This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Janzen, H. L. Articles by Chapman, J. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Diagnosis and Predictability of Learning Disabilities

Frederic J. Boersma

Robert Fisk

University ofAlberta, Canada

James Chapman

Massey University, New Zealand

Two studies were completed to determine predictability of group membership in learning disability and normally-achieving categories with a psycho-educational test battery measuring intelligence, achievement, visualmotor perception and personality constructs. Study 1 included upper elementary students in grades four to six (controls = 211, learning disabled (LD) = 25). Study 2 included grade three children (controls = 73, LD = 70). Several additional psycho-educational measures were added in Study 2 following the analysis of results in Study 1. A linear regression analysis revealed that, in Study 1, only 35 per cent of the total variance was accounted for in predicting group membership (LD vs controls). In Study 2, however, variance estimates increased to 77 per cent when new data were entered into the equation. The findings support the clause of discrepancy in identifying LD students and agree with previous research findings that tests used for a differential diagnosis of learning disabilities provide little evidence for prediction of group membership. Further study is recommended to examine the heterogeneous nature of learning disabilities.

School Psychology International, Vol. 4, No. 3, 129-140 (1983)
DOI: 10.1177/0143034383043002


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Dickerson Mayes and S. L. Calhoun Challenging the Assumptions About the Frequency and Coexistence of Learning Disability Types School Psychology International, October 1, 2007; 28(4): 437 - 448. [Abstract] [PDF]