Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.795pmid: N/A

The traditional concept of learning disabilities makes two presumptions of direct relevance to neuropsychological assessment. The first is that deficits in psychological processes are responsible for learning problems in children who should otherwise be able to learn. The second is that these processing deficits are a reflection of biological-genetic factors. A review of the literature on neuropsychological test batteries suggests that both presumptions are credible. Although the neurological validity of these batteries is uncertain, there is at least indirect evidence for biological influences on performance. The psychological significance of test deficits has been more clearly established. Cognitive dimensions tapped by neuropsychological batteries discriminate disabled from nondisabled learners, appraise different sources of learning failure, help to identify the children most likely to develop these disabilities, and are useful in making treatment recommendations. Recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of current test procedures helps to clarify the contribution of neuropsychological techniques to the assessment process and the potential of these methods for identifying biologically based cognitive antecedents to learning failure.

Taylor, H. Gerry

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.795pmid: N/A

The traditional concept of learning disabilities makes two presumptions of direct relevance to neuropsychological assessment. The first is that deficits in psychological processes are responsible for learning problems in children who should otherwise be able to learn. The second is that these processing deficits are a reflection of biological-genetic factors. A review of the literature on neuropsychological test batteries suggests that both presumptions are credible. Although the neurological validity of these batteries is uncertain, there is at least indirect evidence for biological influences on performance. The psychological significance of test deficits has been more clearly established. Cognitive dimensions tapped by neuropsychological batteries discriminate disabled from nondisabled learners, appraise different sources of learning failure, help to identify the children most likely to develop these disabilities, and are useful in making treatment recommendations. Recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of current test procedures helps to clarify the contribution of neuropsychological techniques to the assessment process and the potential of these methods for identifying biologically based cognitive antecedents to learning failure.

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.801pmid: N/A

A review of research on the relation between socioemotional functioning/disturbance and learning disabilities in children suggests that (a) although some learning disabled children suffer from socioemotional disturbance, most do not; (b) there is no single, unitary pattern of emotional disturbance or social incompetence displayed by learning disabled children; (c) the types of socioemotional disturbance exhibited by learning disabled children may be more frequent in such children than in their normally achieving age mates; (d) one pattern of central processing abilities and deficits appears to lead both to a particular configuration of academic achievement and to a particular form of socioemotional disturbance, whereas other patterns appear to lead to particular configurations of academic achievement but not to predictable patterns of socioemotional disturbance; (e) there is no conclusive evidence that learning disabled youngsters, as a group, become more prone to socioemotional disturbance with advancing years, but there is evidence that psychopathology worsens in children with nonverbal learning disabilities; and (f) the methodologies and model developments designed to illuminate the relation between learning disabilities and socioemotional disturbance must be sufficiently sophisticated to encompass the heterogeneity of the subtypal presentations evident in each.

Rourke, Byron P.

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.801pmid: N/A

A review of research on the relation between socioemotional functioning/disturbance and learning disabilities in children suggests that (a) although some learning disabled children suffer from socioemotional disturbance, most do not; (b) there is no single, unitary pattern of emotional disturbance or social incompetence displayed by learning disabled children; (c) the types of socioemotional disturbance exhibited by learning disabled children may be more frequent in such children than in their normally achieving age mates; (d) one pattern of central processing abilities and deficits appears to lead both to a particular configuration of academic achievement and to a particular form of socioemotional disturbance, whereas other patterns appear to lead to particular configurations of academic achievement but not to predictable patterns of socioemotional disturbance; (e) there is no conclusive evidence that learning disabled youngsters, as a group, become more prone to socioemotional disturbance with advancing years, but there is evidence that psychopathology worsens in children with nonverbal learning disabilities; and (f) the methodologies and model developments designed to illuminate the relation between learning disabilities and socioemotional disturbance must be sufficiently sophisticated to encompass the heterogeneity of the subtypal presentations evident in each.

Mann, Virginia A.; Brady, Susan

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.811pmid: N/A

This article summarizes the role of language deficiencies in reading disability, focusing on two areas that appear particularly critical to reading skill: language processing abilities and the awareness of phonological structure. The distinguishing characteristics of disabled readers are shown to be consistent with theoretical and experimental findings about skilled reading. These characteristics also provide direction for the remediation of reading problems.

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.811pmid: N/A

This article summarizes the role of language deficiencies in reading disability, focusing on two areas that appear particularly critical to reading skill: language processing abilities and the awareness of phonological structure. The distinguishing characteristics of disabled readers are shown to be consistent with theoretical and experimental findings about skilled reading. These characteristics also provide direction for the remediation of reading problems.

Pennington, Bruce F.; Smith, Shelley D.

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.817pmid: N/A

The present selective review examines genetic influences on learning disabilities (LDs). We discuss recent advances in molecular genetics that have made linkage analysis a more powerful tool for studying the genetics of behavioral phenotypes. We also examine what is known about genetic influences in two familial disorders, developmental dyslexia and Tourette syndrome (TS). Although TS is not a LD, there are claims that it is associated with LDs as well as with other related behavioral phenotypes. We briefly consider an opposite strategy for examining genetic influences on LDs, that is, by beginning with a known genetic alteration and examining whether it leads to a specific LD phenotype. We also discuss criteria that must be satisfied before we can conclude either that a phenotype is genetically influenced or that a known genetic alteration leads to a specific and consistent cognitive phenotype. When these criteria are met, the study of genetic influences on LDs can be a powerful method for informing us about the neurobiology of cognitive development.

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.817pmid: N/A

The present selective review examines genetic influences on learning disabilities (LDs). We discuss recent advances in molecular genetics that have made linkage analysis a more powerful tool for studying the genetics of behavioral phenotypes. We also examine what is known about genetic influences in two familial disorders, developmental dyslexia and Tourette syndrome (TS). Although TS is not a LD, there are claims that it is associated with LDs as well as with other related behavioral phenotypes. We briefly consider an opposite strategy for examining genetic influences on LDs, that is, by beginning with a known genetic alteration and examining whether it leads to a specific LD phenotype. We also discuss criteria that must be satisfied before we can conclude either that a phenotype is genetically influenced or that a known genetic alteration leads to a specific and consistent cognitive phenotype. When these criteria are met, the study of genetic influences on LDs can be a powerful method for informing us about the neurobiology of cognitive development.