43
references.pmid: 17988317
references.citation: Dev Neuropsychol. 2008;33(3):205-28
references.pmid: 18473197
references.citation: Trends Cogn Sci. 2004 Jul;8(7):307-14
references.pmid: 15242690
references.citation: J Educ Psychol. 2009 May 1;101(2):388
references.pmid: 20157630
references.citation: J Learn Disabil. 2012 Jul-Aug;45(4):291-307
references.pmid: 21252374
references.citation: Dev Neuropsychol. 2008;33(3):277-99
references.pmid: 18473200
references.citation: J Learn Disabil. 1995 Jan;28(1):53-64
references.pmid: 7844488
references.citation: Am Psychol. 2000 Nov;55(11):1233-43
references.pmid: 11280937
references.citation: J Exp Child Psychol. 1997 Apr;65(1):1-24
references.pmid: 9126630
references.citation: Psychol Sci. 2010 Jan;21(1):93-101
references.pmid: 20424029
references.citation: Psychol Aging. 2008 Dec;23(4):702-19
references.pmid: 19140642
references.citation: Annu Rev Psychol. 2000;51:405-44
references.pmid: 10751977
references.citation: Child Dev. 2004 Mar-Apr;75(2):428-44
references.pmid: 15056197
references.citation: Nature. 2008 Oct 2;455(7213):665-8
references.pmid: 18776888
references.citation: Cognition. 2000 Jan 10;74(1):B1-B11
references.pmid: 10594312
references.citation: J Exp Child Psychol. 2001 Jun;79(2):192-227
references.pmid: 11343408
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2003 Jul;39(4):777-790
references.pmid: 12859129
references.citation: Nature. 2007 May 31;447(7144):589-91
references.pmid: 17538620
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 2005 Jul;131(4):592-617
references.pmid: 16060804
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 1991 May;109(3):490-501
references.pmid: 2062981
references.citation: Exp Aging Res. 1998 Apr-Jun;24(2):101-37
references.pmid: 9555566
references.citation: J Learn Disabil. 2000 Nov-Dec;33(6):567-78
references.pmid: 15495398
references.citation: J Learn Disabil. 2001 May-Jun;34(3):237-48
references.pmid: 15499878
references.citation: Dev Med Child Neurol. 2007 Nov;49(11):868-73
references.pmid: 17979867
references.citation: Annu Rev Psychol. 2009;60:577-605
references.pmid: 18817479
references.citation: Dev Neuropsychol. 2007;32(1):471-519
references.pmid: 17650991
references.citation: Psychol Rev. 1985 Jan;92(1):109-29
references.pmid: 3983303