[Executive functioning and motivation in preschool children at risk for learning difficulties in mathematics]. / Funcionamiento ejecutivo y motivación en niños de educación infantil con riesgo de dificultades en el aprendizaje de las matemáticas.

INTRODUCTION: Early identification of the factors involved in the development of learning difficulties in mathematics is essential to be able to understand their origin and implement successful interventions. This study analyses the capacity of executive functioning and of variables from the motivational belief system to differentiate and classify preschool children with and without risk of having difficulties in mathematics. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 146 subjects from the third year of preschool education took part in the study, divided into risk/no risk according to the score obtained on the operations subtest of the TEDI-MATH test. Working memory (verbal and visuospatial) and inhibition (with auditory and visual stimuli) neuropsychological tasks were applied. Teachers filled in a questionnaire on the children's motivation with regard to learning. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences were found between the two groups on the working memory and inhibition-auditory factors, as well as on all the motivation variables. The results also show a similar power of classification, with percentages above 80%, for both groups of variables. The implications of these findings for educational practice are discussed.

TITLE: Funcionamiento ejecutivo y motivacion en niños de educacion infantil con riesgo de dificultades en el aprendizaje de las matematicas.Introduccion. La identificacion temprana de los factores implicados en el desarrollo de las dificultades de aprendizaje de las matematicas es esencial para comprender su origen e intervenir con garantias de exito. Este estudio analiza la capacidad del funcionamiento ejecutivo y de variables del sistema motivacional de creencias para diferenciar y clasificar a niños de educacion infantil con y sin riesgo de dificultades en matematicas. Sujetos y metodos. Participaron 146 sujetos de tercer curso de educacion infantil divididos en riesgo/no riesgo en funcion de la puntuacion obtenida en los subtest de operaciones de la prueba TEDI-MATH. Se aplicaron tareas neuropsicologicas de memoria de trabajo (verbal y visuoespacial) e inhibicion (con estimulos auditivos y visuales). Los profesores cumplimentaron un cuestionario de motivacion de los niños hacia el aprendizaje. Resultados y conclusiones. Se encontraron diferencias significativas entre ambos grupos en los factores de memoria de trabajo e inhibicion-auditiva, asi como en todas las variables de motivacion. Los resultados muestran, igualmente, un poder de clasificacion similar, con porcentajes superiores al 80%, de ambos grupos de variables. Se comentan las implicaciones para la practica educativa de estos hallazgos.

Funcionamiento ejecutivo y motivación en niños de educación infantil con riesgo de dificultades en el aprendizaje de las matemáticas / Executive functioning and motivation in preschool children at risk for learning difficulties in mathematics

Introducción. La identificación temprana de los factores implicados en el desarrollo de las dificultades de aprendizaje de las matemáticas es esencial para comprender su origen e intervenir con garantías de éxito. Este estudio analiza la capacidad del funcionamiento ejecutivo y de variables del sistema motivacional de creencias para diferenciar y clasificar a niños de educación infantil con y sin riesgo de dificultades en matemáticas.Sujetos y métodos. Participaron 146 sujetos de tercer curso de educación infantil divididos en riesgo/no riesgo en función de la puntuación obtenida en los subtest de operaciones de la prueba TEDI-MATH. Se aplicaron tareas neuropsicológicas de memoria de trabajo (verbal y visuoespacial) e inhibición (con estímulos auditivos y visuales). Los profesores cumplimentaron un cuestionario de motivación de los niños hacia el aprendizaje. Resultados y conclusiones. Se encontraron diferencias significativas entre ambos grupos en los factores de memoria de trabajo e inhibición-auditiva, así como en todas las variables de motivación. Los resultados muestran, igualmente, un poder de clasificación similar, con porcentajes superiores al 80%, de ambos grupos de variables. Se comentan las implicaciones para la práctica educativa de estos hallazgos (AU)

