Abstract

The arithmetic learning disabilities are selective and specific disabilities of numerical processing and calculation that do not depend on cognitive deficits, sensory deficits, or cultural disadvantage. The causes of these disorders are unclear, and several hypotheses have been proposed. This work is a review on the national and international literature which has investigated the relationship between working memory and arithmetic learning disabilities. We found that the vast majority of the research to date has focussed to the multicomponent model of working memory developed by Baddeley. This review is aimed at highlighting the different perspectives provided by other important models of working memory, as those proposed by Cowan and Engle or by Barrouillet and Towese's recent developmental models. Finally, we propose a critical review of the different etiological hypotheses concerning arithmetic learning disabilities and present some examples of working memory training programs.