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Encoding of logical connective rules in learning-disabled children.

Using a modified reception paradigm, normal and learning-disabled children were required to solve unidimensional, disjunctive, or conditional connectives under standard attending or enforced attending instructions. The major result was that enforced attending procedures facilitated solution of disjunctive and conditional concepts for normal children, while having minimal effects on rule attainment for the disabled. Within Sternberg's (1979) model, a number of subcomponent analyses were made on attribute combinations (e.g., TT, TF...), but only in the FF instance was there a difference between instructional conditions. Disabled were deficient in TT, TF, FF instances regardless of attending instructions. Results support a "reductive coding deficiency" in that learning-disabled children were unable to effectively utilize attentional instructions to encode certain attribute combinations.

Attention↗

Perception and interpretation of explicit negations by learning-disabled children and adolescents.

The present study evaluated and compared the preception and interpretation of 21 explicit negative sentences by 15 learning disabled third graders and 15 controls, 20 learning disabled adolescents and 20 controls, and 16 randomly selected adults. The proportions of correct interpretations of the experimental sentences did not differ significantly among subject groups. In a similar vein the proportions of correct responses to individual test items did not differ significantly. The findings suggest that the learning-disabled third graders and adolescents adequately perceived the stressed negated elements and interpreted the meanings of the explicit negative sentences appropriately. These findings conflict with previous observations that dyslexic children experienced problems in processing prosodic suprasegmental features (Vogel, 1974).

Adolescent↗

Preliminary analysis of the psychometric properties of the Mood, Interest & Pleasure Questionnaire (MIPQ) for adults with severe and profound learning disabilities.

OBJECTIVE: There are few reliable and valid methods for assessing emotional constructs in adults with severe and profound learning disabilities who are unable to self report. The aims of this study were to develop an informant questionnaire on affect for use in relation to adults with severe and profound learning disabilities and to examine its psychometric properties. METHOD: The Mood, Interest & Pleasure Questionnaire (MIPQ) is a 25-item Likert scale questionnaire with two subscales (mood and interest & pleasure). The MIPQ and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist were completed on 53 participants with severe or profound learning disabilities, who were partly or non-verbal. Of these, 23 participants (43%) were included in an examination of test-retest and inter-rater reliability of the MIPQ. RESULTS: Reliability of the MIPQ was good for subscales and total score: test-retest and inter-rater reliability coefficients for the total score were .87 and .76, respectively. Internal consistency was excellent (.94). A significant correlation between the MIPQ total score and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist's 'lethargy, social withdrawal' subscale provided preliminary evidence of construct validity (r (48) = -.59, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: A preliminary analysis of the psychometric properties of the MIPQ is encouraging and further validation of the measure is warranted. The measure might be used to examine depression in people with severe and profound learning disabilities as well as in investigations of issues such as quality of life.

Adult↗

Using standardized psychometric tests to identify learning disabilities in students with sensorineural hearing impairments.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of standardized psychoeducational diagnostic instruments to identify learning disabilities in students with sensorineural hearing impairments. Nineteen students were evaluated: 14 males and 5 females between the ages of 7 and 13. Results indicated that 12 were functioning at grade level, 2 had cognitive delays, and 2 had learning disabilities. Of the 3 remaining students, 2 had unilateral hearing loss and 1 had a precipitous high-frequency hearing loss; these students were used as controls. Students with hearing impairment were found to demonstrate learning disabilities with a frequency similar to that found in students with normal hearing. These results suggest that standardized instruments can be used effectively to identify learning disabilities in students with sensorineural hearing loss.

Achievement↗

Assessing clinicians' consultation with people with profound learning disability: producing a rating scale.

This paper describes the development of a scale for assessing clinicians' communication with people with profound learning disability. Four psychiatrists and four nurses were assessed completing three simple non-invasive clinical procedures--blood pressure, pulse and axillary temperature--with people with profound learning disability. Videotaped assessment of consultations was performed by three experienced speech and language therapists using a previously designed scale for analysing encounters with people with mild learning disability. This led to the production of a new scale specifically for people with profound learning disability. A significant inter-rater reliability was found between the three speech therapists for total scores (rater a-b, corr = 0.654, P = 0.006; rater a-c, corr = 0.795, P = 0.0001: rater b-c, corr = 0.673, P = 0.004). Significant reliability between raters was also found for the subsections of verbal behaviour and non-verbal behaviour.

