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Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.

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  • Director: Laura E. Gómez Sánchez
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Attention, inhibitory control and early mathematical skills in preschool students

Marisol Cueli1, Débora Areces1, Trinidad García1, Rui Alexandre Alves2, and Paloma González-Castro1

1 University of Oviedo and
2 University of Porto

Background: Early mathematical skills may be important indicators of school success. Executive Functions (EFs) such as attention and inhibitory control may be related to the development of early mathematical skills. Method: This study is aimed at understanding the relationship between two EFs (attention and inhibitory control) and low and high relational and numerical mathematical skills in preschool students (143 children between 4 and 6 years old). Participants completed the Early Numeracy Test Revised and a continuous performance test which assessed attention (omissions and response time [RT]) and inhibitory control (commissions and variability). Results: Logistic Binomial Regression Analysis was carried out showing that in 4 to 6-year olds there are differences in omissions, RT and variability between the groups (low and high relational and numerical mathematical skills). However, once the effect of the age was controlled for, only RT predicted numerical mathematical skills. Conclusions: the results highlight the importance of attention in the numerical skills of preschool students, with a greater weight of response time which is better in students with higher numerical mathematics skills.

Atención, control inhibitorio y habilidades matemáticas tempranas en estudiantes de Educación Infantil. Antecedentes: las habilidades matemáticas tempranas pueden ser importantes indicadores del éxito escolar. Por otro lado, las Funciones Ejecutivas (FE) como la atención y el control inhibitorio se han relacionado con el desarrollo de habilidades matemáticas tempranas. Método: este estudio está dirigido a analizar la relación entre dos FEs (atención y control inhibitorio) y la baja y alta habilidad matemática relacional y numérica de 143 estudiantes de entre 4 y 6 años. Los participantes realizaron el Test de Competencia Matemática Temprana Revisado y un test de ejecución continua dirigido a evaluar la atención (omisiones y tiempo de respuesta [TR]) y el control inhibitorio (comisiones y variabilidad). Resultados: el análisis de regresión logística binomial mostró que en estudiantes de entre 4 y 6 años hay diferencias en las variables omisiones, TR y variabilidad entre los grupos de baja y alta habilidad matemática relacional y numérica. Sin embargo, una vez controlada la edad, solo el TR predijo la habilidad matemática numérica. Conclusiones: los resultados mostraron la importancia de la atención en las habilidades numéricas de estudiantes de Educación Infantil, con un mayor peso del TR que fue mejor en estudiantes con mejor habilidad matemática numérica.

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