This longitudinal study analyses the structure of executive function in children assessed at five and six years of age and examines the longitudinal relationships between the executive function dimensions identified at the two age levels. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the latent structure of executive function at both age levels. The best fit to the data at both age levels was a two-factor model in which inhibition was distinguished, while working memory and shifting emerged as a unitary component. Some variables show a moderate longitudinal stability and the inhibitory control tasks display reduced continuity across ages.

This study investigated the roles of different executive function (EF) components (inhibition, shifting, and working memory) in 2-step arithmetic word problem solving. A sample of 139 children aged 8 years old and regularly attending the 3rd grade of primary school were tested on 6 EF tasks measuring different EF components, a reading task and a reading comprehension task, an arithmetic facts task evaluating basic knowledge of calculation, and three 2-step arithmetic word problems. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to investigate the roles of the different EF components in the various phases of the problem-solving process. The results showed that EF affects the various phases of problem solving differently over and above calculation knowledge and reading abilities. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to further understanding the role of cognitive skills in mathematical problem solving and in relation to instructional approaches that may increase children’s performance on 2-step arithmetic word problems.

Studies focusing on math abilities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are limited and often provide inconsistent results. This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate math abilities in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to typically developing (TD) participants. According with PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search strategy was adopted. First, 4405 records were identified through database searching; then, the title-abstract screening led to the identification of 58 potentially relevant studies and, finally, after the full-text screening, 13 studies were included. Results shows that the group with ASD (n = 533) performed lower than the TD group (n = 525) with a small-to-medium effect (g=0.49). The effect size was not moderated by task-related characteristics. Instead, sample-related characteristics, specifically age, verbal intellectual functioning, and working memory, were significant moderators. This meta-analysis shows that people with ASD have poorer math skills than their TD peers, suggesting the importance of investigating math abilities in autism, taking into account the role of moderating variables.