The proposed research is a prospective longitudinal study of math skills development in primary school-age children. The broad, long term objectives of this project are to contribute toward understanding early math ability, math disability (MD) and MD subtypes. Toward these objectives, the following specific aims are proposed: (1) To examine early math skills performance in normally-achieving children and in children with a relative weakness in early math skills. Of particular interest is whether distinct profiles corresponding to the Visuospatial, Semantic Memory, and Procedural MD subtypes proposed by Geary (1993) will emerge; (2) to examine cognitive correlates of concurrent ald later math skills performance; (3) to evaluate changes in math performance over time across the different participant groups and as a function of whether a child meets criteria for MD in grade 3; (4) to identify whether girls with fragile X or Turner syndrome manifest a math weakness at ages 5 through 8 years; (5) to identify molecular genetic correlates of early math performance in girls with fragile X; and (6) to examine the association between ADHD and MD. The health-relatedness of the project is its contribution to defining and understanding MD. Models of MD have been proposed, although the core cognitive deficits associated with MD are not fully understood. Enhanced awareness of these deficits and subtypes is important for guiding identification and intervention of MD. The research design includes four groups at risk for MD and a male and female group with normal math achievement. A male and female at-risk group, and normally achieving boys and girls will be drawn from 300 kindergrateners recruited through a local public school district. Two additional at-risk groups will be girls with fragile X or Turner syndrome, disorders for which a math weakness is well substantiated. Cross-sectional data from high functioning males with fragile X, age 5 to 8 years, will be used to further specific math profiles seen in children fragile X. Methods to be used include annual assessments of math reading-related (i.e., semantic memory), and visuospatial skills, administered individually at ages 5 through 8 years. MD criteria will be based on the MD subtypes proposed by Geary (Aim 1). Additional models of MD may be explored, depending on the outcome of the data. Data on anxiety and ADHD behaviors will be examined more fully in year 05, as a function of whether a child meets criteria for MD in grade 3. Growth curve analysis, ANOVA and multiple regression will be employed to address patterns of math and cognitive performance, the relation across math and other cognitive domains, and the change in performance among these domains overtime.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD034061-02
Application #
2673968
Study Section
Human Development and Aging Subcommittee 3 (HUD)
Project Start
1997-08-01
Project End
2001-07-31
Budget Start
1998-08-01
Budget End
1999-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Hugo W. Moser Research Institute Kennedy Krieger
Department
Type
DUNS #
167202410
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21205
Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Myers, Gwen F; Lewis, Katherine E et al. (2013) Limited knowledge of fraction representations differentiates middle school students with mathematics learning disability (dyscalculia) versus low mathematics achievement. J Exp Child Psychol 115:371-87
Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Grimm, Kevin J (2013) Growth in rapid automatized naming from grades K to 8 in children with math or reading disabilities. J Learn Disabil 46:517-33
Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Murphy, Melissa M; Brown, Ethan C et al. (2013) Persistent consequences of atypical early number concepts. Front Psychol 4:486
Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Feigenson, Lisa; Halberda, Justin (2011) Impaired acuity of the approximate number system underlies mathematical learning disability (dyscalculia). Child Dev 82:1224-37
Mazzocco, Michele M M (2009) Mathematical learning disability in girls with Turner syndrome: a challenge to defining MLD and its subtypes. Dev Disabil Res Rev 15:35-44
Mazzocco, Michèle M M (2009) An introduction to the special issue: pathways to mathematical learning difficulties and disabilities. Dev Disabil Res Rev 15:1-3
Roberts, Jane; Mazzocco, Michele M M; Murphy, Melissa M et al. (2008) Arousal modulation in females with fragile X or Turner syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord 38:20-7
Mazzocco, Michele M M; Devlin, Kathleen T; McKenney, Sarah J (2008) Is it a fact? Timed arithmetic performance of children with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD) varies as a function of how MLD is defined. Dev Neuropsychol 33:318-44
Halberda, Justin; Mazzocco, Michele M M; Feigenson, Lisa (2008) Individual differences in non-verbal number acuity correlate with maths achievement. Nature 455:665-8
Mazzocco, Michele M M (2008) Introduction: mathematics ability, performance, and achievement. Dev Neuropsychol 33:197-204

Showing the most recent 10 out of 24 publications