Magnitude processing in populations with spina-bifida: The role of visuospatial and working memory processes

[en] People with Spina Bifida usually experience difficulties with mathematics. In a series of other developmental disorders, a magnitude processing deficit was considered to be the main source of subsequent difficulties in mathematics. The processing of magnitude could be numerical (which is the larger number) or non-numerical such as spatial (e.g., which is the longer?) or temporal (which one last longer?) for instance. However, no study yet has examined directly magnitude processes in a population with Spina Bifida. On the other hand, recent studies in people with genetic syndromes have suggested that visuospatial and working memory processes play an important role in magnitude processing, including number magnitude. Therefore, in this study we explored for the first time magnitude representation using several tasks with different visuospatial and working memory processing requirements, cognitive skills frequently impaired in Spina Bifida. Results showed children with SB presented a global magnitude processing deficit for non-numerical and numerical comparison tasks, but not in symbolic number magnitude tasks compared to controls. Importantly, visuospatial skills and working memory abilities could partially explain the differences between groups in comparison and estimation tasks. This study proposes that magnitude processing difficulties in children with SB could be due to higher cognitive factors such as visuospatial and working memory processes.

Research center :

CIPSE - Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en Psychophysiologie et Electrophysiologie de la cognition

Disciplines :

Theoretical & cognitive psychology

Author, co-author :

Attout, Lucie

Noël, Marie-Pascale

Rousselle, Laurence

Language :

English

Title :

Magnitude processing in populations with spina-bifida: The role of visuospatial and working memory processes

Publication date :

25 February 2020

Journal title :

Research in Developmental Disabilities

ISSN :

0891-4222

eISSN :

1873-3379

Publisher :

Elsevier, United Kingdom

Volume :

102

Issue :

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Research unit :

P362 - Métrologie et Sciences du langage

Research institute :

R350 - Institut de recherche en sciences et technologies du langage

Available on ORBi UMONS :

since 25 February 2022

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