What is Dyscalculia? A Clinical Psychology Podcast Episode.
The final learning difficulty I want to examine in my investigation is Dyscalculia. This was the final type of learning difficulty that I could have been assessed for in my Specific Learning Difficulty Assessment in December 2024 and I am not too familiar with the condition. Yet I know it impacts a lot of people, it is sometimes called “maths anxiety” and where dyslexia focuses on reading difficulties, Dyscalculia is all about number difficulties. Therefore, in this clinical psychology podcast episode, you’ll learn what is Dyscalculia, what are the symptoms of the condition, how is Dyscalculia treated and so much more. If you enjoy learning about clinical psychology, cognitive psychology and applied psychology, then you’re in for a treat.
Today’s psychology podcast episode has been sponsored by What Are Learning Disabilities? A Clinical Psychology Guide to the Causes, Treatment and Types of Learning Difficulties and Disabilities. Available from all major eBook retailers and you can order the paperback and hardback copies from Amazon, your local bookstore and local library, if you request it. Also available as an AI-narrated audiobook from selected audiobook platforms and library systems. For example, Kobo, Spotify, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, Overdrive, Baker and Taylor and Bibliotheca.
What Is Dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia is a learning disability or difficulty that negatively impacts a person’s ability to do mental arithmetic and mathematics compared to someone of the same age as them with normal or above-average intelligence. For example, a person with Dyscalculia might struggle with working memory for numbers, counting, measuring quantities, time perception, telling time, mental retrieval of mathematical factors and procedures and sequential memory.
In addition, in the DSM-5, Dyscalculia is typically classed as a “specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics”. And you might hear Dyscalculia being referred to as “developmental Dyscalculia”, “maths learning disability”, “maths anxiety”, “numerical impairment” or “maths dyslexia”.
A more practical example is earlier today, I was writing a clinical psychology reflection on how the driving requirement to become a clinical psychologist in the United Kingdom was economic discrimination. I needed to work out what 40 hours times £72 was. Now, because I don’t have Dyscalculia, I knew and I can instinctively recall that to work this out I need to do the following mathematical steps:
Note: I’ll pretend I’m doing this by hand without a calculator as this is what a lot of schools do to teach basic maths skills. Also, to make it clear because in audio this is not going to work out very well. I would be using long multiplication in the real world.
I would do 4 times 72 times by 10.
Or I would do 2 times 72 and double it again.
Yet someone with Dyscalculia wouldn’t know they needed to do that procedure instinctively.
Another fun fact about Dyscalculia is that the prevalence rate of the condition is not well-documented. It is sort of suggested by studies that between 5% and 10% of the US schoolchildren population meet the diagnostic criteria for the condition. As well as there is no single test for Dyscalculia. Instead the condition is diagnosed by using a series of specific tests looking at different maths skills and general cognitive abilities. These test results are combined with standardised test scores, family history, current and past academic performance and other information to rule out other conditions like ADHD and generalised anxiety disorder to form part of a comprehensive evaluation of a child for Dyscalculia.
This is another reason why not every child who struggles with maths has Dyscalculia. Instead, factors like poor teacher instructions, familial factors like poverty and instability and other conditions like anxiety or ADHD can cause a child to struggle with maths. This is because these factors make it difficult for a child to understand new concepts or focus in an education setting. Also, we need to bare in mind that at one point or another, we all struggle with maths or another subject. It doesn’t mean we have a condition. For example, I was beyond useless at statistics during my undergraduate and I was barely able to scrap the 2:1 I needed to be able to get onto my placement year. I still couldn’t explain a whole bunch of the statistical concepts I had to learn because I really struggled.
It doesn’t mean I have Dyscalculia.
This is why it’s important to look for a cluster of symptoms that impact an individual over time and that is a sign of a condition or there is more to the child struggling than them simply not understanding a concept because of other factors. I still struggle with statistics, even after I somehow passed Masters-level stats.
Struggling with maths or another subject every so often is just normal, understandable and a part of being human.
Overall, the reason why the condition is of interest to aspiring and qualified psychologists is because Dyscalculia is a lifelong condition. It is classed as a disability too because it is covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States. As well as it hinders a child’s academic progress so it can harm their self-esteem, their mental health and they can lose their self-confidence. This is why psychologists are so important because with treatment and interventions as soon as possible, the child with Dyscalculia can thrive.
What Are the Symptoms of Dyscalculia?
Whilst the symptoms of Dyscalculia typically first manifest themselves in childhood, the condition can go undiagnosed until adulthood. Yet like I always mention, this is problematic for the child because it means they struggle with mathematical concepts and maths skills throughout their childhood and into their adulthood. They might get called “thick”, “lazy” or people might just think that they’re silly because they cannot do basic maths even if they’re good at other academic subjects. This is why it’s important to get a diagnosis as early as possible so the child can get the support and interventions they need.
