Low discriminative power of WISC cognitive profile in developmental dyscalculia. (May 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lunardon, Maristella; Decarli, Gisella; Sella, Francesco; Lanfranchi, Silvia; Gerola, Silvia; Cossu, Giuseppe; Zorzi, Marco
• Is Part Of: Research in developmental disabilities. Volume 136(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-05
• Subjects: Developmental dyscalculia -- Math disability -- Specific learning disabilities -- Diagnosis; Developmental disabilities -- Periodicals; Developmentally disabled -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Developmentally disabled children -- Education -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Developmental Disabilities -- Periodicals; Disabled -- Periodicals; Mental Retardation -- rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Personnes atteintes de troubles du développement -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Enfants atteints de troubles du développement -- Éducation -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Développement, Troubles du -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; 616.858800
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104478
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-4222

Abstract

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. Highlights: Developmental dyscalculia (DD) and non-DD children show a similar WISC cognitive profile. WISC indexes show low predictive accuracy in discriminating DD from non-DD. Discrimination based on WISC indexes is at chance level when non-DD are matched for global IQ to DD.