Cognitive precursors of early mathematical competence in preschoolers: evidence from a multivariate model

Abstract Given the key role of mathematical competence in academic and personal development, this study analyzes the combined influence of domain-general and domain-specific cognitive precursors on early mathematical competence through a multivariate approach. It examines how different cognitive processes relate to mathematical performance in 5-year-old children, providing updated evidence to guide educational interventions. A total of 193 preschool children were assessed using a standardized battery of cognitive and mathematical tests administered in controlled school settings. Data were analyzed using a multivariate analytical approach, including regression and mediation analysis. Results indicate that early mathematical competence is significantly determined by executive functions such as short-term and working memory, as well as domain-specific numerical skills like symbolic comparison and number line estimation. These numerical skills were statistically associated with indirect pathways linking executive functions and mathematical performance, suggesting that part of the association between cognitive factors and mathematical competence may operate through children’s ability to estimate, process, and compare numerical symbols. Additionally, age was identified as a relevant precursor of mathematical performance, and thus, the impact of maturational development on mathematical competence was considered. The findings highlight the importance of verbal executive functions and symbolic numerical skills in early mathematical development, providing a basis for improving mathematics education from the earliest years.