Comprehension-monitoring skills in learning-disabled children.

Compared comprehension-monitoring skills of learning disabled (LD) and normal elementary school children. Comprehension monitoring, the ability to evaluate one's level of understanding incoming messages, was assessed in the context of a game-learning task. Ss were 12 younger LD boys (7–8 yrs old), 12 older LD boys (9–10 yrs old), and 12 younger and 10 older normal boys matched on age and IQ. No age effects were observed. The major finding was that relative to the matched normal Ss, LD Ss were deficient in comprehension-monitoring skills. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial functioning of learning-disabled children: Relations between WISC Verbal IQ Performance IQ discrepancies and personality subtypes.

A total of 132 children with learning disabilities (LD) between the ages of 6 and 12 years were divided equally into 3 groups on the basis of the difference between Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) VIQ-PIQ scores (viz., VIQ?>?PIQ, VIQ?=?PIQ, and VIQ??PIQ group showed pathological evaluations on some PIC scales. Group average linkage cluster analysis using 10 PIC scales revealed 6 psychosocial subtypes. Within these subtypes, children with VIQ?>?PIQ were found at lower than expected frequencies in normal and mildly disturbed subtypes, but at higher than expected frequencies in seriously disturbed subtypes. These results support the notion that patterns of cognitive performance are related to patterns of psychosocial functioning in children with LD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Academic consequences and longitudinal stability of behavioral subtypes of learning disabled children.

47 school-identified learning disabled (LD) students (aged 6 and 7 yrs at the beginning of the study) who had been classified into 6 behavioral subtypes by a technique of hierarchical cluster analysis were followed longitudinally for 3 yrs to determine their educational outcomes and examine the stability of subtype membership. Classroom and special-education teachers rated children each year on measures of independence–dependence, task orientation–distractibility, extraversion–introversion, and considerateness–hostility. Measures of reading and mathematics achievement were taken each year. Ss with attention problems and those who presented problem behaviors in the classroom during the 1st and 2nd grades showed poorer achievement outcomes in later grades, compared with those who did not present atypical behaviors and those who presented a withdrawn pattern of behavior. Although children tended to switch subtype membership over 3 yrs, the proportion of LD children in adaptive and maladaptive subtypes was similar at Years 1 and 3, as determined by classroom teachers' ratings in subsequent years. Developmental changes in subtype membership are discussed with respect to the effects of special-education services and the social-emotional sequelae that have been associated with school failure. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Distinguishing learning-disabled and emotionally disturbed children on the WISC-R.

Isolated the distinctive WISC-R subtest patterns that would differentiate the performance of emotionally disturbed and learning-disabled children. A stepwise discriminant analysis was used to evaluate the subtest scores of 60 learning-disabled 6–13 yr olds and a matched sample of 60 emotionally disturbed children. Four subtests of the WISC-R differentiated significantly between diagnostic categories. Learning-disabled Ss performed predictively poorer on the Block Design, Picture Arrangement, and Object Assembly subtests and higher on Vocabulary than their emotionally disturbed counterparts. Results are interpreted as a deficit in perceptual organization for children with specific learning problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative analysis of attentional deficits in hyperactive and learning-disabled children.

Compared 14 boys (aged 7–9 yrs) with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADDH), 12 with learning disability (LD), 12 with ADDH-LD, and 13 normal boys on measures of sustained attention, selective attention, and span of apprehension. Unique patterns of attentional deficits were associated with each of the diagnostic groups. The ADDH Ss with and without learning disabilities exhibited sustained attention deficits. The LD Ss evidenced selective attention deficits on a speeded classification task. The LD and ADDH-LD Ss evidenced recall difficulties on a paired-associate task, regardless of distractor presence. The 3 clinical groups performed more poorly than did the normal group on the span of apprehension measure. Although attentional deficits were most pervasive in the ADDH-LD group, multivariate composites of attentional variables were sensitive to the ADDH and LD dimensions. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of directed attention on cerebral asymmetries in normal and learning-disabled children.

