Acta Psychologica Sinica

Abstract

By using clinical interview, this study investigated mathematical problem solving, visual-spatial representations, and spatial visualization ability among 30 children with learning disabilities (MD) and 31 children without MD. The results showed that: Schematic representations promote mathematical problem solving success, but pictorial representations may present an obstacle to mathematical problem solving. The correlations of spatial visualization ability with mathematical problem solving and with use of schematic representations were positive and significant. The correlations between spatial visualization ability and use of pictorial imagery were negative and significant. Children with MD performed poorer than those without MD on mathematical problem solving and use of schematic representations. The extent of use of pictorial representations by children with MD was significantly higher than that of those without mathematical learning disabilities. Both children with MD and without MD preformed better and better on mathematical problem solving and use of schematic representations with the progress of the grade. However, use of pictorial representations declined with the progress of the grade among children without MD, but children with MD didn’t show the same trend. Spatial visualization ability of both children with MD and without MD improved with the progress of the grade.

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