Some signs that a child might have Dyscalculia can include a child having difficulty reading an analogue clock, having issues identifying which quantity is the smallest or largest, and difficulty adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying numbers so they get inconsistent results when they do it. For example, people without Dyscalculia will always get 2 + 2= 4 because we can accurately recall the mathematical concepts and procedures that this arithmetic needs. Yet a person with Dyscalculia might get 2 + 2 = 4 then 5 or 1 if they kept doing the sum again and again. Just a little illustration.
Another set of symptoms of Dyscalculia might be a child experiences challenges when performing mental maths, they might have difficulties understanding the rules of maths or remembering mathematical formulas or facts. As well as a child might have a constant need to count on their fingers long after their peers have stopped.
I know I always mention this fact in these learning difficulty episodes, but if you have one or two of these symptoms, it doesn’t mean that you have Dyscalculia. For example, there are times when I still count on my fingers and I have a great difficulty telling right from left and I struggle to orient myself in a space. Yet this doesn’t mean I have Dyscalculia because I have great time management, I have no difficulties identifying a larger or smaller amount and I have little trouble with mental maths. This is why a comprehensive evaluation is needed for a Dyscalculia diagnosis.
In addition, a child with Dyscalculia might struggle to manage money-related tasks, like calculating tips, estimate sales prices and making change. Equally, Dyscalculia can make a person struggle with telling right from left or orienting themselves in a space and they have difficulty estimating time, distance or speed.
A final symptom is that a person with Dyscalculia tends to be frequently late and they have poor time management.
In terms of other behavioural symptoms, another challenge of a Dyscalculia diagnosis is that a person’s symptoms and their general ability to do maths can appear very inconsistent. For example, one day, a person might be able to do a lot of calculations very well. Then the next day, they might forget how to do these calculations or forget mathematical formulas in an exam. These inconsistencies make a diagnosis even harder when we consider that remembering names or associating faces with names are symptoms too. Symptoms that can be disregarded at times because everyone experiences these difficulties from time to time.
Furthermore, misdiagnosis can happen with Dyscalculia because people with Dyscalculia can lose track of time, become easily disorientated, have a tendency to get lost and appear absent-minded. All these symptoms overlap with ADHD and any ADHD medication given to children with Dyscalculia will not work. This means that the anxiety, low self-esteem and other negative mental health outcomes that the child experiences because of their Dyscalculia will not improve. Meaning that a child with the condition will continue to get anxious whenever they have to do maths, they avoid activities that require maths like the plague or sadly they will continue to label themselves as “stupid” because they cannot keep up with the rest of their peers when it comes to maths.
Again, support and interventions are flat out critical.
What Causes Dyscalculia?
Before I explain the causes of Dyscalculia, I wanted to bust two myths about the condition. Even though, Dyscalculia is sometimes called “maths anxiety”, the name is not accurate because Dyscalculia is not caused by anxiety. Since someone can feel constantly anxious about doing maths without having Dyscalculia whereas if someone has Dyscalculia then any anxiety they have might worsen the impacts of the condition.
Also, I want to bust the myth that poor maths instructions can cause Dyscalculia. If you or your child receives a lot of poor or inconsistent instructions from maths teachers then it will not cause them to develop Dyscalculia. Since Dyscalculia is a neurodevelopmental disorder and this means it cannot be caused from poor instructions. You might argue that poor instruction causes the condition because ineffective teaching can make children struggle with mathematical concepts, as seen in Dyscalculia, but this is another reason why a full and comprehensive evaluation of a child is important. This evaluation allows you to understand if a child’s struggles with maths are because of Dyscalculia or another factor, like poor teaching.
On the whole, like many other learning disabilities as well as learning difficulties, researchers aren’t a 100% certain on the causes of Dyscalculia. We do know that it is a combination of genetic and environmental factors and experts are continuing to work out the difference in the brains of those individuals who struggle with maths because of other factors like poor instruction, coexisting conditions and poverty. As well as the brains of people with Dyscalculia.
The genetic factors are believed to be strongly linked to the development of Dyscalculia because there is evidence that shows people with the condition are more likely to have family members with the condition compared to the general population.
In addition, when it comes to acquired Dyscalculia, this is caused by a stroke or brain injury. This form of the condition stems from brain damage to the parietal lobe of the brain. Although, it should be noted that sudden problems with maths can be a sign of dementia too.
Personally, what I’ve learnt from this section is that a comprehensive evaluation of a person is always important in clinical psychology, but this condition highlights why. Since it is possible to struggle with maths because of additional factors that have nothing to do with Dyscalculia, you might struggle with maths because you have Dyscalculia or you might have another condition, like dementia. I mention this point because if you think about the families, the parents and the children themselves then this is a very stressful, difficult and concerning time for them.
The parents, supporters and families are likely to be worried about their child. They’re likely to be stressed about the child’s future. They might be stressed about this new addition to their already busy plate and they might feel overwhelmed because they need to work, do childcare, maintain their own mental health and suddenly they need to workout how best to support their child. It’s a lot for any parent.
Getting high-quality and accurate answers as soon as possible is flat out critical to give parents, supporters and children the certainty they need.
