Michele M Mazzocco

My research interests focus primarily on the role of cognitive development and function on problem solving behaviors. My current project involves identifying individual differences in the cognitive skills underlying mathematical achievement trajectories.  I am particularly interested in the development of numeracy skills, how those and other cognitive skills interact to affect and predict long term mathematics achievement outcomes, and how pathways to mathematical learning differ across students progressing at very different achievement levels.  Currently, I am examining these questions via data from a recently completed longitudinal study of students who, followed since kindergarten, recently completed high school.

I am also interested in the development of metacognition in childhood, particularly as it relates to dealing with lexical ambiguity, numeracy, and other problem solving behaviors. 

Selected Publications

1. Grimm, K., Zhang, Z., Hamagami, F., & Mazzocco, M.M.M. (in press). Modeling Nonlinear Change via Latent Change and Latent Acceleration Frameworks: Examining Velocity and Acceleration of Growth Trajectories. Multivariate Behavioral Research.

   Mazzocco, M.M.M, & Grimm, K.J. (in press). Growth in rapid automatized naming from Grades K to 8 in children with math or reading disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities.

   Mazzocco, M.M.M., Myers, G.F., Lewis, K.E., Hanich, L.B., & Murphy, M.M. (in press). Limited knowledge of fraction representations differentiates middle school students with mathematics learning disability (dyscalculia) vs. low mathematics achievement. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 

   Matejko, A.A., Price, G.R., Mazzocco, M. M.M., & Ansari, D. (2013). Individual differences in left parietal white matter predict math scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test. NeuroImage, 66, 604-610.  

   Price, G.R., Mazzocco, M.M.M.,  &  Ansari, D. (2013). Why Mental Arithmetic Counts: Brain activation during single digit arithmetic predicts high-school math scores. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(1):156 –163.

   Mazzocco, M.M.M., Hanich, L.B., & Noeder, M. (2012). Primary School Age Students' Spontaneous Comments about Math Reveal Emerging Dispositions Linked to Later Mathematics Achievement, Child Development Research, vol. 2012, Article ID 170310, 12 pp, 2012. doi:10.1155/2012/170310.

   Mazzocco, M.M.M., Feigenson, L., & Halberda, J. (2011). Preschoolers’ Precision of the Approximate Number System Predicts Later School Mathematics Performance.  PLoS One  DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0023749

   Mazzocco, M.M.M., Feigenson L., & Halberda, J. (2011). Impaired acuity of the approximate number system underlies mathematical learning disability.  Child Development.

   Mazzocco, M. M. M., & Hanich, L. B. (2010).  Math achievement, numerical processing, and executive functions in girls with Turner syndrome: Do girls with Turner syndrome have math learning disability?  Learning and Individual Differences, 20, 70-81.

   Dennis, M., Berch, D. B., & Mazzocco, M. M. M. (2009).  Mathematical learning disabilities in special populations:  Phenotypic variation and cross-disorder comparisons.  Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 15, 80-89.

   Murphy, M. M., & Mazzocco, M. M. M. (2009).  The trajectory of mathematics skills and working memory thresholds in girls with fragile X syndrome. Cognitive Development, 24, 430-449.

   Halberda, J., Mazzocco, M.M.M., & Feigenson, L. (2008).  Individual differences in non-verbal number acuity correlate with maths achievement.  Nature. 455(2):665-668.

   Mazzocco, M.M.M., & Devlin, K.T. (2008). Parts and ‘holes’: Gaps in rational number sense in children with vs. without mathematical learning disability. Developmental Science. 11:681-691.

   Mazzocco, M.M.M.,Devlin, K.T., & McKenney, J.L. (2008). Is it a fact? Timed arithmetic performance of children with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD) varies as a function of how MLD is defined. Developmental Neuropsychology. 33:318-344.

   Murphy, M.M., & Mazzocco, M.M.M. (2008). Rote numeric skills may mask underlying mathematical disabilities in girls with fragile X syndrome.  Developmental Neuropsychology. 33:345-364.

   Murphy M.M., Mazzocco M.M.M., Hanich L., & Early M.C. (2007).  Cognitive characteristics of children with mathematics learning disability (MLD) vary as a function of the cut-off criterion used to define MLD.  Journal of Learning Disabilities. 40:458-478.

   Mazzocco M.M.M., & Kover, S.T. (2007). A longitudinal assessment of the development of executive functions and their association with math performance.  Child Neuropsychology, 13, 18-45.

   Tsui J.M., & Mazzocco M.M.M.  (2007). Effects of math anxiety and perfectionism on timed versus untimed math testing in mathematically gifted sixth graders.  Roeper Review, 29, 132-139.

   Garrett A.J., Mazzocco M.M.M., & Baker L. (2006).  Development of the metacognitive skills of prediction and evaluation in children with or without math disability. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 21, 77-88.

   Lachance J., & Mazzocco M.M.M. (2006). A longitudinal analysis of sex differences in math and spatial skills in primary school age children.  Learning and Individual Differences, 16, 195-216.

   Mazzocco M.M.M., & Thompson R.E. (2005).  Kindergarten predictors of math learning disability.  Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 20, 142-155.

   Mazzocco M.M., Myers G.F., Thompson L.A., & Desai S.S. (2003).  Possible explanations for children’s literal interpretations of homonyms. Journal of Child Language, 30, 879-904.

   Mazzocco M.M.M., & Myers G.F. (2003). Complexities in identifying and defining mathematics learning disability in the primary school age years. Annals of Dyslexia, 53, 218-253.

   Mazzocco M.M.M., & Myers G.F. (2002). Maximizing enrollment efficiency for school based education research. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32, 1577-1587.

   Teisl J.T., Mazzocco M.M.M., & Myers G.F. (2001). Assessing the utility of kindergarten teacher ratings for predicting first grade academic achievement. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34, 286-293.

   Mazzocco M.M.M. (1999). Developmental changes in indicators that literal interpretation of homonyms are associated with conflict.  Journal of Child Language, 26, 393-417.

   Mazzocco M.M.M.. (1998). A process approach to describing math difficulties in girls withTurner syndrome.  Pediatrics (supplement), 108, 492-496.

   Mazzocco M.M.M. (1997). Children's interpretations of homonyms.  A developmental study. Journal of Child Language, 24, 441-467.

Selected Presentations

1. Mazzocco, M.M.M., & Herold, K. (2013, March 13). Mathematics in Early Childhood. Presented at the 2013 Minnesota Head Start Conference in Saint Paul, MN.

2. Mazzocco, M.M.M. (2013, February 12).  Mathematical Learning Difficulties in School Age Children. Invited Presentation at National Association of School Psychologists Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.

3. Mazzocco, M.M.M. (2012, November 17). Similarities and Differences Across Math Learning Difficulties and Disabilities. Presented at the 33rd annual Learning & the Brain Conference, Boston, MA.

4. Mazzocco, M.M.M.  (2012, November 9). Mathematical Learning Disabilities and Other Obstacles to Mathematics Achievement. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Ohio School Psychologists Association, Columbus, Ohio.

5. Mazzocco, Michele M.M.M. (2012, October 24). How longitudinal Studies Inform Evolving Definitions of Mathematics Learning Disabilities.  In M. Mazzocco (Chair), Dyscalculia and other mathematics learning difficulties. Symposium conducted at the International Dyslexia Association Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD.

6. Mazzocco, Michele M. M. M. (2012, September 14). Invited Presentation at the first Cambridge Conference and Workshop on Developmental Dyscalculia,  sponsored by the Centre for Neuroscience in Education, Department of Psychology, Cambridge, UK, held at St John's College, Cambridge.