From spatial construction to mathematics: Exploring the mediating role of visuospatial working memory.

IF 3.1 2区心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL

Developmental Psychology Pub Date : 2025-07-21 DOI:10.1037/dev0002035

Yuxin Zhang, Rebecca Bull, Emma C Burns

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study examined the longitudinal pathways from early spatial skills at 5 and 7 years to their mathematics reasoning abilities at 17 years in a large cohort sample (N = 16,338) from the Millennium Cohort Study. Children were assessed at four time points: Sweep 3 (M_age = 5.29), Sweep 4 (M_age = 7.23), Sweep 5 (M_age = 11.17), and Sweep 7 (M_age = 17.18), with measures including spatial construction skills, visuospatial working memory, mathematics achievement, and mathematics reasoning skills. Path analyses revealed that spatial construction at age 5 directly predicted mathematics achievement at age 7 after accounting for sex, age, socioeconomic status, vocabulary, and nonverbal reasoning ability. Furthermore, spatial construction at 5 and 7 years was directly associated with mathematics reasoning skills at 17, and spatial working memory at age 11 partially mediated this relationship. Notably, the direct effects of spatial construction on mathematics reasoning at age 17 remained significant and robust after accounting for the mediator and covariates. These findings highlight the potential value of early spatial construction skills as predictors of subsequent mathematical development over the long term. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

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从空间建构到数学：探索视觉空间工作记忆的中介作用。

这项研究从千禧年队列研究的一个大队列样本（N = 16338）中考察了从5岁和7岁的早期空间技能到17岁的数学推理能力的纵向路径。在四个时间点对儿童进行评估：扫描3 （Mage = 5.29）、扫描4 （Mage = 7.23）、扫描5 （Mage = 11.17）和扫描7 (Mage = 17.18)，包括空间构建技能、视觉空间工作记忆、数学成绩和数学推理技能。通径分析显示，考虑到性别、年龄、社会经济地位、词汇量和非语言推理能力等因素的影响，5岁儿童的空间建构直接预测了7岁儿童的数学成绩。此外，5岁和7岁时的空间建构与17岁时的数学推理能力直接相关，11岁时的空间工作记忆部分介导了这种关系。值得注意的是，在考虑了中介变量和协变量后，空间建构对17岁儿童数学推理的直接影响仍然显著且稳健。这些发现强调了早期空间构建技能作为长期数学发展预测指标的潜在价值。（PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA，版权所有）。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Developmental Psychology PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL-

CiteScore

5.80

自引率

2.50%

发文量

329

期刊介绍： Developmental Psychology ® publishes articles that significantly advance knowledge and theory about development across the life span. The journal focuses on seminal empirical contributions. The journal occasionally publishes exceptionally strong scholarly reviews and theoretical or methodological articles. Studies of any aspect of psychological development are appropriate, as are studies of the biological, social, and cultural factors that affect development. The journal welcomes not only laboratory-based experimental studies but studies employing other rigorous methodologies, such as ethnographies, field research, and secondary analyses of large data sets. We especially seek submissions in new areas of inquiry and submissions that will address contradictory findings or controversies in the field as well as the generalizability of extant findings in new populations. Although most articles in this journal address human development, studies of other species are appropriate if they have important implications for human development. Submissions can consist of single manuscripts, proposed sections, or short reports.