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PubMedDate not supplied

Learning disabilities occurring concomitantly with linguistic differences.

This article discusses characteristics of educational environments that facilitate success for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners, thereby reducing inappropriate referrals to special education, and offers recommendations for adapting referral and assessment processes to better serve CLD students suspected of having learning disabilities. Effective instructional practices are considered, and competencies needed by teachers who serve CLD students with learning disabilities are suggested. Specific attention is given to identifying and serving students with learning disabilities who are also limited English proficient.

Achievement↗
PubMed1997

Child and learning disability psychopharmacology.

In January 1997, the British Association for Psychopharmacology convened a Round Table meeting to look at issues surrounding the prescription of psychotropic drugs to children or individuals with learning disabilities. This followed reports in the UK media about increasing rates of prescription to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and children who are depressed as well as concerns regarding the prescription of psychotropic drugs to both children and adults with learning disabilities. The participants included both clinical and basic scientists, psychiatrists and psychologists, as well as regulators and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry and they were drawn from the UK, the United States, Canada, Holland, France and Germany. The brief was to consider the evidence in favour of prescribing for individuals with learning disabilities or children with obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, depression or ADHD and the basis on which prescribing could take place in the absence of clinical trial evidence of efficacy drawn from the populations in question, where prescribing is effectively off label or outside the remit of a medicine's product licence or sometimes must take place in the face of data sheet disclaimers that it is contraindicated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Electrocortical frequencies in hyperactive, learning-disabled, mixed, and normal children.

Ten boys in each of four groups (hyperactive, learning-disabled, hyperactive/learning-disabled or mixed, and normal) were exposed to a complex visual search task. EEGs were recorded at central and parietal sites, 1-sec prestimulus and 1-sec poststimulus onset, on three types of trials. The resulting wave forms, averaged over trials, were converted to the frequency domain via a fast Fourier transform and factored by principal components. Four components accounting for 87% of the variance were varimax-rotated. Analyses of variance of the component scores revealed that Component 1 differentiated the four groups of boys. This component had highest loadings in frequencies from 16 to 20 Hz and secondary loading in frequencies from 7 to 10 Hz. It was concluded that this multifrequency component is sensitive to parameters deficient in hyperactive and learning-disabled children.

Attention↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Continence promotion in adults with learning disabilities.

Helping to reduce rates of incontinence among people with severe learning disabilities can have profound effects on their self-esteem and on unit running costs. This paper describes a hospital-based continence promotion programme for people with severe learning disabilities using a behavioural approach.

Fecal Incontinence↗
PubMed1991

Learning disabilities and school problems in a regional cohort of extremely low birth weight (less than 1000 G) children: a comparison with term controls.

We compared the prevalence of learning disabilities at age 8 years in a subgroup of 68 of 129 (53%) regional cohort of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) children who were considered "normal" neurologically and intellectually (IQ greater than or equal to 85) with that of 114 term group matched controls (C). Both groups were tested with a battery of psychoeducational measures, and parents and teachers completed questionnaires on the school performance of the children. ELBW children were comparable with C on measures of intelligence (ELBW 101 +/- 8, C 104 +/- 11), language, and academic achievement but fared significantly less well in motor performance (p less than .0001). The prevalence of learning disabilities (by predefined criteria) in ELBW children (26%) was not increased compared with C (19%). However, teachers rated significantly more ELBW children as performing below grade level than were C (31% vs 16%, p less than .05), and by parent report, a higher proportion of ELBW children had received special assistance in school compared with C (37% vs 16%, p less than .001). We conclude that although the prevalence of learning disabilities in normal ELBW children was not different from that in controls, ELBW children did less well and utilized more special resources.

Achievement↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Conformity to peer pressure by students with learning disabilities: a replication.

This study assessed the reported responses of junior high school students with learning disabilities and normally achieving classmates to peer pressure to conform in prosocial and antisocial activities. The results replicate those of an earlier study in finding that students with learning disabilities indicated more willingness than their classmates to conform to peer pressure to engage in antisocial actions.

Achievement↗
PubMed1996

Research designs and statistical techniques used in the Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1989-1993.

