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Dyscalculia and Working Memory Deficits in Moroccan Children

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Title: Dyscalculia and Working Memory Deficits in Moroccan Children
Language: English
Authors: Salahddine Zerouali (ORCID 0009-0004-2262-5201), Hamid Kaddouri (ORCID 0009-0006-4907-8089), Abdelouahed El-kamia (ORCID 0009-0003-8356-9445), Smail Alaoui (ORCID 0009-0007-7063-1907)
Source: South African Journal of Childhood Education. 2026 16(1).
Availability: AOSIS. 15 Oxford Street, Durbanville, Cape Town, 7550 South Africa. Tel: +27-21-975-2602; Fax: +27-21-975-4635; e-mail: publishing@aosis.co.za; Web site: https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 8
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 4
Intermediate Grades
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Learning Disabilities, Mathematics Skills, Short Term Memory, Elementary School Students, Grade 4, Spatial Ability
Geographic Terms: Morocco
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Raven Progressive Matrices, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
ISSN: 2223-7674
2223-7682
Abstract: Background: Dyscalculia, a specific learning disorder, impairs number comprehension and arithmetic skills and is often associated with working memory deficits. However, this relationship remains understudied in Morocco because of diagnostic and linguistic challenges. Aim: This study aimed to examine how dyscalculia specifically affects different components of working memory -- verbal, visuospatial, and executive -- among Moroccan primary school children. Setting: Public primary schools in Morocco. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed with 64 fourth-year pupils (32 diagnosed with dyscalculia and 32 typically developing controls), randomly selected from Moroccan schools. Dyscalculia was confirmed using standardised diagnostic tools, and working memory was assessed with validated subtests adapted for Moroccan children. Results: The dyscalculia group (DD) demonstrated significantly lower performance across all working memory components compared to typically developing peers (p < 0.001), with marked deficits in verbal updating (r = 0.75) and visuospatial capacity (r = 0.70). Conclusion: Findings confirm that dyscalculia is associated with pronounced working memory impairments, particularly in verbal and visuospatial domains, consistent with theoretical models of cognitive deficits in developmental dyscalculia. Contribution: This pioneering Moroccan study extends international evidence by demonstrating similar cognitive patterns in an underrepresented cultural context and underscores the need for culturally adapted interventions to strengthen phonological and visuospatial skills, while acknowledging limitations linked to the small sample size.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1501233
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  Data: Dyscalculia and Working Memory Deficits in Moroccan Children
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– Name: Abstract
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  Data: Background: Dyscalculia, a specific learning disorder, impairs number comprehension and arithmetic skills and is often associated with working memory deficits. However, this relationship remains understudied in Morocco because of diagnostic and linguistic challenges. Aim: This study aimed to examine how dyscalculia specifically affects different components of working memory -- verbal, visuospatial, and executive -- among Moroccan primary school children. Setting: Public primary schools in Morocco. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed with 64 fourth-year pupils (32 diagnosed with dyscalculia and 32 typically developing controls), randomly selected from Moroccan schools. Dyscalculia was confirmed using standardised diagnostic tools, and working memory was assessed with validated subtests adapted for Moroccan children. Results: The dyscalculia group (DD) demonstrated significantly lower performance across all working memory components compared to typically developing peers (p &lt; 0.001), with marked deficits in verbal updating (r = 0.75) and visuospatial capacity (r = 0.70). Conclusion: Findings confirm that dyscalculia is associated with pronounced working memory impairments, particularly in verbal and visuospatial domains, consistent with theoretical models of cognitive deficits in developmental dyscalculia. Contribution: This pioneering Moroccan study extends international evidence by demonstrating similar cognitive patterns in an underrepresented cultural context and underscores the need for culturally adapted interventions to strengthen phonological and visuospatial skills, while acknowledging limitations linked to the small sample size.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1501233
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 8
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning Disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Short Term Memory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 4
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spatial Ability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Morocco
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Raven Progressive Matrices
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      – SubjectFull: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
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      – TitleFull: Dyscalculia and Working Memory Deficits in Moroccan Children
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            NameFull: Hamid Kaddouri
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            NameFull: Abdelouahed El-kamia
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            NameFull: Smail Alaoui
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              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: South African Journal of Childhood Education
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