An Extension of the Procedural Deficit Hypothesis from Developmental Language Disorders to Mathematical Disability

Abstract

Mathematical disability (MD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting math abilities. Here, we propose a new explanatory account of MD, the procedural deficit hypothesis (PDH), which may further our understanding of the disorder. According to the PDH of MD, abnormalities of brain structures subserving the procedural memory system can lead to difficulties with math skills learned in this system, as well as problems with other functions that depend on these brain structures. This brain-based account is motivated in part by the high comorbidity between MD and language disorders such as dyslexia that may be explained by the PDH, and in part by the likelihood that learning automatized math skills should depend on procedural memory. Here, we first lay out the PDH of MD, and present specific predictions. We then examine the existing literature for each prediction, while pointing out weaknesses and gaps to be addressed by future research. Although we do not claim that the PDH is likely to fully explain MD, we do suggest that the hypothesis could have substantial explanatory power, and that it provides a useful theoretical framework that may advance our understanding of the disorder.

Is procedural memory enhanced in Tourette syndrome? Evidence from a sequence learning task

“…Finally, our study has both educational and clinical implications. Enhanced procedural memory could potentially serve to benefit children with TS, especially for strong skill-based competencies such as reading, mathematics, and language, and perhaps even arts and sports (Evans & Ullman, 2016;Hedenius et al, 2013;James H. Howard et al, 2006;Kaufman et al, 2010). A targeted skill-based education program for children with TS leading to improvements could have downstream effects, including reducing labeling and social marginalization (M. M. Robertson, 2015a).…”

Seeing problems that may not exist: A reply to West et al.'s (2018) questioning of the procedural deficit hypothesis

“…Moreover, the tasks and analyses they employed throw doubt on whether they even assessed the functionality of procedural memory. Procedural memory is operationalized by the PDH as the implicit learning and memory that relies on a network rooted in the basal ganglia (Evans & Ullman, 2016;Hamrick, Lum, & Ullman, 2018;Ullman, 2004Ullman, , 2016Ullman & Pierpont, 2005). Crucially, on this view procedural memory is not isomorphic with implicit learning and memory.…”

Hand preference and Mathematical Learning Difficulties: New data from Greece, the United Kingdom, and Germany and two meta-analyses of the literature

“…These include the terms dyscalculia (e.g., Hsieh, Lai, Lin, & Huang, 2017), developmental dyscalculia (DD) (e.g., Träff, Olsson, Östergren, & Skagerlund, 2016), mathematical learning difficulty (MLD) (e.g., Karagiannakis, Baccaglini-Frank, & Papadatos, 2014), mathematics learning disability (e.g., Dennis, Sorrells, & Falcomata, 2016), mathematical disability (e.g., Evans & Ullman, 2016), mathematics disorder (e.g., American Psychological Association [APA], 1994), mathematical learning disorder (e.g., Capano et al, 2008), specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics (e.g., APA, 2013), mathematics difficulties (e.g., Wong, Ho, & Tang, 2017), mathematical impairment (e.g., Jastrzebski, Crewther, & Crewther, 2015), low mathematical ability (e.g., Skeide, Evans, Mei, Abrams, & Menon, 2018), arithmetic learning disability (e.g., Koontz, 1996), specific arithmetic difficulties (e.g., McLean & Hitch, 1999), specific disorder of arithmetical skills (e.g., Hein, Bzufka, & Neumärker, 2000), arithmetic deficiency (e.g., Greiffenstein & Baker, 2002), calculation difficulties (e.g., Isaacs, Edmonds, Lucas, & Gadian, 2001), and low numeracy (e.g., Galesic, Garcia-Retamero, & Gigerenzer, 2009). Although the literature is riddled with different terminology we will use the term MLD to refer to learning difficulties in mathematics inclusively, following Karagiannakis et al (2014).…”