{"title":"Development of Number Sense in Preschoolers With Autism and its Relation to Approximate Number System Acuity.","authors":"Lilan Chen, Yanyan Ji","doi":"10.1007/s10803-026-07567-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The approximate number system (ANS) is considered a foundational precursor for the development of formal mathematical abilities, which are often delayed in autistic children. However, the developmental pathways linking this non-symbolic core system to early number sense in autism remain unclear, particularly the role of symbolic number processing.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Forty-eight preschoolers with autism and 47 typically developing (TD) peers, aged 3-7 years, were assessed on number sense (including counting, number knowledge, and quantity transformation), ANS acuity, symbolic number comparison, verbal ability, and non-verbal reasoning.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Autistic children demonstrated significantly lower overall number sense, driven by specific weaknesses in number knowledge and quantity transformation, despite intact counting ability. While ANS acuity showed comparable age-related growth in both groups, its correlation with number knowledge was significantly weaker in autistic children. Crucially, and in contrast to TD children, symbolic number comparison fully mediated the relationship between ANS acuity and number sense in the autism group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings suggest a distinct cognitive pattern for numerical abilities in autism, wherein the translation of non-symbolic numerical representations into formal number sense is strongly associated with symbolic number processing. This underscores the necessity of integrating symbolic scaffolding into mathematical interventions for autistic children.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-026-07567-y","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: The approximate number system (ANS) is considered a foundational precursor for the development of formal mathematical abilities, which are often delayed in autistic children. However, the developmental pathways linking this non-symbolic core system to early number sense in autism remain unclear, particularly the role of symbolic number processing.
Methods: Forty-eight preschoolers with autism and 47 typically developing (TD) peers, aged 3-7 years, were assessed on number sense (including counting, number knowledge, and quantity transformation), ANS acuity, symbolic number comparison, verbal ability, and non-verbal reasoning.
Results: Autistic children demonstrated significantly lower overall number sense, driven by specific weaknesses in number knowledge and quantity transformation, despite intact counting ability. While ANS acuity showed comparable age-related growth in both groups, its correlation with number knowledge was significantly weaker in autistic children. Crucially, and in contrast to TD children, symbolic number comparison fully mediated the relationship between ANS acuity and number sense in the autism group.
Conclusions: These findings suggest a distinct cognitive pattern for numerical abilities in autism, wherein the translation of non-symbolic numerical representations into formal number sense is strongly associated with symbolic number processing. This underscores the necessity of integrating symbolic scaffolding into mathematical interventions for autistic children.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders seeks to advance theoretical and applied research as well as examine and evaluate clinical diagnoses and treatments for autism and related disabilities. JADD encourages research submissions on the causes of ASDs and related disorders, including genetic, immunological, and environmental factors; diagnosis and assessment tools (e.g., for early detection as well as behavioral and communications characteristics); and prevention and treatment options. Sample topics include: Social responsiveness in young children with autism Advances in diagnosing and reporting autism Omega-3 fatty acids to treat autism symptoms Parental and child adherence to behavioral and medical treatments for autism Increasing independent task completion by students with autism spectrum disorder Does laughter differ in children with autism? Predicting ASD diagnosis and social impairment in younger siblings of children with autism The effects of psychotropic and nonpsychotropic medication with adolescents and adults with ASD Increasing independence for individuals with ASDs Group interventions to promote social skills in school-aged children with ASDs Standard diagnostic measures for ASDs Substance abuse in adults with autism Differentiating between ADHD and autism symptoms Social competence and social skills training and interventions for children with ASDs Therapeutic horseback riding and social functioning in children with autism Authors and readers of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders include sch olars, researchers, professionals, policy makers, and graduate students from a broad range of cross-disciplines, including developmental, clinical child, and school psychology; pediatrics; psychiatry; education; social work and counseling; speech, communication, and physical therapy; medicine and neuroscience; and public health.
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