| Poster | Poster Session 10 Program Schedule
02/17/2024
09:00 am - 10:15 am
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)
Poster Session 10: Neurodevelopmental | Congenital Conditions
Final Abstract #54
Effects of Child Well-Being and Family Socioeconomic Status on Mathematics Performance in Brazilian Children Post-COVID-19 Pandemics
Gabriella Koltermann, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Érica Prates Krás Borges, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Emanuelle de Oliveira Silva, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Luciane da Rosa Piccolo, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, United States
Julia Beatriz Lopes Silva, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Vitor Geraldi Haase, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Jerusa Fumagalli de Salles, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Category: Learning Disabilities/Academic Skills
Keyword 1: mathematics ability
Keyword 2: learning
Keyword 3: neuropsychological assessment
Objective:
The present study aimed to examine relations and the differential effects of well-being and family socioeconomic status (SES) on the performance in mathematics, specifically in calculations, of Brazilian children in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th/6th grades after the COVID-19 pandemics.
Participants and Methods:
A total of 402 children from 3rd grade (n = 104), 4th (n = 113), and 5th/6th grades (n = 185) aged 8 to 13 years (Mean Age = 9.80; SD = 1.20), 50.7% girls, from Brazilian public schools participated in the study. Well-being was assessed using the Brazilian version of the KIDSCREEN-child self-report, and math performance was evaluated through standardized and validated tasks involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division calculations (a total score encompassing all operations was considered). Caregivers also provided information on SES indicators and the general health and educational conditions of the children. The assessments were conducted throughout the year 2022 (from May to October). Spearman correlation analysis and Multiple Linear Regressions were performed.
Results:
In the 4th grade, family SES correlated weakly and positively (r = .16, p < .01), and the well-being level correlated marginally with calculations in the 4th grade (r = .17, p = .06). Child well-being and family SES were weakly and positively correlated with performance in calculations in the 5th/6th grades (r = .26, p < .001; r = .22, p < .01, respectively). For 3rd graders, no significant relations between variables were found. In a regression model, family SES (Beta value = .23, p = .04) predicted math performance in the 4th grade, explaining 4.3% (R.adj) of the variance. In the 5th/6th graders, well-being level (Beta value = .21, p = .04) significantly predicted a child's performance in calculations, even after controlling for the effects of family SES (Beta value = .20, p = .04). The model with both variables explained 6% (R.adj) of the child's math performance. The inclusion of the well-being variable increased the model's contribution by 3.4% (R.adj).
Conclusions:
Although previous studies indicate that the negative effects of the pandemic are more pronounced in children from more disadvantaged SES backgrounds, this study suggests that the effects of a psychological variable, as well-being, can be similar to the effects of SES on a child's math performance in 5th/6th grades. Corroborating previous evidence, to younger children, the family SES may be an important variable to understand the individual differences in math performance after the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it highlights that initiatives must include more specific academic interventions, such as those aimed at developing basic math skills, to mitigate the detrimental effects of the pandemic on children's development. It is also imperative the development of well-being promotion initiatives in the school context after the pandemic period, especially for older children.
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