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Number Processing and Calculation in Brazilian Children Aged 7-12 Years

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Flávia Heloísa Dos Santos ,
Paulo Adilson Da Silva ,
Fabiana Silva Ribeiro ,
Ana Luiza Ribeiro Pereira Dias ,
Michele Cândida Frigério ,
Georges Dellatolas  and
Michael von Aster
Flávia Heloísa Dos Santos*
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Brazil)
Paulo Adilson Da Silva
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Brazil)
Fabiana Silva Ribeiro
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Brazil)
Ana Luiza Ribeiro Pereira Dias
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Brazil)
Michele Cândida Frigério
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Brazil)
Georges Dellatolas
Affiliation:
Institut National de La Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (France)
Michael von Aster
Affiliation:
University of Zurich (Switzerland)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Flávia Heloísa Dos Santos. Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP/Assis. Laboratório de Neuropsicologia. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia. Departamento de Psicologia Experimental e do Trabalho. Avenida Dom Antônio 2100 - cep 19806-900, Assis - SP, (Brazil). Phone: + 55-18-33025902. Fax: + 55-18-33025804; E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Numerical cognition is based on two components - number processing and calculation. Its development is influenced by biological, cognitive, educational, and cultural factors. The objectives of the present study were to: i) assess number processing and calculation in Brazilian children aged 7-12 years from public schools using the Zareki-R (Battery of neuropsychological tests for number processing and calculation in children, Revised; von Aster & Dellatolas, 2006) in order to obtain normative data for Portuguese speakers; ii) identify how environment, age, and gender influences the development of these mathematical skills; iii) investigate the construct validity of the Zareki-R by the contrast with the Arithmetic subtest of WISC-III. The sample included 172 children, both genders, divided in two groups: urban (N = 119) and rural (N = 53) assessed by the Zareki-R. Rural children presented lower scores in one aspect of number processing; children aged 7-8 years demonstrated an inferior global score than older; boys presented a superior performance in both number processing and calculation. Construct validity of Zareki-R was demonstrated by high to moderate correlations with Arithmetic subtest of WISC-III. The Zareki-R therefore is a suitable instrument to assess the development of mathematical skills, which is influenced by factors such as environment, age, and gender.

La cognición numérica se basa en dos componentes: el procesamiento numérico y el cálculo. Su desarrollo está influenciado por factores biológicos, cognitivos, educativos, y culturales. Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron: a) evaluar el procesamiento numérico y el cálculo en niños brasileños de entre 7-12 años de escuelas públicas utilizando el Zareki-R (batería de pruebas neuropsicológicas para el procesamiento numérico y el cálculo en niños, revisada por von Aster y Dellatolas, 2006) con el fin de obtener datos normativos para los hablantes de portugués, b) determinar cómo el medio ambiente, la edad y el género influyen en el desarrollo de estas habilidades matemáticas, y c) investigar la validez de constructo del Zareki-R en contraste con el subtest de Aritmética WISC-III. La muestra incluyó a 172 niños evaluados por el Zareki-R, niños de ambos sexos, divididos en dos grupos: urbano (N = 119) y rural (N = 53). Los niños de origen rural presentaron puntuaciones más bajas en un aspecto de procesamiento numérico, los niños de 7-8 años demostraron una puntuación inferior global que los mayores; los varones presentaron un rendimiento superior tanto en el procesamiento numérico como en el cálculo. La validez del constructo del Zareki-R fue demostrada por las correlaciones de alta a moderada con el subtest de Aritmética WISC-III. El Zareki-R por lo tanto, es un instrumento adecuado para evaluar el desarrollo de habilidades matemáticas, que está influenciado por factores como el medio ambiente, la edad y el género.

Keywords

Zareki-Rmathematical skillschildrenneuropsychological assessmentarithmeticZareki-Rhabilidades matemáticasniñosevaluación neuropsicológicaaritmética
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , July 2012 , pp. 513 - 525
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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