Poster #73 - Cognitive flexibility supports early mathematics achievement

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Education, Schooling

Integrative Statement

Executive functions (EF) refer to skills that are necessary for coordinating, planning, and executing goal-directed actions (Miyake et al., 2000). Working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility are characterized as foundational EF skills that have been linked to both concurrent and later mathematics achievement (Clements & Sarama, 2016). However, the relative contribution of different EF processes to mathematics ability is less understood, with studies often reporting inconsistent findings. In younger preschool-aged children, inhibition appears to uniquely predict mathematics performance (Blair & Razza, 2007; Espy et al., 2004). However, studies involving older school-aged children have found a stronger relation between working memory and mathematics achievement (Bull, Espy, & Wiebe, 2008; Monette, Bigras, & Guay, 2011). Moreover, the association between cognitive flexibility and mathematics achievement has received less attention and is less conclusive (Blair & Razza, 2007; Espy et al., 2004; Monette et al., 2011). The present study sought to examine both concurrent and longitudinal predictive associations between these three EF skills and mathematics performance during the early preschool and school-aged years.

Participants were 148 children who enrolled in the study at age 4; 96 children returned for a follow-up visit at age 6. Math achievement was assessed using the Applied Problems subtest of the Woodcock Johnson (WJ) III Test of Achievement. Background variables included sex and maternal education. For the EF predictors, working memory was assessed using the Digit Span, inhibition was assessed using a Yes-No Stroop task (age 4) and Number Stroop (age 6), and cognitive flexibility was assessed using the Dimensional Change Card Sort.

The multiple regression analysis predicting age 4 mathematics achievement from concurrent EF was significant [R2= .391, F(5, 142) = 18.204, p < .001, see Table 1]. Both inhibition (β = .190, p < .01) and cognitive flexibility (β = .414, p < .001) were significant predictors. The multiple regression analysis predicting age 6 mathematics achievement was also significant [R2= .255, F(8, 87) = 3.723, p < .01, see Table 2]. Although EF skills at age 4 did not predict age 6 mathematics achievement, concurrent EF was a significant predictor. Specifically, working memory (β = .274, p < .05) and cognitive flexibility (β = .223, p < .05) emerged as unique predictors of mathematics achievement in older children. These findings suggest that the nature of the association between EF and mathematics ability may change with age. Whereas inhibitory control uniquely predicted mathematics ability in younger children, working memory emerged as an important predictor at older ages. In addition, our findings suggest that cognitive flexibility is an especially strong predictor of mathematics ability throughout early development. Future investigations should examine the predictive value of cognitive flexibility for children with mathematics learning difficulties.

Authors

• Vinaya Rajan, University of the Sciences
  Presenting Author

• Martha Ann Bell, Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author