This study investigated the relationship between mathematics difficulties and psychopathology in a large community sample (N = 881) of youth (8–18 years of age) in the United States. The primary aims of the study were to (a) test the associations between mathematics difficulties and specific components of internalizing, externalizing, attention, and social problems; (b) examine potential age and gender differences; and (c) investigate the longitudinal relationship between mathematics and psychopathology using 5-year follow-up data. Results indicated that individuals with mathematics difficulties exhibited elevations in most dimensions of psychopathology, including anxiety, depression, externalizing behaviors, attention problems, and social problems. Furthermore, mathematics impairment was associated with internalizing problems, rule-breaking behaviors, inattention, and social problems even after controlling for comorbid reading difficulties. Results suggested that the associations between mathematics and psychopathology are generally similar in males and females. Finally, preliminary longitudinal evidence suggested that initial mathematics difficulties predicted elevations of conduct disorder, rule-breaking behavior, inattention, hyperactivity, and social problems at follow-up, with several of these associations remaining significant even after controlling for initial reading. In contrast, there was no significant association between initial mathematics ability and internalizing symptoms at follow-up, demonstrating some amelioration of internalizing symptoms over time.

本研究调查了大型社区样本中数学困难与精神病理学之间的关系 ( N= 881) 的美国青年（8-18 岁）。该研究的主要目的是 (a) 测试数学困难与内化、外化、注意力和社会问题的特定组成部分之间的关​​联；(b) 检查潜在的年龄和性别差异；(c) 使用 5 年的后续数据调查数学和精神病理学之间的纵向关系。结果表明，有数学困难的个体在精神病理学的大多数方面表现出升高，包括焦虑、抑郁、外化行为、注意力问题和社会问题。此外，数学障碍与内化问题、违反规则的行为、注意力不集中和社交问题有关，即使在控制了共病阅读困难之后也是如此。结果表明，数学和精神病理学之间的关联在男性和女性中通常是相似的。最后，初步的纵向证据表明，最初的数学困难预示着后续行为障碍、违规行为、注意力不集中、多动和社会问题的增加，其中一些关联即使在控制了最初的阅读之后仍然很重要。相比之下，最初的数学能力与后续的内化症状之间没有显着关联，表明随着时间的推移内化症状有所改善。初步的纵向证据表明，最初的数学困难预示着后续行为障碍、违规行为、注意力不集中、多动和社会问题的增加，其中一些关联即使在控制了最初的阅读之后仍然很重要。相比之下，最初的数学能力与后续的内化症状之间没有显着关联，表明随着时间的推移内化症状有所改善。初步的纵向证据表明，最初的数学困难预示着后续行为障碍、违规行为、注意力不集中、多动和社会问题的增加，其中一些关联即使在控制了最初的阅读之后仍然很重要。相比之下，最初的数学能力与后续的内化症状之间没有显着关联，表明随着时间的推移内化症状有所改善。