Self-Regulation Mediates Socioeconomic Status Disparities in Several Domains of Early Math Skills (Poster 1)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Seven
  In Poster Session: Contemporary Perspectives in Human Development

Abstract

Children’s early math skills undergird future academic success, and family SES is positively predicts various domains of math skills. Self-regulatory skills help explain socioeconomic variability in children’s math achievement in elementary school, but no studies have examined whether self-regulation is a pathway through which SES relates to math skills growth prior to elementary school. Using data from 128 4-year-old children, this study examines whether self-regulation mediates links between SES and the development of subdomains of math skills. Controlling for age 4 math skills, SES differences in age 5 numeral identification and spatial mental transformation skills were apparent, and these associations operated through self-regulation. Furthermore, SES had fully indirect links to applied math when using money and geometric sensitivity via self-regulation.

Authors

• Heather J. Bachman, University of Pittsburgh
  Presenting Author

• Portia Miller, University of Pittsburgh
  Non-Presenting Author

• Leanne Elliott, University of Pittsburgh
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal, University of Pittsburgh
  Non-Presenting Author

• Melissa Libertus, University of Pittsburgh
  Non-Presenting Author