One hundred seventy-four research articles published in the Journal of Learning Disabilities from 1989 through 1993 were analyzed and coded by the type of research design and statistical technique used. Eighty percent of the research designs employed were identified as nonintervention methods. Fifty-five percent of all statistical techniques in the research articles reviewed were coded as primary, 32% were found to be intermediate, and the remaining 14% were considered advanced. The most frequently reported designs and analyses were those that are typically taught in most introductory and intermediate courses in research methods and statistics. Thus, the study indicates that readers would need at least a strong conceptual understanding of basic and intermediate statistical procedures to interpret research reported in the Journal of Learning Disabilities.

Humans↗
PubMed1984

Behavior and academic achievement in hyperactive subgroups and learning-disabled boys. A six-year follow-up.

Hyperactive boys with and without conduct disorder and a contrast group of boys with specific reading disability were compared on behavior ratings and academic achievement six years after their initial examination to clarify the relationship between hyperactivity and learning disability. Both hyperactive groups were rated as problematic on dimensions of overactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. Hyperactive boys who had earlier been undersocialized and aggressive continued to have problems with aggression, while the "pure" hyperactive boys did not. Achievement measures showed performance to be normal for both subgroups, and the incidence of learning disability was only 8%. Reading-disabled youngsters, in contrast, showed only a behavior problem with inattention, yet they all continued to exhibit significant achievement delays. These findings suggest that, while hyperactivity and learning disability may coexist, the incidence of such overlap is less than previously estimated.

Achievement↗
PubMed1983

Reliability of the Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test with learning-disabled children.

The Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test (SCPNT) provides an objective assessment of nystagmus. Although depressed nystagmus duration as measured by the SCPNT is considered a major sign of vestibular dysfunction in learning-disabled children, the reliability of the SCPNT with this population has not been established. To study reliability of nystagmus duration in this population, 89 learning-disabled children were evaluated with the SCPNT. The results demonstrated that this sample had significantly depressed scores and more variability in scores than normal children. Intrascorer and test-retest reliabilities, although statistically significant, were lower than those established with normal children. A test-retest study of the reliability of placing a child in a deviant duration range over time significantly reduced reliability estimates. Clinicians using nystagmus duration scores in the evaluation of vestibular dysfunction in learning-disabled children should be sensitive to the variation in this measure in this population.

California↗
PubMed2006

The effects of variation on learning word order rules by adults with and without language-based learning disabilities.

UNLABELLED: Non-adjacent dependencies characterize numerous features of English syntax, including certain verb tense structures and subject-verb agreement. This study utilized an artificial language paradigm to examine the contribution of item variability to the learning of these types of dependencies. Adult subjects with and without language-based learning disabilities listened to strings of three non-words for which the first and third elements had a dependent relationship. In the low variability condition, 12 non-words occurred in the middle position, and in the high variability condition, 24 non-words occurred in this position. Non-disabled adults were able to learn the non-adjacent contingencies and generalize the underlying structure to new strings, but only when variability was high. Adults with language-based learning disabilities did not perform above chance levels under either variability condition. Thus, this group showed poor sensitivity to statistical information in speech input that both infants and non-disabled adults are known to track. LEARNING OUTCOMES: As a result of this activity, the reader will: (1) understand the advantages of using an artificial language to investigate language learning; (2) become familiar with a paradigm for studying the rapid learning of syntactic contingencies; (3) comprehend how the ability to map language structure differs for non-disabled adults and adults with a history of language/learning disability as a function of variability in the input the listener receives.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Psychiatric morbidity in older people with moderate and severe learning disability. II: The prevalence study.

We present a prevalence study of psychiatric morbidity in people over 50 years of age with learning disability (LD), using a new semistructured clinical interview specifically for use with people who have LD (the 'PAS-ADD'). Assessment involved parallel interviewing of subject and informant, these two sets of information being combined to reach a final diagnosis using ICD-9 and DSM-III-R criteria. Detection of dementia involved interviews with informants, plus investigation of loss of cognitive function over a three-year period. The experimental sample was a mixed community and institutional group (n = 105), including, as far as possible, all people in a single administrative district (Oldham) matching the age and ability criteria. Prevalence of psychiatric disorder excluding dementia was 11.4% (n = 12), most of which were depression and anxiety. Seventy-five per cent of these cases were unknown to mental health services. However, immediate care staff were usually aware of the symptoms, although often unaware of their clinical significance. Prevalence of dementia was also 11.4% (n = 12), with a combined case prevalence of 21.0% (n = 22). The PAS-ADD proved a flexible interview, effective in use with people of varying linguistic level and intellectual ability: 61.9% (n = 65) of the sample were able to be interviewed, fully adequate clinical interviews being obtained with a group of 38 people whose mean IQ was only 39. In the remaining 38.1% (n = 40), diagnosis relied exclusively on informant data. Overall, the combination of subject and informant data was essential for sensitive case detection.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Factors associated with the successful or unsuccessful withdrawal of antipsychotic drug therapy prescribed for people with learning disabilities.