Using a dichotic listening task employing both undirected and directed attention conditions, cerebral asymmetries were examined in matched populations of 32 normal and 32 learning-disabled (LD) children (ages 7 yrs 6 mo–13 yrs 2 mo). The analysis of recall performance indicated that development was not a significant factor in either group; both the normal and LD Ss showed a right-ear effect, although the LD Ss performed at a degraded level and were unable to demonstrate a right-ear advantage (REA) when attention was directed to the left ear, unlike normal Ss, who produced the REA despite the directed attention conditions. Results suggest that LD children probably do not suffer from developmental delays but rather from a defect in callosal functioning that interferes with their ability to process verbal information simultaneously. (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Automatic and purposive semantic processing characteristics of normal and language/learning-disabled children.

Two experiments investigated semantic processing (SP) of auditory information in 24 normal 4- and 10-yr-olds and in 12 language/learning-disabled 10-yr-olds (L/LDs). Two types of SP were identified: automatic and purposive. Automatic SP refers to involuntary processing of some aspects of an auditory stimulus's meaning. It is a by-product of perception and normally occurs without intention or awareness. Purposive SP refers to the voluntary allocation of attention to the meaning of a stimulus. This process presumably places demands on a limited-capacity working memory, unlike automatic attention, which appears to result from a stimulus that excites logogens in the nervous system without the involvement of working memory. In Exp I, both L/LDs and nondisabled Ss evidenced automatic SP. Purposive processing, however, was age-sensitive; the 4-yr-olds as well as L/LDs did not spontaneously evidence it. In Exp II, a secondary task was used to investigate the limited capacity nature of purposive attention as well as some processing similarities between L/LDs and younger, nonimpaired Ss from Exp I. As predicted, both groups failed to evidence purposive attention. Results are discussed in terms of current notions about learning disabilities. (51 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI characteristics for parents of emotionally disturbed and learning-disabled children

Compared MMPI profiles for the parents of 90 preadolescents (aged 73–148 mo) diagnosed as having either a conduct disorder (CD), personality problem (PP), or learning disability (LD). Data indicate that mothers of CD children presented a relatively more introverted, depressed, interpersonally sensitive picture. Mothers of LD and PP children were rather defensive, and the latter reported more physical complaints than did mothers of CD children. With the exception of the elevation in depression for fathers of CD children, the results for fathers were unremarkable. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Causal attributions of learning-disabled children: Developmental patterns and relation to academic progress.

The relation of school-identified learning-disabled (LD) children's achievement attributions to their academic progress and an examination of developmental patterns of their attributional styles were investigated in these longitudinal studies. Attributions were measured with two scales on which children attributed hypothetical academic failure situations to causes that varied on dimensions of locus, stability, and controllability. Academic progress was indexed by changes in achievement test scores over a 2-year span and by teachers' ratings of students' success and classroom behavior. In accordance with Weiner's theory of achievement motivation, LD children who attributed failures to variant, controllable causes made the greatest achievement gains and were rated by teachers as exhibiting the most appropriate classroom behavior. Comparison of developmental patterns of attributions between LD and nondisabled children did not support the hypothesis that LD children enter a self-perpetuating failure cycle; nor were previously reported findings of sex differences within the LD group replicated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

WISC-R discrimination of learning-disabled and emotionally disturbed children: An intragroup and intergroup analysis.

Reanalyzed WISC-R subtest scores in R. S. Dean's (see record 1979-05122-001) study of learning-disabled and emotionally disturbed children. A Pearson correlation between subtest means and a Spearman rank-order correlation between the ranks of the subtests revealed a marked similarity between the groups. Results support J. M. Sattler's (see record 1980-12193-001) contention that Dean's data do not present evidence of a perceptual organization deficit in learning-disabled children. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and validation of a behavioral peer-rating measure of depression.

