College
College of Behavioral and Community Sciences
Mentor Information
Matthew Foster
Description
Mathematics achievement is a critical component of academic functioning, strongly predicting later educational and life outcomes (Kaskens et al., 2022; Tonizzi & Usai, 2024). Although prior research has examined mathematics achievement and general cognition, limited work has investigated the role of social-cognitive processes in mathematical development among autistic children. Skills such as theory of mind (ToM), affect recognition, and inferencing may support mathematical learning by enabling children to interpret instructions, integrate information, and apply conceptual understanding (Kloo et al., 2022; Kim et al., 2021). Developmental cascade theory suggests that functioning in one domain may influence development in another, with bidirectional relations over time (Masten et al., 2005; Masten & Cicchetti, 2010). Guided by this framework, this study examined the directionality of relations between social-cognitive processes and mathematics achievement in autistic children.
Results indicated that social-cognitive processes at Wave 1 were associated with later mathematics achievement. ToM positively predicted mathematics achievement at Wave 2 (β = .23, p <.001), whereas affect recognition was not significant. Inferencing showed a small negative association (β = −.10, p = .03). Age was a strong predictor (β = .49, p < .001), and the model explained 37% of the variance in mathematics achievement. In the reverse direction, mathematics achievement at Wave 1 predicted later inferencing (β = .12, p < .001) and affect recognition (β = .23, p < .001), but not ToM. Models accounting for prior social-cognitive skills indicated strong within-domain stability. Overall, findings support bidirectional, domain-specific associations rather than uniform developmental cascade effects.
Bidirectional Associations Between Social-Cognitive Processes and Mathematics Achievement in Autistic Children
Mathematics achievement is a critical component of academic functioning, strongly predicting later educational and life outcomes (Kaskens et al., 2022; Tonizzi & Usai, 2024). Although prior research has examined mathematics achievement and general cognition, limited work has investigated the role of social-cognitive processes in mathematical development among autistic children. Skills such as theory of mind (ToM), affect recognition, and inferencing may support mathematical learning by enabling children to interpret instructions, integrate information, and apply conceptual understanding (Kloo et al., 2022; Kim et al., 2021). Developmental cascade theory suggests that functioning in one domain may influence development in another, with bidirectional relations over time (Masten et al., 2005; Masten & Cicchetti, 2010). Guided by this framework, this study examined the directionality of relations between social-cognitive processes and mathematics achievement in autistic children.
Results indicated that social-cognitive processes at Wave 1 were associated with later mathematics achievement. ToM positively predicted mathematics achievement at Wave 2 (β = .23, p <.001), whereas affect recognition was not significant. Inferencing showed a small negative association (β = −.10, p = .03). Age was a strong predictor (β = .49, p < .001), and the model explained 37% of the variance in mathematics achievement. In the reverse direction, mathematics achievement at Wave 1 predicted later inferencing (β = .12, p < .001) and affect recognition (β = .23, p < .001), but not ToM. Models accounting for prior social-cognitive skills indicated strong within-domain stability. Overall, findings support bidirectional, domain-specific associations rather than uniform developmental cascade effects.
