Mental Health, Motivation, and Executive Functioning Perception in Children with Developmental Dyscalculia: A Pilot Study

Children with specific learning disorders might experience difficulties in school tasks, leading to the development of internalizing problems (such as anxiety and depression) and school motivation reduction. Moreover, these problems might affect their motivation and executive functions. Therefore, the current study hypothesizes that internalizing problems and motivation would influence perception of their cognitive functioning in children with Developmental Dyscalculia (DD). Fifty-nine children (64.4% males; mean age: 10.98±1.54), 29 of which diagnosed with DD, were contacted and were asked to answer questionnaires about study motivation, internalizing problems (depression and anxiety), and perception of executive functioning. The ANOVA model showed that children with DD showed higher depressive and performance anxiety symptoms, higher amotivation and a worse perception of executive functioning than children with typical learning. The regression models reported that a worsened attention perception seems to be determined by the presence of depressive symptoms. Children with dyscalculia appear to suffer from a lack of motivation, a worse perception of executive function and higher depressive symptoms than children with typical development. The results suggest that teachers and parents should take care of children’s mental health, considering the psychopathological risk of children with DD, together with motivation and executive functioning impairment.