Blood Pressure↗

The prescribing of neuroleptic drugs for people with learning disabilities living in Leicestershire.

Neuroleptics are prescribed for 23% of individuals with learning disabilities resident in Leicestershire, England. The rate of neuroleptic prescription is significantly higher in individuals resident in N.H.S. facilities (44%) than in non-N.H.S. managed community facilities (13%). Significantly higher doses of neuroleptics are prescribed to individuals resident in N.H.S. facilities. However, ratings for the level of behavioural disturbance were significantly higher in N.H.S. facilities. The decision to prescribe neuroleptics was associated with disturbed behaviour, and higher doses of neuroleptic medication prescribed were associated with more disturbed behaviour.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

Management of learning disability in the general hospital.

Learning-disabled people need to use the same medical services as the rest of the population. Once referred to a general hospital their diagnosis and treatment must take into account any special needs generated by their disability. This article describes the way in which this can be achieved and the resource implications.

Adult↗

The development and validation of the Epilepsy and Learning Disabilities Quality of Life (ELDQOL) scale.

Few suitable instruments exist for use with people, especially children, with both epilepsy and learning disabilities. One such measure is the Epilepsy and Learning Disabilities Quality of Life scale (ELDQOL), which has recently undergone revision following feedback from relevant users. This article reports on the final psychometric testing phase of this scale. ELDQOL consists of 70 items covering seizure severity, seizure-related injuries, antiepileptic drug side effects, behavior, mood, physical, cognitive, and social functioning, parental concern, communication, overall quality of life, and overall health. Revalidation involved a qualitative phase, to ascertain users' opinions on the wording, coverage, and layout of the questionnaire, and a quantitative phase, to examine internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity. There is very good evidence of the reliability and validity of the final version of ELDQOL, making it a promising instrument for assessing quality of life in children/young adults with epilepsy and learning disabilities.

Adolescent↗

Caring for adults with a learning disability in the community.

A recurring theme within the literature is gaps in the delivery of services for people with a learning disability living in the community. These gaps occur between health professionals, primary and secondary care and specialisms within nursing. Gaps also exist between social service policy and implementation, health and social care. Recent national and local reports have sought to address these issues by promoting ways for health and social services to work in partnership. The theme of health promotion is highlighted in all these documents, but implementation of health promotion has been firmly placed within the boundaries of primary care. This poses a dilemma for primary care: does the primary care team or a more specialist community learning disability team provide better care for people with a learning disability? This article summarizes strategies and policies within the literature and difficulties that need to be considered when offering a service to people with a learning disability.

Adult↗

Using informed strategies for learning to enhance the reading and thinking skills of children with learning disabilities.

The purpose of this study was to improve the reading performance of children with learning disabilities using a classroom-based metacognitive reading program. The participants were third- and fourth-level 8- and 9-year-olds (13 boys and 5 girls) at a school for children with learning disabilities. A cross-sectional time series design was used. During pre- and posttesting participants were assessed on two measures of strategy awareness and a measure of perceived self-competence. During the instructional phase the metacognitive reading program was introduced. Participants were assessed on measures of reading performance throughout the study. In general, the findings were positive: Students increased in performance and awareness of strategies from pre- to posttesting. In addition, participants were placed in subgroups based on pretesting assessments. The subgroups differed on their improvements over time. This study provides preliminary evidence that a metacognitive reading program can be used with children with learning disabilities to improve their awareness about reading and their comprehension skills.

Awareness↗

Visual discrimination of letter-like forms and its relationship to achievement over time in children with learning disabilities.

The purpose of this study was to better understand whether visual discrimination abilities are related to reading intelligence and other achievement areas in children with learning disabilities and normally achieving children. Children with visual discrimination problems were identified using the Gibson letter-like visual discrimination task. This task was given to a large sample of children with learning disabilities as well as a sample of normally achieving children. All children were followed throughout elementary school. Results indicated that children with learning disabilities who had visual discrimination problems at 6 or 7 years of age performed more poorly in reading and general achievement over the elementary school years in comparison to the other children with learning disabilities and compared to normally achieving children. Discussion centers around the importance of this skill for reading.

