Cognitive profile of adolescents with math disabilities: are the profiles different from those with reading disabilities?

Adolescents (ages 14-17) with math disabilities (MD, n=12), reading disabilities (RD, n=19), math+reading disabilities (MD+RD, n=12), and average achievers (n=15) were compared on measures of visual-spatial processing, random generation (inhibition), writing speed, short-term memory (STM), and working memory (WM). Adolescents with MD performed significantly lower than adolescents with RD on measures of visual-spatial processing and visual WM. Adolescents with MD outperformed adolescents with RD +MD on measures of random generation and motor speed. Performance of all three low-achieving groups was inferior to average achievers on measures of random generation, motor speed, and verbal WM. The results were interpreted within a multicomponent model that attributed deficits related to MD in adolescents to deficits related the visual-spatial sketchpad of WM.