Many published accounts of drug review programmes have reported reductions in the prescribing of psychotropic drugs prescribed for people with learning disabilities. Rarely though has the outcome for the patient been reported. The Leicestershire antipsychotic drug review programme resulted in antipsychotic drug dose reduction or withdrawal in 123 patients. Data relating to outcomes were analysed in order to identify factors associated with successful withdrawal. Few such factors were identified. The successful withdrawal of antipsychotic drug treatment (31 patients) was associated with low doses, predominantly of the drug thioridazine, minimal psychopathology, the presence of epilepsy, and the lack of hyperactivity, aggression of stereotypy.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

The effects of experience and sexual abuse training on the attitudes of learning disability staff.

Staff employed in three day centres for people with learning disabilities were offered training in sexual abuse. Their knowledge and attitudes about sexual abuse were measured immediately before and after training. Staff were asked about their perceptions of the risks of people with learning disabilities being sexually abused, and their estimations of the probability of the perpetrator being either a member of staff, a client, a person known to the abused person or a stranger. Their responses were found to be influenced by the recent training and their prior personal experience.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

The reliability of balance, mobility and self-care measures in a population of adults with a learning disability known to a physiotherapy service.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the reliability of three measures of balance, mobility and activity for use in clinical and research physiotherapy, with adults with a learning disability. DESIGN: Prospective study to investigate test-retest and inter-rater reliability. SETTING: Participants' homes and day centres. MEASURES: The Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI) and the Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index (BI). PARTICIPANTS: Of the 181 adults known to the Nottingham Community Physiotherapy Service for Adults with Learning Disabilities, 64 with a known Rivermead Mobility score of less than three were excluded. Of 117 randomized, a further 21 were found to fail this criteria, 27 had acute medical, social or behavioural problems, 22 were unable to participate or refused: therefore 47 entered the study. METHODS: Participants were visited in their own homes by two researchers on two occasions, one week apart and rated independently by each rater. Agreement was assessed with the kappa statistic (kappa) and percentage agreement for each item in each scale, and described using standard classification. Intraclass correlation coefficients for inter-rater and test-retest total scores and average differences of total scores, their standard deviations and limits of agreement, were calculated. RESULTS: For inter-rater observations, the Barthel Index and the Rivermead Mobility Index had almost perfect agreement (kappa = 0.86-1.00 and 0.89-1.00 respectively), with the Berg Balance Scale having substantial to almost perfect agreement (kappa = 0.74-1.00). For test-retest comparisons, both the Barthel Index and the Rivermead Mobility Index demonstrated moderate to almost perfect agreement (kappa = 0.57-1.00 and 0.45-1.00 respectively). Kappa scores for the Berg Balance Scale varied from low to almost perfect agreement (kappa = 0.37-1.00). CONCLUSIONS: The Berg Balance Scale, Rivermead Mobility Index and Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index are all reliable clinical and research tools for physiotherapists working with adults with learning disabilities.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1975

Acceptable and controversial approaches to treating the child with learning disabilities.

There are many professionals in multiple disciplines developing approaches for helping children with learning disabilities. Much of these data and reports are published in journals normally not read by physicians. On occasion, such publications are reported in newspapers or lay magazines. Thus, parents may know of ideas and suggestions before the professional. It is understandable that the parent of a handicapped child would continually seek out improved ways of helping his or her child. The treatment of choice is basically special education. Medication will minimize the hyperactivity and distractability; psychotherapy may minimize the emotional effects. However, special educational therapy for the underlying learning disabilities is essential. No one yet has a rapid or "guaranteed" cure. Parents are often caught in the middle. They turn to their physician for guidance. It is the purpose of this paper to review the significant literature in an effort to assist the family physician in providing this guidance.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed2002

Learning disabilities, dyslexia, and vision: a subject review--a rebuttal, literature review, and commentary.

