How do basic numerical skills matter in the association of phonological processing with arithmetic?

Ningxin Zhao, Zimo Wang, Minqi Gao, Xin Chen, Xiujie Yang

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Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 authors.

Ningxin ZhaoBeijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China.

Zimo WangBeijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China.

Minqi GaoBeijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China.

Xin ChenBeijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China.

Xiujie YangBeijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China. amyyang@bnu.edu.cn.

Funding

Beijing Natural Science Foundation L242110

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA growing body of research has demonstrated that phonological processing skills are associated with arithmetic performance. The present study intended to further investigate which among the numerical abilities might explain the underlying mechanism of the relationships between phonological processing skills and arithmetic.

methodsWe examined Grade 3-5 elementary students (N = 230; aged 9 to 12 years). Data were collected in March 2021. Measures included phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming (RAN), two symbolic numerical skills (i.e., number ordering and number comparison), two nonsymbolic numerical abilities (i.e., dot comparison and counting), and simple arithmetic tasks. Structural equation modeling was employed, with age and gender controlled as covariates.

resultsPhonological awareness and RAN showed direct effects on arithmetic skills. Among the four basic number skills, only number ordering significantly mediated the association between phonological awareness and arithmetic.

conclusionsSymbolic numerical skills (i.e., number ordering ability) rather than nonsymbolic numerical skills are important for explaining the relationship between phonological processing and arithmetic in primary school children.

Indexed as

Mathematical ConceptsMathematicsPhoneticsChildFemaleHumansMaleArithmeticNumber OrderingPhonological AwarenessRapid Automatized Naming

Identifiers

PMID41225665

DOI10.1186/s40359-025-03558-3

PMCPMC12613640

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