Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30543713›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

The contributions of executive functions to mathematical learning difficulties and mathematical talent during adolescence.

Roberto A Abreu-Mendoza, Yaira Chamorro, Mauricio A Garcia-Barrera, Esmeralda Matute

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Understanding the complexities of mathematical cognition: A multi-level framework.Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006) · 2023
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Roberto A Abreu-MendozaInstituto de Neurociencias, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.ORCID 0000-0002-6841-0917
Yaira ChamorroInstituto de Neurociencias, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.
Mauricio A Garcia-BarreraDepartment of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Esmeralda MatuteInstituto de Neurociencias, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.ORCID 0000-0003-0118-9960

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Are mathematical learning difficulties caused by impairment of the abilities that underlie mathematical talent? Or are mathematical difficulties and talent qualitatively different? The main goal of this study was to determine whether mathematical learning difficulties are explained by the same executive functions as mathematical talent. We screened a pool of 2,682 first-year high school students and selected 48 for evaluation, dividing them into three groups: those with mathematical learning difficulties (n = 16), those with typical performance (n = 16), and those with mathematical talent (n = 16). Adolescents from the learning difficulties and talented groups had age, reading skills, and verbal and non-verbal intelligence that were similar to those of the typical performance group. Participants were administered a suite of tasks to evaluate verbal and visual short-term memory and executive functions of inhibition, shifting, and updating. Different executive functions showed different contributions at the two ends of the math ability continuum: lower levels of performance in updating visual information were related to mathematical learning difficulties, while greater shifting abilities were related to mathematical talent. Effect sizes for the differences in performance between groups were large (Hedges' g > 0.8). These results suggest that different executive functions are associated with mathematical learning difficulties and mathematical talent. We discuss how these differences in executive functions could be related to the different types of mathematical abilities that distinguish the three groups.

Indexed as

Executive FunctionMathematical ConceptsAcademic SuccessAdolescentFemaleHumansIndividualityInhibition, PsychologicalIntelligenceLearning DisabilitiesMaleMemory, Short-TermMotor ActivityPsychology, AdolescentReadingVisual Perception

Identifiers

PMID30543713
PMCPMC6292664

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.