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The present paper contends that children with learning disabilities are better served when assessment and intervention are conceptualized within an ecological neuropsychology perspective than within the traditional deficit model perspective, which is the predominant approach to intervention in medical and educational settings. The deficit method conceptualizes problems as within the child, and the major consequence of this approach is that little time is spent analyzing the learning environment or other systems that might impact the child's ability to be successful in an academic setting. Therefore, rehabilitation efforts have had limited success. In contrast, ecological neuropsychology is a strength-based approach that considers the child, as well as the systems within which he/she interacts, when assessing, diagnosing, and intervening with students who are experiencing learning difficulties.

Neuropsychology may be described as the study of brain‐behavior relationships (National Academy of Neuropsychology [NAN], 2001). Clinical neuropsychology represents the application of knowledge of the intricacies of these relationships to individual cases. Several authors have advocated for the application of neuropsychology to the public schools, a specialty some have called “school neuropsychology” (D'Amato, 1990; Hynd & Obrzut, 1981). This area of study represents the application of neuropsychological knowledge to help understand (a) childhood behavior, (b) individual student strengths and needs, (c) how students learn, and (d) how teaching can be linked to brain‐based instructional practices (D'Amato, Fletcher‐Janzen, & Reynolds, 2005b; Hale & Fiorello, 2004; Sousa, 2006). Since the term was initially introduced by Hynd and Obrzut, considerable debate has arisen regarding training, credentialing, and the professional identity of this specialty (Crespi & Cooke, 2003; Parrish, 2005; Pelletier, Hiemenz, & Shapiro, 2004). This article briefly reviews the history of neuropsychology applied to work with children, describes credentialing and training of professionals trained in both school psychology and neuropsychology, presents models of applying neuropsychology within the school setting, and outlines potential benefits of using a neuropsychologically based Response‐to‐Intervention model in the schools. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The present investigation examined the construct validity of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) with learning‐disabled children. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children‐Revised (WISC‐R), the Wide Range Achievement Test, and the Halstead‐Reitan Neuropsychological Battery were administered to 934 learning‐disabled children. Seven factors were isolated on the basis of a principal‐components factor analysis and Varimax rotation. PPVT scores were found to load on a factor similar to what has been labeled verbal comprehension on the WISC‐R with little secondary loadings on any of the remaining six factors. Implications for practitioners and further research were discussed.

This article focuses on the educational implications of traumatic brain injury (TBI). It details the conceptual issues surrounding TBI and discusses how assessment of this group differs from that of other groups with disabilities. Finally, the article offers suggestions for an integrated intervention approach based on the idea of bringing order to the life experiences of these students. The S. O. S. (Structure, Organization, and Strategy) Approach offers a framework from which to consider the variable needs of these learners.

A critical review of psychodrama was presented. Psychodrama was defined as a therapy that utilizes theatrical principles as clients act out their problems. The need for a clear delineation of the method was discussed. Both the theoretical foundation and therapeutic implications were reviewed. Relevant research was examined from both social psychological and psychodramatic perspectives. The research in psychodrama was evaluated in the three general areas of: (a) therapeutic strategies, (b) case illustration reports, and (c) controlled research. The need for empirical research, to answer questions that have long been ignored, was clear.

In this investigation the agreement among the needs identified in psychoeducational reports, individual education programs (IEPs), and teacher daily lesson plans (DLPs) for 45 learning disabled children was examined. A skill-ability checklist was developed to identify the presence of deficit or remedial suggestions in each educationally related document. The total number of suggestions identified in the children's psychological reports far exceeded those of either IEPs or DLPs. The probability that a child's deficit area identified in the psychological report would appear in IEPs was .33 and in DLPs .22. Across all areas, the probability was 16 in 100 that a psychologist's recommendation would be carried through IEPs to DLPs. It seems that if psychological reports emphasize specific skills and observable behaviors they may be of use in helping teachers develop IEPs and DLPs.

This study investigated Mexican-American elementary-age children with older siblings who were either high school dropouts or persisters. Persisters were defined as students who had already graduated or who had reached the age of 16 and were making satisfactory progress in school. The variables examined included the younger student's expectation of completing high school, ratings of academic self-competence, school attitude, number of absences, and whether retention had occurred. Eighty subjects participated, 40 siblings of drop outs and 40 siblings of persisters. Siblings of dropouts reported a lower expectation of completing high school and had more absences than siblings of persisters. It is recommended that elementary schools begin to integrate measures of absenteeism and expectancy in their identification of at-risk students. Furthermore, an examination of current school policies is recommended to assure that schools work to establish solid relationships with ethnic minority parents.