Personal and educational histories and test data of 33 learning disabled adults were collected and analyzed. Characteristics of this population are described, and an analysis of the test data is presented. It was found that many of the characteristics of learning disabled youngsters described in the literature persist into adulthood. Some significant sex differences in the Reasoning section of the Woodcock-Johnson Cognitive Ability Test and in Math Achievement are also reported. Issues related to understanding this population are discussed.F ew systematic studies of learning disabled adults, either of a descriptive or experimental nature, have been reported in the literature. A limited number of case study reports, often with less than four subjects, have appeared in the last few years (Cox, 1977;Raim and Adams, 1982). These reports have focused on young people under 21 years of age, many of whom are college students and not necessarily a representative sample. Other studies have been descriptive in nature based on classroom observations and clinical judgment. Most reports have focused on characteristics of young learning disabled adults, but do not address intervention strategies effective for this population. With the recognition of learning disabilities as a legitimate handicapping condition, agency personnel in community mental health setttings, vocational rehabilitation offices, and post secondary insitutions are seeking information to help them develop intervention strategies for this population.The purpose of this study was to analyze results of comprehensive evaluations for a sample of learning disabled adults. Gathering data on this population was seen as a first step in determining how characteristics affect programming and service delivery.Our sample consisted of 33 learning disabled adults. This population represents a fairly significant number when compared to the current state of the art. The subjects were self-referred or referred by professionals (physician, psychologist, counselor) for comprehensive testing in order to plan career goals or to gain additional information about their problems. The study focused on the following questions:What characteristics of the learning disabled population which have been described in the literature persist into adulthood? What implications do these characteristics have for programming and general service delivery to learning disabled adults? A matrix was designed to collect the following information: demographics, family history, personal development and medical history, behavioral characteristics, and school experiences. Comprehensive test data were also gathered. These included both ability levels and achievement scores in the basic areas of reading, math, and written language.For most subjects the following tests were used in two or three test sessions approximately 90 minutes in length:
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised (WAIS-R) 1 Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery (W-J) 2Writing Sample The writing sample consisted of either or both of the...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.