Describes the development and validation of the Peer Depression-Rating Scale, a list of 9 behaviors associated with depression rated in terms of how often S engaged in each behavior in the presence of the rater during the prior week. In Exp I, 11 indices of depressed behavior were rated by 60 undergraduates using a friend or relative of S. Findings resulted in the elimination of 2 items. In Exp II, 106 raters and 106 ratees (52 depressed outpatients [mean age 38.87 yrs]) participated. Results show that the 9-item scale had adequate internal consistency, criterion-related validity, and concurrent validity. Two item-factors (Dissatisfaction and Motor Retardation) were identified. Depressed outpatients had higher scale scores than nondepressed Ss. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Gambling Craving Scale: Psychometric validation and behavioral outcomes.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 23(4) of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (see record 2009-24023-002). Some data in Table 4 was inadvertently omitted. The complete Table 4 is presented in the erratum.] Although craving is an important feature of problem gambling, there is a paucity of research investigating craving to gamble. A major stumbling block for craving research in gambling has been the lack of a methodologically sound, multidimensional measure of gambling-related craving. This article reports the development of the Gambling Craving Scale (GACS). In Study 1 (N = 220), a factor analysis revealed the emergence of a 9-item scale with 3 factors: Anticipation, Desire, and Relief. An important finding was that the GACS predicted problem gambling severity, depression, and positive and negative affect. In Study 2 (N = 145), the factor structure of the GACS was confirmed using a community sample of gamblers. In Study 3 (N = 46), GACS scores significantly predicted persistence at play on a virtual slot machine in the face of continued loss. Specifically, the more participants craved to gamble, the longer they engaged in play. The implications of craving for the development and maintenance of problem gambling severity are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Processing deficiencies of learning-disabled children who perform poorly on the digit span test.

Conducted 8 experiments to determine which of several theoretically relevant variables (attention, motivation, mnemonic strategies, and subprocessing skills) could account for the poor performance of some learning-disabled children on tests of short-term auditory memory such as the Digit Span subtest of the Revised WISC. Ss were 8 learning-disabled children who performed in the retarded range on the Digit Span subtest, 8 learning-disabled children who performed normally on the test, and 8 average children from the regular classroom. Although there appeared to be subtle differences among Ss in the use of certain consciously applied mnemonic strategies, the major proportion of the recall differences among groups appeared to be due to the inability of one group of learning-disabled children to establish efficient mnemonic codes for highly familiar stimuli. (39 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developmental pathways to schizophrenia: behavioral subtypes

This study examined childhood behavior problems in schizophrenic patients and their healthy siblings. Childhood Behavior Checklist (T. Achenbach, 1991) ratings were obtained from retrospective maternal reports, for 4 age periods: birth to 4 years, 4 to 8 years, 8 to 12 years, and 12 to 16 years. The results indicated that the patients had a variety of childhood behavior problems when compared to their siblings and that the various types of problems differed in their developmental course. Cluster analysis was conducted on the childhood behavior ratings for the schizophrenic patients, and 2 subgroups emerged. Cluster I showed more pronounced behavioral problems than Cluster II, and some of these problems were apparent in early childhood and increased with age. Cluster I also demonstrated greater neuromotor abnormalities in childhood.     

Cognitive and behavioral characteristics of physically abused children.

Compared 11 physically abused males (aged 3 yrs 11 mo to 5 yrs 8 mo) on the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) and the Wide Range Achievement Test with 10 nonabused males matched on age, family income, and maternal age and education. In addition, behavioral observations of their performance on a persistence task were coded. Significant differences were found on the Verbal and Memory Scales and the General Cognitive Index of the MSCA. No behavioral differences were noted. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validation of language subtypes in learning disabled children.

Hypothesized that children characterized by deficits in narrative skills, relative to other language skills (e.g., syntactic and semantic), would be most at risk for general academic problems, especially in reading comprehension. Using data from a previous longitudinal study by the 1st author and J. D. McKinney (see record 1985-02522-001), different subtypes of language disability were identified in 63 6- and 7-yr-old learning disabled (LD) children. Comparison data had been obtained from 66 non-LD children matched to the LD sample on age, race, and sex. Results, obtained with hierarchical cluster analysis, indicate that 6 language subtypes were derived and that these were both internally consistent and externally valid, being differentially linked to reading and math achievement over a 3-yr period. Narrative ability was shown to be relatively important in predicting academic outcomes. The 3 subtypes showing the poorest academic outcomes had the highest relative scores in syntax and semantics. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comprehension of learning-disabled readers: Task and text variations.

