Investigating the Patterns of Attention Performance in Children With Mathematical Learning Disorder, With Using Test of Everyday Attention for Children

Objective Mathematical learning disorder is a type of neurodevelopmental disorder detected by three types of working memory deficits, procedural and visual-spatial problems. The limited capacity of attention and a lot of environmental stimuli have encountered children with learning disorders with the problems. Since attention is one of the most important cognitive functions in the development of mathematics learning, it is important to recognize and evaluate a variety of attention deficits in this group of disorders. Therefore, considering to the three-factor model of Manly, based on sustained attention, selective attention, and control attention, in this study difference of patterns of attention in children with mathematical learning disorder using “Test of Everyday Attention for Children” was investigated.
Materials & Methods The present study was a descriptive-analytic study in a community of students aged 7-11 years with a learning disorder in Tehran, Iran. The selection was based on the early diagnosis of learning disorder with psychiatric and the standard intelligence scores of the Wechsler test in the academic records. Accordingly, 17 male and female students aged 7-11 years with the mathematical disorder were selected from five public learning centers in Tehran and 17 normal children were matched in age and gender. Initially, the demographic information questionnaire was completed by families. Then A version of “Test of everyday attention for children” was taken by the researcher during the standard period in the calming room. Accordingly, two groups with a mathematical learning disorder and normal peers were compared in three domains of sustained attention, selective, control in “Test of Everyday Attention for Children.”
Results The results of the Shapiro-Wilk test indicated that the distribution of values of all variables, except “sky search dual task” (sustained attention) and the speed of “creatures counting” (control attention), have a normal distribution in the learning disorder group (P>0.05). While the values of variables such as “Score” (sustained attention), “Opposite worlds”, accuracy of “creatures counting” (control attention), and “walk don’t walk”(sustained attention) do not follow a normal distribution in the control group (PConclusion The results demonstrate that children with mathematical learning disorders were significantly worse than their normal peers in all three domains. Findings indicated that “Test of Everyday Attention for Children” has the potential to evaluate the attention deficits in mathematical learning disorder as compared with normal peers. Therefore, it can be an appropriate tool for the evaluation in this group.