| Abstract: | Increased attention to the cognitive and learning difficulties of adults has meant that some adults with primary emotional problems are being diagnosed as learning disabled; this in turn impedes the provision of appropriate counseling interventions and promotes inappropriate vocational placement. Traditional test instruments are inadequate for determining the presence and nature of the learning problems that adults are experiencing. Three case studies are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of Feuerstein's Learning Potential Assessment Device (LPAD) to discriminate among cognitive and affective variables that may be contributing to adults' learning difficulties. There follows a critical discussion focusing on the key characteristics of the LPAD that were instrumental in identifying the factors contributing to the 3 clients' learning difficulties. The four areas of focus are (a) the content-free nature of tests, (b) the examiner–examinee interaction, (c) the change in orientation to the process rather than the end product, and (d) modifications in test interpretation. Implications for counselors assessing adults with learning difficulties in academic and vocational settings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
