Background: The role of domain-general cognitive abilities in the etiology of Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) is a hotly debated issue. Aims: In the present study, we tested whether WISC-IV cognitive profiles can be useful to single out DD. Methods and procedures: Using a stringent 2-SD cutoff in a standardized numeracy battery, we identified children with DD (N = 43) within a clinical sample referred for assessment of learning disability and compared them in terms of WISC cognitive indexes to the remaining children without DD (N = 100) employing cross-validated logistic regression. Outcomes and results: Both groups showed higher Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Reasoning than Working Memory and Processing Speed, and DD scores were generally lower. Predictive accuracy of WISC indexes in identifying DD individuals was low (AUC = 0.67) and it dropped to chance level in discriminating DD from selected controls (N = 43) with average math performance but matched on global IQ. The inclusion of a visuospatial memory score as an additional predictor did not improve classification accuracy. Conclusions and implications: These results demonstrate that cognitive profiles do not reliably discriminate DD from non-DD children, thereby weakening the appeal of domain-general accounts.

Low discriminative power of WISC cognitive profile in developmental dyscalculia / Lunardon, Maristella; Decarli, Gisella; Sella, Francesco; Lanfranchi, Silvia; Gerola, Silvia; Cossu, Giuseppe; Zorzi, Marco. - In: RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. - ISSN 0891-4222. - 136:(2023), p. 104478. [10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104478]

Low discriminative power of WISC cognitive profile in developmental dyscalculia

Decarli, Gisella;Cossu, Giuseppe;Zorzi, Marco
2023-01-01

Abstract

Background: The role of domain-general cognitive abilities in the etiology of Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) is a hotly debated issue. Aims: In the present study, we tested whether WISC-IV cognitive profiles can be useful to single out DD. Methods and procedures: Using a stringent 2-SD cutoff in a standardized numeracy battery, we identified children with DD (N = 43) within a clinical sample referred for assessment of learning disability and compared them in terms of WISC cognitive indexes to the remaining children without DD (N = 100) employing cross-validated logistic regression. Outcomes and results: Both groups showed higher Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Reasoning than Working Memory and Processing Speed, and DD scores were generally lower. Predictive accuracy of WISC indexes in identifying DD individuals was low (AUC = 0.67) and it dropped to chance level in discriminating DD from selected controls (N = 43) with average math performance but matched on global IQ. The inclusion of a visuospatial memory score as an additional predictor did not improve classification accuracy. Conclusions and implications: These results demonstrate that cognitive profiles do not reliably discriminate DD from non-DD children, thereby weakening the appeal of domain-general accounts.
2023
Lunardon, Maristella; Decarli, Gisella; Sella, Francesco; Lanfranchi, Silvia; Gerola, Silvia; Cossu, Giuseppe; Zorzi, Marco
Low discriminative power of WISC cognitive profile in developmental dyscalculia / Lunardon, Maristella; Decarli, Gisella; Sella, Francesco; Lanfranchi, Silvia; Gerola, Silvia; Cossu, Giuseppe; Zorzi, Marco. - In: RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. - ISSN 0891-4222. - 136:(2023), p. 104478. [10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104478]
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
RIDD_Lunardon&al2023.pdf

Solo gestori archivio

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (Publisher’s layout)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 1.64 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.64 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11572/380049
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 0
  • Scopus 2
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 2
social impact