Emotional Adjustment and School Functioning of Young Adolescents with Multiple Versus Single Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Early adolescents (Grades 6-8) with multiple learning disabilities (LD; reading and math) in inclusive settings were compared to adolescents with single LD (reading or math) and typically achieving (TA) peers regarding their psychosocial functioning in two areas of adolescent well-being: emotional adjustment and school functioning. The Behavior Assessment System for Children (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1998) Self-Report of Personality for adolescents was used to determine well-being. One hundred twenty middle school students-15 boys and 15 girls in each group-were included in the current study. The results confirmed that adolescents with multiple LD (reading and math) reported poorer functioning (i.e., higher T scores) on school maladjustment, clinical maladjustment, emotional symptoms index, attitude to school, atypicality, and depression when compared to TA peers but not when compared to peers with a single LD (reading or math). All three groups differed from the TA group (but not from each other) on sense of inadequacy, with the multiple LD group reporting the highest T scores. Additional analyses indicated significant differences between girls and boys, regardless of disability status. Girls reported higher T scores on the emotional symptoms index, social stress, and depression, but boys reported greater school maladjustment and sensation seeking. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.

The interactive effect of test anxiety and learning disabilities among adolescents

“…It could be that LD gives some of the students the strength and decisiveness to work harder and to excel by developing empathy toward others, which may make them better advisors to their friends. These findings are in contrast to many other studies that found that LD children experienced more depression (see review by Sideridis, 2006), depression and a higher incidence of suicide (Bender, Rosenkrants, & Crane, 1999;Heath, & Ross, 2000;Huntington & Bender, 1993;Martinez & Semrud-Clikeman, 2004), and a poorer selfimage and self-esteem (Margalit & Zak 1984;Rowley, 1981;Rozenberg & Gaier, 1977;Smith, 1979;Yauman, 1980).…”

Internalizing correlates of dyslexia

“…The association with calculation disorders at junior secondary schools seems to be an additional risk factor for lower global self-esteem, experience or perception of a lower social support (by the classroom, parents and friends), higher attention defi cit, higher emotional and depression symptoms, and higher school maladjustment. [48,49] Reading diffi culties Maughan et al's [50] research was conducted on children with persistent reading diffi culties under the 6th percentile, children who were therefore very similar to those with a diagnosis of dyslexia. They also found that attention defi cit in comorbidity plays a signifi cant role in connecting the correlation with psychopathology, especially the externalizing one (e.g., delinquency).…”

Baseline Evaluation in Youth Ice Hockey Players: Comparing Methods for Documenting Prior Concussions and Attention or Learning Disorders

“…The stigma associated with learning disorders, 36 particularly in school-aged children, might have influenced responses on the ImPACT, because it was administered in a group setting. 7,20,25,31 As learning difficulties have the potential to affect tests of cognitive ability, these results suggest that the method by which adolescents are asked to report their disabilities should be carefully considered. 6,26 From a clinical perspective, the importance of an accurate concussion history during neurocognitive testing can be debated.…”