Introduction. Early identification of the factors involved in the development of learning difficulties in mathematics is essential to be able to understand their origin and implement successful interventions. This study analyses the capacity of executive functioning and of variables from the motivational belief system to differentiate and classify preschool children with and without risk of having difficulties in mathematics. Subjects and methods. A total of 146 subjects from the third year of preschool education took part in the study, divided into risk/no risk according to the score obtained on the operations subtest of the TEDI-MATH test. Working memory (verbal and visuospatial) and inhibition (with auditory and visual stimuli) neuropsychological tasks were applied. Teachers filled in a questionnaire on the children’s motivation with regard to learning. Results and conclusions. Significant differences were found between the two groups on the working memory and inhibition-auditory factors, as well as on all the motivation variables. The results also show a similar power of classification, with percentages above 80%, for both groups of variables. The implications of these findings for educational practice are discussed (AU)

[Moderators of psychosocial intervention in preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]. / Analisis de factores moduladores de la intervencion psicosocial en preescolares con trastorno por deficit de atencion/hiperactividad.

INTRODUCTION. Although the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in preschoolers is increasingly common, relatively little is known about the treatment in this developmental period. Some side effects of pharmacological intervention discourage its use as first-line intervention at this age. AIM. To analyze the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions designed to respond to the needs presented by these children, especially those based on cognitive-behavioral and socio-constructivist models. DEVELOPMENT. The review highlights the effectiveness of parent training programs, alone or combined with interventions at school and with the children. Communication between parents and teachers has been shown to be a determinant of their success. Another aspect that seems to favor the efficacy of treatment in this stage of education is the inclusion in the school curriculum of mediated activities aimed at developing self-regulation. CONCLUSIONS. In preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, preventive action based on these models, increasing the intensity of the intervention depending on the student's response, can help to avoid future problems.

[Psychosocial intervention follow-up in children with ADHD: effects on academic, emotional and social functioning]. / Seguimiento de los efectos de una intervención psicosocial sobre la adaptación académica, emocional y social de niños con TDAH.

The aim of this investigation was to analyze the maintenance of the effects, one year after its conclusion, of an intervention that integrated three coordinated programs, implemented with 27 children with ADHD, aged between 7 and 10 years, their parents and teachers. The intervention lasted 10 weeks and included behavior-modification and cognitive-behavioral techniques, academic adaptations and social skills. We evaluated the effects on academic, emotional and social adjustment from the information provided by parents, teachers and classmates. The results confirm the maintenance in the follow-up evaluation of the improvements experienced after the treatment, especially in the academic and social areas, in which these children displayed the greatest difficulties.

Seguimiento de los efectos de una intervención psicosocial sobre la adaptación académica, emocional y social de niños con TDAH / Psychosocial intervention follow-up in children with ADHD: Effects on academic, emotional and social functioning

El objetivo de esta investigación ha sido analizar el mantenimiento de los efectos, tras un año de su finalización, de una intervención que integró 3 programas coordinados implementados con 27 niños con TDAH de 7 a 10 años, sus padres y sus profesores. La intervención tuvo una duración de 10 semanas e incluyó modificación de conducta, técnicas cognitivo-conductuales, adaptaciones académicas y habilidades sociales. Se valoraron los efectos sobre la adaptación académica, emocional y social a partir de informaciones aportadas por los padres, profesores y compañeros. Los resultados confirman el mantenimiento en la evaluación de seguimiento de las mejoras experimentadas tras el tratamiento, especialmente en las áreas académica y social, en las que estos niños presentaban las mayores dificultades (AU)

The aim of this investigation was to analyze the maintenance of the effects, one year after its conclusion, of an intervention that integrated three coordinated programs, implemented with 27 children with ADHD, aged between 7 and 10 years, their parents and teachers. The intervention lasted 10 weeks and included behavior-modification and cognitive-behavioral techniques, academic adaptations and social skills. We evaluated the effects on academic, emotional and social adjustment from the information provided by parents, teachers and classmates. The results confirm the maintenance in the follow-up evaluation of the improvements experienced after the treatment, especially in the academic and social areas, in which these children displayed the greatest difficulties (AU)