Academic Journal
Mathematical skills in deaf and hard-of-hearing children: A systematic review.
| Τίτλος: | Mathematical skills in deaf and hard-of-hearing children: A systematic review. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Laria C; Audiology Section, Department of Neuroscience and Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy., Serra N; Audiology Section, Department of Neuroscience and Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy., Trofa A; Audiology Section, Department of Neuroscience and Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy., Rodio A; Audiology Section, Department of Neuroscience and Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy., Chiarella G; Unit of Audiology, Phoniatrics and Vestibology, Regional Centre for Cochlear Implants and ENT Diseases, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy., Viola P; Unit of Audiology, Phoniatrics and Vestibology, Regional Centre for Cochlear Implants and ENT Diseases, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy., D'Ambrosio Geremicca F; Audiology Section, Department of Neuroscience and Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy., Landolfi E; Audiology Section, Department of Neuroscience and Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy., Malesci R; Audiology Section, Department of Neuroscience and Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy., Fetoni AR; Audiology Section, Department of Neuroscience and Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.; Hearing and Balance Unit, Department of Head and Neck, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy. |
| Πηγή: | PloS one [PLoS One] 2026 Sep 16; Vol. 21 (9), pp. e0358324. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Sep 16 (Print Publication: 2026). |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Systematic Review |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Public Library of Science Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101285081 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19326203 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PLoS One Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Persons with Hearing Disabilities*/psychology , Deafness*/physiopathology , Dyscalculia*/physiopathology , Hearing Loss*/physiopathology , Mathematics*, Humans ; Child ; Cognition |
| Περίληψη: | Introduction: Mathematical competencies are essential for both academic achievement and everyday functioning. Research investigating mathematical skills in deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals has produced heterogeneous findings, indicating domain-specific performance patterns and the influence of linguistic and cognitive factors. Recent evidence further suggests that these differences may emerge early in development. This systematic review aims to evaluate mathematical competencies in DHH individuals and to contextualize their mathematical profile in relation to developmental dyscalculia. Methods: A systematic review of observational studies was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Studies were selected based on the PICOS framework, including participants under 18 years of age with congenital or acquired hearing loss. Comparisons involved hearing peers with or without specific learning disorders, and outcomes were based on direct assessments of mathematical abilities or related cognitive processes. A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science between March 31 and April 3, 2026, including all studies published up to the search date. In addition, relevant studies were identified through manual screening of reference lists. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Due to the heterogeneity of the included studies, results were synthesised narratively rather than through meta-analysis. Results: The twelve included studies showed substantial variability in mathematical performance among DHH individuals. Lower achievement was more consistently observed in tasks with high linguistic demands, such as word problem solving, measurement, and mathematical reasoning, whereas procedural and visually supported tasks were relatively preserved. Evidence from both preschool and school-aged populations suggests that these differences may emerge early in development and remain observable across different developmental stages. Linguistic proficiency and access to a fully accessible language emerged as key factors associated with mathematical outcomes. Additional sources of variability included educational setting, communication modality, age of language acquisition, and hearing-related characteristics. Overall methodological quality was generally characterized by moderate methodological concerns, most commonly related to limited control of confounding variables, incomplete reporting of measurement validity, and small sample sizes. Conclusion: Mathematical difficulties in deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals appear to be domain-specific rather than global and appear to be associated with linguistic access and educational experiences. Evidence from both preschool and school-aged populations suggests that these differences may emerge early in development and remain evident across studies involving different age groups. These findings highlight the importance of considering language-related factors in both the assessment and instruction of mathematics in DHH learners. (Copyright: © 2026 Laria et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.) |
| Competing Interests: | The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. |
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| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260916 Date Completed: 20260916 Latest Revision: 20260918 |
| Update Code: | 20260918 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13581004 |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0358324 |
| PMID: | 42748195 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1932-6203 |
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| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0358324 |