Early Numerical Competencies and Executive Functions Interactively Predict Later Math

• In Event: Unpacking the Complexities of Bi-Directional Associations between Executive Functions and Math

Abstract

Though commonly considered as a unitary construct in educational contexts, early mathematics may be better represented by two or more related constructs (Dowker, 2008; LeFevre et al., 2010). Prior research has indeed shown that early math might be best represented by anywhere between two and five separate numerical competences that may or may not be correlated with one another (e.g., Milburn et al., 2019; Ribner et al., 2018), but are stable over time (Bräuning et al., under review). However, additional research is needed to better understand the relations between these individual components of one broader skillset and later “mathematical skill” as assessed through standardized assessment.

Further, while the development of mathematical is hierarchical in nature, it relies too upon other sets of skills that enable children to process and scaffold incoming information upon existing knowledge. In particular, young students leverage executive functions—a multidimensional set of skills recruited in the pursuit of goal-directed actions and purportedly comprised of working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility—to build math skills over time (e.g., Blair et al., 2016; Ribner et al., 2017) and learn from instruction (Ribner, 2020). While we know there are relations between individual components of executive function and of early math (e.g., Purpura et al., 2020; Ribner et al., 2018), it remains unclear how components executive function and of early numeracy interact contribute to math development over time.

Analyses for the present investigation were conducted using data from the Family Life Project, a large-scale, longitudinal, prospective study of child development with children from areas of non-urban Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Data were collected when children were approximately 5 years of age and enrolled in pre-kindergarten, and again when children were in fifth grade. Executive function was assessed using a battery of six notebook-based assessments (Willoughby et al., 2012). Early math was assessed using the assessment developed by the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort: 1998-1999. Prior confirmatory factor analysis (Bräuning et al., under review) established the presence of four unique domains: Patterning, number sense, arithmetic, and data analysis/statistics which were all moderately to strong correlated with one another (rs = .57-.89, p < .001). Later math was assessed using the Applied Problems subtest of the Woodcock-Johnson.

Grade 5 math was regressed on basic numerical competencies in pre-kindergarten and family and child characteristics. Patterning, number sense, arithmetic, and the interaction between EF and number sense significantly predicted grade 5 math. The latter indicates that children with low levels of number sense at age 5 may be able to leverage their EF to catch up to their peers by grade 5 (Figure 1). As well, children with high levels of early number sense may be less reliant on EF in the development of their mathematical skills, suggesting it may be a target for early intervention. Further analyses will investigate interactions between individual components of EF and math, as well as the role of each early numerical competencies and executive function in predicting growth in math skills across elementary grades.

Group Authors

FLP Investigators

Authors

• Andrew Ribner, University of Pittsburgh
  Presenting Author

• David Brauning, University of Tübingen
  Non-Presenting Author

• Korbinian Moeller, Loughborough University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Clancy Blair, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author