Date of Award

2000

Publication Type

Doctoral Thesis

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Psychology

Keywords

Psychology, Developmental.

Supervisor

Rourke, Byron P.,

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

There were two goals of the present study: (1) to revise and improve rules for classification of two learning disability subtypes, namely Basic Phonological Processing Disorder (BPPD) and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NLD); and (2) to validate those rules for classification by differentiating children classified as BPPD and NLD through comparisons of their psychosocial functioning. The first goal of the study was addressed using a sample of 207 clinic-referred children with a learning disability. The rules for classification of BPPD and NLD were refined and changes made in order to improve the utility of the rules and render them easier to use. Subsequently, the second goal was met when the revised rules for classification were applied to a new sample of 617 clinic-referred children with a learning disability, forming two groups whose differing patterns of psychosocial functioning on two separate measures were used to provide validation for the rules for classification. Additional information was also obtained with regard to the patterns of psychosocial functioning characteristic of these two groups. For BPPD, that pattern was consistent with a normal degree of psychosocial adjustment. Psychosocial dysfunction was of low severity, when present. The BPPD group also demonstrated a trend towards an increasing incidence of somatic concerns with advancing age. For the NLD group, the characteristic pattern of psychosocial functioning was suggestive of internalized psychopathology with a severe degree of dysfunction, when present. The NLD group also demonstrated an increasing incidence of severe and internalized forms of psychosocial dysfunction with age. These findings confirm the idea that an individual's psychosocial functioning is tied to his or her particular pattern of neuropsychological assets and deficits, which allows predictions to be made for these two learning disability subtypes. The implications of the findings of this study are discussed, as are limitations and suggestions for future research.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1999 .P45. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 61-09, Section: B, page: 5030. Adviser: Byron P. Rourke. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2000.

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