In addition, the children themselves might be concerned, anxious and have low self-esteem. All their peers and friends can “just” do the maths that they cannot. They might be being bullied and their overworked teachers might be struggling to help them. The child might start internalising their difficulties with maths as a failure on their part, they might perceive themselves as dim, thick or stupid compared to everyone else.
This is why we need to support people with Dyscalculia as soon as possible.
I just wanted to put this section into perspective for all of us qualified or aspiring psychologists.
How Is Dyscalculia Treated?
Moving onto Dyscalculia treatment, there is no medication for learning disabilities like Dyscalculia. Yet if the child has Dyscalculia and another condition, like ADHD, then taking medication for the ADHD or another mental health condition the child has might help them to focus on maths more effectively.
The condition is typically treated in children by giving them specialist coaching and early interventions to teach them basic mathematics and arithmetic. This can include personalised mathematic instructions, in-classroom accommodations and there are specific therapies as well as accommodations use depending on the nature and the severity of their Dyscalculia.
Some of the best in-class accommodations for Dyscalculia include reduced maths homework, frequent check-ins during class, the use of so-called “cheat sheets” that allow students to reference common formulas during tests, the freedom to use a calculator whenever they want and extra time on tests.
These accommodations tend to be a collaboration between the healthcare professionals, teachers and parents to identify the accommodations that might be useful to the student and this process is often trial and error.
When it comes to adults, there is little research on the efficacy of Dyscalculia interventions designed for adults, but there are options for them. Also, adults with the condition might be able to get accommodations in the workplace so they can effectively manage their symptoms and thrive in the working environment. As well as psychological therapy can help adults with Dyscalculia to overcome any self-esteem difficulties that might have been caused by lifelong learning difficulties.
A little tip I would mention here for UK listeners is that once you’re “officially” diagnosed with a learning disability, difficulty or another mental health condition, you are protected by the Equality Act. For example, I cannot legally be discriminated against because of my dyslexia and dyspraxia. It’s the exact same for Dyscalculia.
Clinical Psychology Conclusion
Even though I don’t have Dyscalculia, I always love learning about, well, learning difficulties because they do have very real, sometimes upsetting and devastating impacts on a person’s life. I might not have Dyscalculia but a diagnosis of dyslexia really did allow me to escape some of the masking, the shame and the lingering feelings of being an idiot because I struggled with words.
People with Dyscalculia feel the exact same way.
By learning about the condition, we’re improving our ability to recognise it, diagnose it and hopefully support all the amazing people that experience the negative impacts of Dyscalculia every single day of their lives.
I’ve mentioned this a lot in job interviews lately. I firmly believe that every child and adult with a learning difficulty can thrive in life given the right support and interventions around them.
Yet this all starts with some learning, some awareness and applying this in your everyday life. We all have this information now, and now, it’s up to us to use it to make the world a happier and better place.
I really hope you enjoyed today’s clinical psychology podcast episode.
If you want to learn more, please check out:
What Are Learning Disabilities? A Clinical Psychology Guide to the Causes, Treatment and Types of Learning Difficulties and Disabilities. Available from all major eBook retailers and you can order the paperback and hardback copies from Amazon, your local bookstore and local library, if you request it. Also available as an AI-narrated audiobook from selected audiobook platforms and library systems. For example, Kobo, Spotify, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, Overdrive, Baker and Taylor and Bibliotheca.
Have a great day.
Clinical Psychology References and Further Reading
Agostini, F., Zoccolotti, P., & Casagrande, M. (2022). Domain-general cognitive skills in children with mathematical difficulties and dyscalculia: A systematic review of the literature. Brain sciences, 12(2), 239.
Dowker, A. (2024). Developmental dyscalculia in relation to individual differences in mathematical abilities. Children, 11(6), 623.
Dyscalculia.org.
Galitskaya, V., & Drigas, A. (2021). The importance of working memory in children with Dyscalculia and Ageometria. Scientific Electronic Archives, 14(10).
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/conditions/dyscalculia
Hussain, K., & Soares, N. (2022). Dyscalculia. International Journal of Child Health & Human Development, 15(3).
Lyons I, Beilock SL. When math hurts: Math anxiety predicts pain network anticipation of doing math. PLOS One. Published online October 31, 2012.
Price GR and Ansari D. Dyscalculia: characteristics, causes and treatments. Numeracy. Published online January 2013;6(1)
Salisa, R. D., & Meiliasari, M. (2023). A literature review on dyscalculia: What dyscalculia is, its characteristics, and difficulties students face in mathematics class. Alifmatika: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran Matematika, 5(1), 82-94.
Sudha P and Shalini A. Dyscalculia: A specific learning disability among children. International Journal of Advanced Scientific and Technical Research. March-April 2014;4(2):912-918.
Vigna, G., Ghidoni, E., Burgio, F., Danesin, L., Angelini, D., Benavides-Varela, S., & Semenza, C. (2022). Dyscalculia in early adulthood: Implications for numerical activities of daily living. Brain Sciences, 12(3), 373.
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