Child↗

Otitis media in children with learning disabilities and in children with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity.

A retrospective study was conducted to compare history of middle ear disease children with an attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADD-H) and children with a learning disability. Of 138 children evaluated in a child development clinic, learning disability without ADD-H was diagnosed in 45 (29 boys, 16 girls; mean age = 9.5 years) and ADD-H without learning disability was diagnosed in 21 (17 boys, 4 girls; mean age = 8.5 years). Based on parental report, children with ADD-H had significantly more complaints of earaches during the preceding 3 months and significantly more ear infections during the preceding year. Specifically, no between-group differences were observed for total number of ear infections since birth, extended antibiotic therapy, tympanostomy tube placement, or recent hearing problems. Although middle ear disease in preschool children has repeatedly been linked to later language deficits, this study suggests that middle ear disease in school-age children may also be associated with hyperactivity and/or inattention, independently of learning disability.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

Assessing general practitioners' care of adult patients with learning disability: case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare general practitioners' care of adult patients with learning disability with that of control patients in the same practice. DESIGN: Case-control study of patients and controls by a structured interview study of general practitioners. SETTING: Avon. PATIENTS: 78 adult patients with learning disability and 78 age and sex matched controls--cared for by 62 general practitioners. MAIN MEASURES: Number and content of consultations and opinions of the general practitioners. RESULTS: There were more consultations for diseases of the central nervous system and of the skin among the patients than the controls (15 v 3 for central nervous system disease and 15 v 4 skin disease). There were also significantly fewer recordings of blood pressure and cervical cytology tests (34 v 51 for blood pressure and 2 v 18 for cytology). Although more patients were taking drugs affecting the central nervous system (33 v 6), more controls were taking drugs for musculoskeletal complaints (17 v 7). CONCLUSION: Although adult patients with learning disability consult with their general practitioners at equivalent rates to other patients, they get less preventive care and consult for different types of problems than do other patients. The reasons for these differences in preventive care are not clear. Carers and general practitioners should be informed of these differences to ensure that appropriate care is given.

Adult↗

BIP-Bender protocols of learning disabled and regular education students.

20 learning disabled and 20 normal elementary school children took the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test twice, once under standard conditions and again using Background Interference Procedure paper. Based on Koppitz's scoring system, the disabled pupils did equally poorly on both modes but performed significantly worse than the normal children when given the standard Bender first. No other differences were found. Other scoring methods are suggested for investigation.

Bender-Gestalt Test↗

Better preadmission assessment improves learning disability care.

AIM: This qualitative study explores the experience of hospital admission from the perspective of four different stakeholders: people with a learning disability, their family/carers, hospital staff, and community learning disability nurses. It introduces and evaluates a new preadmission assessment, identifies key factors that influence the process of health care, and compares the results of this study with the current evidence base. METHOD: Process evaluation with multiple stakeholder analysis using semi-structured interviews for data collection. A focus group was used in preparation for the study. FINDINGS: Stakeholders were generally positive about their experiences, and the preadmission assessment was well received. CONCLUSION: Preadmission assessment of people with learning disabilities can be helpful to all concerned as it helps the different stakeholders to understand each other and their needs.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

The effects of deinstitutionalization on adults with learning disabilities.

We compared a group of people with learning disabilities who have been deinstitutionalized with a control group remaining in an institution on measures of adaptive and maladaptive behaviour, community living skills, social skills, and quality of life. In general, there was no change over 30 months for the control group. Changes for the experimental group were either not seen or were generally modest in scale, and tended to occur within 6 months of moving, the measures staying relatively stable thereafter. Implications for detailed examination of the effects of deinstitutionalization were discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗

An outcome study of an early intervention for specific learning disabilities.

Subjects at risk for specific learning disabilities were assessed on standardized measures throughout elementary and middle school following an intervention based on task analysis of kindergarten curricula and team teaching. All results were significant for the treatment group in relation to an at-risk cohort and comparable to a current random cohort and national averages.

Achievement↗