Unique and compensatory associations of executive functioning and visuomotor integration with mathematics performance in early elementary school

- Executive function and visuomotor integration's associations with mathematics.
- Sample comprised kindergarteners and first graders of low socioeconomic status.
- Both skills uniquely associated concurrently with mathematics (all outcomes).
- Both skills uniquely associated with improvement on overall and five of six outcomes.
- Compensatory associations found for only one concurrent and one longitudinal outcome.

Research has illuminated contributions-usually modeled separately-of both executive functioning (EF) and visuomotor integration (VMI) to mathematical development in early elementary school. This study examined simultaneous associations of EF and VMI, measured at the beginning of the school year, with concurrent and later mathematics performance on several mathematics assessments in kindergartners (n = 89, Mage = 5.5 years) and first graders (n = 73, Mage = 6.6 years) of low socioeconomic status. Both skills were related to concurrent performance on all assessments, as well as improvement through the end of the school year for all but a geometry subtest, which was predicted only by VMI. No significant influence of an interaction between the skills was present, except for concurrently on the geometry subtest and longitudinally on an assessment with a relatively strong emphasis on informal skills. Findings are discussed in the context of supporting mathematics development in early childhood.