Comparison of Loneliness and Social Skill Levels of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities in Terms of Participation in Sports

Abstract

Abstract:This study was conducted in order to compare loneliness and social skill levels of children with specific learning disabilities in terms of participation in sports. For this study, a screening model was used. The study group was composed of 56 children who were aged between 7 and 14 years and diagnosed with a specific learning disability (30 boys and 26 girls). "Personal Information Form", "Children's Loneliness Scale", "Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY)" were used in this study. For the data processes and data analyses, SPSS 22 was used. According to the test of normality, non-parametric tests were employed for those data that did not follow a normal distribution and the correlations among variables were tested with correlation analysis at p < 0.05 while differences among variables were tested with Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests at p < 0.05. According to the findings obtained in this study, there were no significant differences in terms of sex, the number of family members and the number of brothers and sisters while there were significant correlations in terms of age, sports status, MESSY-subscales and loneliness. In sum, it may be concluded that sports played a positive role in social skill and loneliness levels among children with specific learning disabilities.

Interpersonal Adaptation, Self-Efficacy, and Metacognitive Skills in Italian Adolescents with Specific Learning Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Students with SLD present deficits in social and emotional abilities, self-regulation, and the development of metacognitive skills. Several studies demonstrate that, compared with peers without SLD, students with SLD have lower socio-emotional competencies [ 19 , 20 , 21 ] and poor metacognitive knowledge [ 22 , 23 ]. In light of this empirical evidence, the research began to deepen the issues related to all those individual interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities, such as communication, conflict resolution, interpersonal adaptation, self-efficacy, metacognitive skills, and other personal qualities [ 24 , 25 ].…”

Relation between Learning Disabilities and Socioemotional Skills in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

“…Learning disabilities (LD) have become one of the most frequent challenges for teachers, the family, and for the students who have them. LD or also known as specific learning disabilities (SLD) are a group of disorders that occur mainly in speech, listening, reading, writing, mathematics; difficulties in reasoning, self-expression, social perception, motor functions, and acquisition and performance of organizational skills [38]. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders APA V [2], people with SLD understand tasks in one or more specific domains of learning, such as reading, writing, and mathematics; even when they do not reach levels of intellectual deficiency.…”