How do Socioeconomic Attainment Gaps in Early Mathematical Ability Arise?

TY - JOUR

T1 - How do Socioeconomic Attainment Gaps in Early Mathematical Ability Arise?

AU - James-Brabham, Ella

AU - Loveridge, Toni

AU - Sella, Francesco

AU - Wakeling, Paul

AU - Carroll, Daniel

AU - Blakey, Emma

N1 - © 2023 The Authors.

PY - 2023/12/3

Y1 - 2023/12/3

N2 - Socioeconomic attainment gaps in mathematical ability are evident before children begin school, and widen over time. Little is known about why early attainment gaps emerge. Two cross-sectional correlational studies were conducted in 2018–2019 with socioeconomically diverse preschoolers, to explore four factors that might explain why attainment gaps arise: working memory, inhibitory control, verbal ability, and frequency of home mathematical activities (N = 304, 54% female; 84% White, 10% Asian, 1% black African, 1% Kurdish, 4% mixed ethnicity). Inhibitory control and verbal ability emerged as indirect factors in the relation between socioeconomic status and mathematical ability, but neither working memory nor home activities did. We discuss the implications this has for future research to understand, and work towards narrowing attainment gaps.

AB - Socioeconomic attainment gaps in mathematical ability are evident before children begin school, and widen over time. Little is known about why early attainment gaps emerge. Two cross-sectional correlational studies were conducted in 2018–2019 with socioeconomically diverse preschoolers, to explore four factors that might explain why attainment gaps arise: working memory, inhibitory control, verbal ability, and frequency of home mathematical activities (N = 304, 54% female; 84% White, 10% Asian, 1% black African, 1% Kurdish, 4% mixed ethnicity). Inhibitory control and verbal ability emerged as indirect factors in the relation between socioeconomic status and mathematical ability, but neither working memory nor home activities did. We discuss the implications this has for future research to understand, and work towards narrowing attainment gaps.

U2 - 10.1111/cdev.13947

DO - 10.1111/cdev.13947

M3 - Article

SN - 0009-3920

VL - 94

SP - 1550

EP - 1565

JO - Child Development

JF - Child Development

IS - 6

ER -