Comparison of Students with ADHD, LD, and Typically Developing Students in the Ability of Solving Mathematical Problems when Information must be Updated and when They must not be Updated

Background and Purpose: Students with attention deficiency/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and students with learning disability (LD) have a significant impairment in the working memory and consequently, in updating the information. The present study was conducted to compare the role of information updating in solving mathematical problems by students with ADHD, students with LD, students with the comorbidity of ADHD and LD, and typically developing students. This research was of casual-comparative design. The research population included all students of the 5th grade of primary school studying in the city of Tabriz in the academic year of 2016-2017. A sample of 30 students with ADHD, 30 students with LD, 30 students with ADHD and LD, and 30 normal students were selected by convenience sampling. Then 12 mathematical problems were presented to the sample groups. 6 problems did not need updating information, whereas the other 6 ones needed it. Finally, data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and least significance difference test. Findings showed that in both type of mathematical problems, normal students and students with ADHD performed significantly better than other groups and that students with LD performed better than students with Comorbidity of ADHD and LD.(p<.001). According to results, it can be concluded that impairment in working memory can lead to deficits in solving the problems that need updating information.