Peer-reviewed article
Mathematical skills in deaf and hard-of-hearing children: A systematic review.
Laria C, Serra N, Trofa A, Rodio A, Chiarella G et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review examined mathematical skills in deaf and hard-of-hearing children by analyzing twelve observational studies. Children with hearing loss showed domain-specific difficulties, particularly in tasks requiring language like word problems and reasoning, while performing better on procedural and visually-supported tasks. The review found that linguistic proficiency, access to fully accessible language, educational setting, and communication modality significantly influenced mathematical outcomes. These differences appear early in development and persist across childhood ages. The authors conclude that mathematical difficulties in deaf and hard-of-hearing learners are linked to language access rather than being global deficits.
Key points
- Mathematical difficulties in deaf and hard-of-hearing children are domain-specific, with lower performance on linguistically demanding tasks like word problems and reasoning
- Procedural and visually-supported mathematical tasks are relatively preserved in deaf and hard-of-hearing children
- Linguistic proficiency and access to fully accessible language are key factors associated with mathematical outcomes
- Mathematical differences emerge early in development and remain observable across preschool and school-aged populations
- Educational setting, communication modality, age of language acquisition, and hearing-related characteristics contribute to variability in outcomes
Limitations
The review included only twelve studies with substantial heterogeneity in methods and outcomes, preventing meta-analysis. Included studies had moderate methodological concerns including limited control of confounding variables, incomplete reporting of measurement validity, and small sample sizes, which limits the strength of conclusions.
Abstract
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.