The role of inhibition in the development of arithmetic skills—A cross-sectional study in 5- and 7-year-old children

Inhibition has been suggested to contribute to symbolic and nonsymbolic quantity processing, but conclusions remain inconsistent. Using Structural Equation Modelling, the structure of inhibition and its contributions to symbolic and nonsymbolic arithmetic are explored in predominantly White, high-SES French 5- and 7-year-olds (N = 331, 169 females). Data were collected in Paris schools between January 2020 and March 2021. Results suggest a lack of support for a unitary or binary (Response Inhibition and Distractor Suppression) inhibition construct and highlight a link in both age groups between the Stop-Signal Task and symbolic arithmetic, and a link between the Flanker task and nonsymbolic arithmetic only in 7-year-olds. This study dissects the differential contributions of inhibition facets to arithmetic development in a critical time window.