Children aged 8 to 10 with developmental dyscalculia are less effective at using different mathematical strategies, according to findings published in JNeurosci.
Solving math problems requires deciding which approach works best rather than merely remembering arithmetic facts. Researchers examined how 68 children approached different mathematical challenges and managed their methods over time.
Children with developmental dyscalculia proved less effective at using various mathematical strategies than their peers. They took longer to shift methods when problem difficulty changed.
Other children became more adept at selecting appropriate approaches as time went on. Those with developmental dyscalculia showed no such improvement.
“Importantly, this study also emphasizes the individual variability observed in dyscalculia, further demonstrating that the disorder reflects cognitive and neural dysfunction across multiple processes,” Oliver Lasnick told Science Daily.
Stanford team members discovered distinct brain activity patterns in a specific neural system. These patterns predicted how effectively children counted and switched between problem-solving approaches.
The findings point toward mental abilities extending beyond mathematics. These include attention, memory, and cognitive flexibility.
Such processes help individuals organize information and adjust behavior when circumstances change. Difficulties involving these executive functions may contribute to the development of dyscalculia.
Developmental dyscalculia does not stem from one simple problem shared by every affected child. Different children experience difficulties across interacting mental processes.
Researchers aim to look beyond whether a child reaches the correct answer. Understanding how students manage mental demands could help experts develop better ways to support those with the condition.
