Comparison of the Effectiveness of Mathematical Thinking Intervention and Dual Balance Training on the Quantitative Reasoning of Students with Mathematical Learning Disabilities

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a mathematical thinking intervention and dual balance training on the quantitative reasoning abilities of students with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD). Methods and Materials: The study was a semi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up with two experimental groups and one control group. A total of ۴۵ students with MLD were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to the mathematical thinking intervention group (n = ۱۵), the dual balance training group (n = ۱۵), and the control group (n = ۱۵). The tools used for data collection included the KeyMath Test for quantitative reasoning and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test for cognitive flexibility. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc tests were used to analyze the data across three test phases (pre-test, post-test, follow-up). Findings: Significant improvements were observed in the quantitative reasoning scores of both the mathematical thinking intervention group (F(۱.۴۸) = ۹۱۹.۵۰, P < .۰۰۱, η² = ۰.۹۷) and the dual balance training group (F(۱.۴۸) = ۸۸.۲۵, P < .۰۰۱, η² = ۰.۷۶) compared to the control group. The mathematical thinking group showed greater improvements from pre-test to post-test (M = -۲۶.۶۰, P = .۰۰۱) and from pre-test to follow-up (M = -۲۶.۱۳, P = .۰۰۱) compared to the dual balance training group (pre-test to post-test: M = -۱۳.۸۷, P = .۰۰۱; pre-test to follow-up: M = -۱۳.۹۳, P = .۰۰۱). Conclusion: Both the mathematical thinking intervention and dual balance training were effective in improving the quantitative reasoning of students with MLD. However, the mathematical thinking intervention showed greater efficacy, suggesting that cognitive-based interventions have a stronger impact on mathematical reasoning than physical-based interventions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Mathematical learning disabilities ، quantitative reasoning ، mathematical thinking intervention ، dual balance training ، cognitive flexibility