A naturalistic study of executive function and mathematical problem-solving

Difficulties of children with ADHD symptoms in solving mathematical problems when information must be updated

“…Comparable results in studies using similar tests have been reported in reading comprehension (e.g. Chiappe, Hasher, & Siegel, 2000;Palladino, Cornoldi, De Beni, & Pazzaglia, 2001) and in problem solving with children with typical development (respectively, 5th graders in Iglesias-Sarmiento et al (2015), and 8th graders in Kotsopoulosa & Leeb, 2012).…”

“…Specifically, Siegel (2001, 2004) found that, compared to good problem solvers, poor problem solvers found it difficult to suppress information that was irrelevant to the problem solving task. With regard to updating, several authors have suggested that updating could also be a key cognitive process for solving mathematical word problems (Blessing & Ross, 1996;Iglesias-Sarmiento, Carriedo López, & Rodríguez Rodríguez, 2015;Kotsopoulosa & Leeb, 2012;Passolunghi & Pazzaglia, 2004). In fact, word problem solving requires the maintenance of information and the construction of a mental model that may also need to be modified at each step of the problem-solving process (Blessing & Ross, 1996;Hegarty, Mayer, & Monk, 1995;Passolunghi & Pazzaglia, 2004).…”

Updating executive function and performance in reading comprehension and problem solving. [La función ejecutiva de actualización y el rendimiento en comprensión lectora y resolución de problemas]

“…In particular, the authors note the individual differences that become evident when the problem requires the processing, suppression, and retaining of information. Comparable results in recent studies using similar tests have been reported (e.g., Palladino et al, 2001;Kotsopoulosa & Leeb, 2012). In view of the above, the results are still inconclusive (see Fuchs et al, 2006, Hecht, Close, & Santisi, 2003 because a large part of the studies have analyzed the link between executive functions and anales de psicología, 2015, vol.…”

“…With regard to the updating executive function, various authors (e.g., Blessing & Ross, 1996, Passolungui & Pazzaglia, 2004Kotsopoulosa & Leeb, 2012) have pointed to updating as a key mechanism for solving arithmetic problems. The practical implementation of a problem would require the construction of a mental model of each step and its progressive modification when going on to the next step (Passolungui & Pazzaglia, 2005).…”

“…The practical implementation of a problem would require the construction of a mental model of each step and its progressive modification when going on to the next step (Passolungui & Pazzaglia, 2005). In addition, as noted by Kotsopoulosa and Leeb (2012), both the linguistic and the mathematical complexity of the problem have been related to the results achieved in problem-solving. For instance, updating should not be considered a mere process of exclusion and inclusion of information but a complex process that attributes different levels of activation and that updates items continuously, retaining various simultaneously activated items (Passolungui & Pazzaglia, 2005).…”