Differences in Cognitive and Mathematical Skills of Students with a Mathematical Learning Disability and Those with Low Achievement in Mathematics: A Systematic Literature Review

The differences in the math learning process and the underlying cognitive skills of students with a mathematical learning disability and those who are low achieving in math are important to consider when supporting their learning. Still, there is a lack of a comprehensive overview comparing these two groups’ cognitive skill deficits that are responsible for math learning difficulties. This systematic literature review aimed to fill this gap. This study revealed differences in the cognitive profiles of students with a mathematical learning disability and low-achieving students. Students with a mathematical learning disability showed significantly weaker domain-general cognitive skills than the control groups across most areas, while low-achieving students exhibited less pronounced differences compared to the controls. Additionally, students with a mathematical learning disability performed worse than low-achieving students in working memory and processing speed. In terms of domain-specific cognitive skills, both sample groups struggled with calculation compared to typical achievers, with students with a mathematical learning disability displaying weaker basic calculation skills than low achievers.