BACKGROUND: In 1998, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAP/AAO/AAPOS) published a position paper entitled "Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia And Vision: A Subject Review," intended to support their assertion that there is no relationship between learning disabilities, dyslexia, and vision. The paper presents an unsupported opinion that optometrists (by implication) have said that vision problems cause learning disabilities and/or dyslexia and that visual therapy cures the conditions. The 1998 position paper follows two very similar and discredited papers published in 1972 and 1981. METHOD: This article critically reviews and comments on the many problems of scholarship, the inconsistencies, and the false allegations the position paper presents. Perhaps the foremost problem is that the authoring committee has ignored a veritable mountain of relevant literature that strongly argues against their assertion that vision does not relate to academic performance. It is for this reason that an overview, drawn from more than 1,400 identified references from Medline and other database sources and pertinent texts that were reviewed, is incorporated into this current article. The AAP/AAO/AAPOS paper is also examined for the Levels of Evidence that their references offer in support of their position. CONCLUSION: The AAP/AAO/AAPOS paper contains errors and internal inconsistencies. Through highly selective reference choices, it misrepresents the great body of evidence from the literature that supports a relationship between visual and perceptual problems as they contribute to classroom difficulties. The 1998 paper should be retracted because of the errors, bias, and disinformation it presents. The public assigns great trust to authorities for accurate, intellectually honest guidance, which is lacking in this AAP/AAO/AAPOS position paper.

Dyslexia↗
PubMed1976

Field dependence in visually and nonvisually involved learning disabled children.

39 visually and nonvisually perceptually impaired 8- to 11-yr.-old boys with learning disabilities were compared with a control group of 35 "normal" learners on the Rod-and-frame and Children's Embedded-figures Tests. Previous findings of greater field dependence of learning disabled children are confounded because the experimental tasks involved visual perception. In our study the 27 "visuals" were more field-dependent than either the 12 "nonvisuals" or the controls. The latter groups did not differ significantly from one another, which may in part be a function of the small sample of nonvisual children identified. Alternative explanations, e.g., the visual nature of the field-dependence measures and the lack of reading difficulty of the nonvisual group, are considered. For the visually disabled Ss only Vocabulary scores, suggesting that among such children those with higher verbal intelligence may be more field-independent.

Child↗
PubMed1985

Brainwave signatures--an index reflective of the brain's functional neuroanatomy: further findings on the effect of EEG sensorimotor rhythm biofeedback training on the neurologic precursors of learning disabilities.

Eight boys, ages 7 years 11 months to 15 years 3 months, were provided with long-term--symptom duration--sensorimotor rhythm biofeedback training for the remediation of their learning disabilities. Concurrently, the simultaneous recording of five frequency bands of brainwave activity (5 Hz, 7 Hz, 10 Hz, 12 Hz and 14 Hz), from one active electrode equidistant from reference and ground, was intended to provide a glimpse of the 'brainwave signature' reflective of the dynamic and synergistic processes involved in such cerebro-neural activation and the brain's global response to such an alteration in the sensorimotor subnetwork. Overall, the main effect of this procedure, for the biofeedback and subsequent conditioning of increased 14 Hz neural discharge patterns over the central Rolandic cortex in a clinical office setting, seems to be to increase bilateral sensorimotor transactions resulting in substantive remediation of the learning disabilities of the recipients of such training--by way of internally exercising of, and/or recruitment of additional neural activation within, the sensorimotor subnetwork/matrix. Observation of the changing brainwave signatures showed a tendency for decreased slow wave activity concomitant with increases in fast wave activity, for cases with a Full Scale I.Q. within the range of 76 and 85; with those cases with a Full Scale I.Q. within the range of 102 and 116 exhibiting increased amplitudes over most of the monitored bands, but with the increases being much less at the slower frequencies. It is noteworthy that those four subjects with either a significant Verbal greater than Performance, or Performance greater than Verbal, I.Q. Score discrepancy exhibited no less than a 40% greater increase in the lower of the two I.Q. scores; indicating that this SMR training procedure also resulted in an increased symmetry in the interhemispheric interactions reflective of the higher cortical functions for these no longer learning disabled boys.

Adolescent↗