In Exp I, 24 learning-disabled (LD; mean age 155.13 mo) and 24 normal (mean age 130.54 mo) children demonstrated similar skill in title selection and summary sentence writing. In Exp II, 14 LD readers (mean age 154.14 mo) in a reading-with-listening condition detected deviant sentences more accurately than 14 LD readers (mean age 160.64 mo) in a reading-only condition and 14 normal readers (mean age 132.07 mo). Type of deviant sentence, position of deviant sentence, and topic-sentence condition affected all groups similarly, with one exception: The placement of the deviant sentence later in a paragraph did not aid the LD reading-only group as it had the other groups. Findings replicate and extend those of J. P. Williams et al (see record 1982-20880-001) to include a different population and a different presentation mode. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Methodological considerations in behavioral toxicology in infants and children.

The effect of exposure to neurotoxic substances on cognitive and behavioral development has become an important research focus within developmental psychology in recent years. Research design considerations are critically important in these studies, because random assignment and experimental control of extraneous influences are not possible and effects are often subtle and not seen in every exposed individual. Oversampling from the most highly exposed individuals is usually needed to ensure detection of toxic effects. Valid and reliable assessment must be made of important potential confounders, yet control variables must not be so confounded with exposure as to obscure toxic effects. In the assessment of developmental outcome, apical measures may provide the greatest sensitivity, and narrow-band tests, more information about the specific nature of the impairment. Dose-response analyses can help determine the lowest exposure levels at which deficits are seen ("thresholds"). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and validation of the pain response inventory for children.

The Pain Response Inventory (PRI) was developed as a multidimensional instrument to assess children's coping responses to recurrent pain. The PRI assesses 3 broad coping factors—Active, Passive, and Accommodative—each with subscales representing specific strategies for coping with pain. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to derive and cross-validate the factor structure of the PRI in 3 different samples of children and adolescents: 688 9–16 yr olds in general population, 120 8–18 yr old abdominal pain patients who also completed followup interviews 2-wks and 6 mo after initial interview, and 224 11–23 yr old former abdominal pain and well patients. The subscales were found to be internally consistent and reasonably stable. Validity of the subscales was assessed by examining the relations of particular coping strategies to various outcome indicators, including functional disability, somatization symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that different types of health outcome were predicted by different patterns of PRI coping strategies, thus supporting the utility of a multidimensional approach to the assessment of coping responses to pain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Deriving childhood temperament measures from emotion-eliciting behavioral episodes: Scale construction and initial validation.

The authors describe the development and initial validation of a home-based version of the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery (Lab-TAB), which was designed to assess childhood temperament with a comprehensive series of emotion-eliciting behavioral episodes. This article provides researchers with general guidelines for assessing specific behaviors using the Lab-TAB and for forming behavioral composites that correspond to commonly researched temperament dimensions. We used mother ratings and independent postvisit observer ratings to provide validity evidence in a community sample of 4.5-year-old children. 12 Lab-TAB behavioral episodes were employed, yielding 24 within-episode temperament components that collapsed into 9 higher level composites (Anger, Sadness, Fear, Shyness, Positive Expression, Approach, Active Engagement, Persistence, and Inhibitory Control). These dimensions of temperament are similar to those found in questionnaire-based assessments. Correlations among the 9 composites were low to moderate, suggesting relative independence. As expected, agreement between Lab-TAB measures and postvisit observer ratings was stronger than agreement between the Lab-TAB and mother questionnaire. However, for Active Engagement and Shyness, mother ratings did predict child behavior in the Lab-TAB quite well. Findings demonstrate the feasibility of emotion-eliciting temperament assessment methodologies, suggest appropriate methods for data aggregation into trait-level constructs and set some expectations for associations between Lab-TAB dimensions and the degree of cross-method convergence between the Lab-TAB and other commonly used temperament assessments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)