Characteristics of Familial and Nonfamilial Disabled Readers

Abstract

This study attempts to define more clearly the subgroups of learning disabled children. The vigilance performance, skin conductance level and behavioral ratings of children categorized according to family history of reading problems were evaluated. Behavioral ratings and skin conductance levels show significant differences. The results suggest that distinct subgroups of disabled readers exist, and .research based on heterogeneous samples may be misleading.Numerpus researchers have posited several distinct .types of disabled readers. Bannatyne (1 971 ), for example, discusses two important subgroups: those whose reading disability is secondary to a more generalized minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) and those whose reading disability is genetically based with no MBD characteristics. Children with MBD are characterized by hyperactivity, inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, and perceptual motor problems. A reading disorder is only one of many characteristics included in a loosely def i n e d syndrome. Children in Bannatyne's second subgroup are characterized by deficits in auditory sequential memory, auditory discrimination skills, and strengths in visuospatial skills. Both their strengths and weaknesses have presumably been acquired from parents who have similar strengths and weaknesses in addition to histories of reading difficulties. Of particular importance in the present context is that these children are said to lack the behaviors characteristic of the child with MBD. Research into subgroups similar t o Bannatyne's is reported by Denckla (1972).In spite of these and other attempts to distinguish between distinct subgroups of disabled readers, research investigating such processes as attention, memory and physiological arousal is often conducted with heterogeneous samples of reading disabled children. No attempt is made to restrict the sample to one type of disabled reader nor t o look a t subgroups within the larger sample. As a result such studies are difficult to interpret since one does not know if the results are characteristic of all disabled readers o r just one or more of the subgroups.The purpose of this study is t o explore the heterogeneity of a sample of children with reading disorders by dividing that sample into children with and without family histories of read-

Teenage status of hyperactive and nonhyperactive learning disabled boys.

“…Global neurological scores at follow-up did not distinguish familials and nonfamilials, nor did the familials have mean WISC or WRA T profiles distinctive from non familials. As Rugel 29 has recently re ported, the division "familial" and "non familial" is too simplistic, just as are most other divisions we and others have tried. But we could not resist one more such test.…”

Learning Disabilities as Functions of Familial Learning Problems and Developmental Problems

“…Rates reponed in this study for relatives of probands with learning disabilities are high, but highly comparable with rates identified by other investigators. For example, Rugel and Mitchell (1977) found a family history of reading disorders in 56% of a sample of subjects with reading disabilities; Satyan (1980), problem readers in 49% of immediate family members of a sample of problem readers; and Silver (1971), learning disabilities in 35% of immediate family members of a sample with learning disabilities.…”

Δυσκολίες Γραπτού Λόγου Και Προβλήματα Συναισθήματος Και Συμπεριφοράς

“…Οι μαθητές με δυσκολίες ανάγνωσης δεν αποτελούν μία ομοιογενή ομάδα. Η ανομοιογένεια στην ομάδα των παιδιών με δυσκολίες ανάγνωσης έχει εντοπιστεί μερικές δεκαετίες πριν και έχει οδηγήσει στην αναζήτηση των αιτιών, ώστε να γίνουν διακριτές οι διαφορετικές υποομάδες , Rugel, & Mitchell, 1977 και να μην αντιμετωπίζονται οι μαθητές αυτοί ως μία ομοιογενή ομάδα. Ωστόσο ο διαχωρισμός δεν είναι πάντα εφικτός για όλους τους μαθητές με δυσκολίες ανάγνωσης, αφενός εξαιτίας κοινών χαρακτηριστικών των υποομάδων, αφετέρου εξαιτίας του αποκλεισμού μαθητών που δεν πληρούν τα κριτήρια για την υπαγωγή τους στις υποομάδες αυτές.…”