The Development of Mathematical Performance From Kindergarten to Grade 1: The Role of Children's Mathematical Liking and Parents' Beliefs and Activities




Silinskas, Gintautas; Bourque, Taeko; Susperreguy, Maria Ines; Lefevre, Jo-anne; Raiziene, Saule

PublisherWiley

2025

 Infant and Child Development

e70071

34

6

1522-7227

1522-7219

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1002/icd.70071

https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.70071

https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/508255222



The transition from kindergarten to formal schooling is an important period for examining children's developing mathematical performance. We studied reciprocal associations among children's mathematical performance, parent factors (i.e., numeracy activities, beliefs about children's mathematical skills), and child factors (i.e., mathematics liking). Lithuanian children (N = 341; 180 girls) and their parents participated at three time points: end of kindergarten (T1; M-age = 6.87 years), beginning of Grade 1 (T2), and end of Grade 1 (T3). Reciprocal cross-lagged associations between parent- and child-related factors showed that children's mathematical performance positively predicted parental beliefs [beta(T1-T2) = 0.247, beta(T2-T3) = 0.280] and negatively predicted numeracy activities [beta(T1-T2) = -0.227, beta(T2-T3) = -0.110] during the transition from kindergarten to Grade 1, and during Grade 1. Children's mathematical performance positively predicted their mathematics liking at the end of Grade 1 (beta(T2-T3) = 0.138). The results emphasise the role of children's mathematical performance in shaping parents' involvement and beliefs about children's mathematical learning and their children's mathematics liking.


The work of Gintautas Silinskas was supported by grants (#296082, #331525, #336148, and #358041) and the EDUCA flagship (#358924 and #358947) from the Academy of Finland.


Last updated on 19/01/2026 08:44:54 AM