Arithmetic fluency and number processing skills in identifying students with mathematical learning disabilities

• Published in: Research in developmental disabilities 2024-08, Vol.151, p.104795, Article 104795
• Main Authors: Hellstrand, H., Holopainen, S., Korhonen, J., Räsänen, P., Hakkarainen, A., Laakso, M.-J., Laine, A., Aunio, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Achievement; Adolescent; Arithmetic fluency; Child; Dyscalculia - diagnosis; Dyscalculia - physiopathology; Dyscalculia screener; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Female; Humans; Learning Disabilities - diagnosis; Male; Mathematical Concepts; Mathematical learning disabilities; Mathematics - education; Number processing skills; Numerical skills; Problem Solving; Students
• ISSN: 0891-4222; 1873-3379; 1873-3379
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104795

Students with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD) struggle with number processing skills (e.g., enumeration and number comparison) and arithmetic fluency. Traditionally, MLD is identified based on arithmetic fluency. However, number processing skills are suggested to differentiate low achievement (LA) from MLD. This study investigated the accuracy of number processing skills in identifying students with MLD and LA, based on arithmetic fluency, and whether the classification ability of number processing skills varied as a function of grade level. The participants were 18,405 students (girls = 9080) from Grades 3–9 (ages 9–15). Students’ basic numerical skills were assessed with an online dyscalculia screener (Functional Numeracy Assessment –Dyscalculia Battery, FUNA-DB), which included number processing and arithmetic fluency as two factors. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a two-factor structure of FUNA-DB. The two-factor structure was invariant across language groups, gender, and grade levels. Receiver operating characteristics curve analyses indicated that number processing skills are a fair classifier of MLD and LA status across grade levels. The classification accuracy of number processing skills was better when predicting MLD (cut-off < 5 %) compared to LA (cut-off < 25 %). Results highlight the need to measure both number processing and arithmetic fluency when identifying students with MLD. •Current international standards of identifying MLD rely on only arithmetic fluency.•New FUNA-DB screener has two factors: arithmetic fluency and number processing.•Number processing better identifies MLD (< 5 %) than LA (< 25 %).•Both number processing and arithmetic fluency should be used when identifying MLD.