Cluster Analysis of Children and Adolescents with Brain Damage and Learning Disabilities Using Neuropsychological,Psychoeducational,and Sociobehavioral Variables
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online May, 1992
Cluster Analysis of Children and Adolescents with Brain Damage and Learning Disabilities Using Neuropsychological,Psychoeducational,and Sociobehavioral Variables
The purpose of the study was to employ psychoeducational, neuropsychological, and sociobehavioral (Conners Rating Scale) variables in determining if definable subtypes exist within a diverse population of subjects with learning disabilities (LD) and documented brain damage. The sample of 95 subjects (27% female and 73% male) had been referred for neuropsychological assessment at a large, Midwestern medical center. Mean age was 10.6 years. Brain damage (BD) was documented for 45% of the sample. The first cluster analysis employed neuropsychological, psychoeducational, and sociobehavioral data and revealed four interpretable clusters. A second cluster analysis excluded sociobehavioral data and yielded two interpretable clusters. In neither analysis did a cluster consist exclusively of BD or LD subjects. Results were interpreted as supporting the importance of the sociobehavioral component in LD subtyping, as well as supporting the contention that parallels may exist in cerebral function and/or structure between the LD and BD classifications.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Arffa, S., Fitzhugh-Bell, K., & Black, W.F. (1989). Neuropsychological profiles of children with learning disabilities and children with documented brain damage. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 22, 635–639.
2.
Bryan, J.H., & Bryan, T.H. (1983). The social life of the learning disabled youngster. Current Topics in Learning Disabilities, 1, 83–123.
3.
Conners, C.K. (1969). A teacher rating scale for use in drug studies with children. American Journal of Psychiatry, 41, 669–682.
4.
Conners, C.K. (1973). Rating scales for use in drug studies with children. Psychopharmacology Bulletin (Special Issue---Pharmacotherapy with Children), pp. 24–84.
5.
Farber, S.D. (1982). Neurorehabilitation: A multisensory approach.Philadelphia: Saunders.
6.
Fitzhugh-Bell, K.B. (1980). Graphic representations of pooled normative data for selected neuropsychological tests for age five through adults.Indianapolis: Indiana University Medical Center, Neuropsychology Laboratory.
7.
Fuerst, D.R., Fisk, J. L., & Rourke, B.P. (1989). Psychosocial functioning of learning-disabled children: Replicability of statistically derived subtypes. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, 275–280.
8.
Jastak, J.F., & Jastak, S.R. (1965). Wide range achievement test.Wilmington, DE: Guidance Associates.
9.
Jastak, J.F., & Jastak, S.R. (1978). Wide range achievement test.Wilmington, DE: Jastak Associates.
10.
Jastak, S., & Wilkinson, G.S. (1984). Wide range achievement test-Revised.Wilmington, DE: Jastak Associates.
11.
Lorr, M. (1983). Cluster analysis for social scientists: Techniques for analyzing and simplifying complex blocks of data.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
12.
Lyon, R., Stewart, N., & Freedman, D. (1982). Neuropsychological characteristics of empirically derived subgroups of learning disabled readers. Journal of Clinical Neuropsychology, 4, 343–365.
13.
Lyon, R., & Watson, B. (1981). Empirically derived subgroups of learning disabled readers: Diagnostic characteristics. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 14, 256–261.
14.
McConaughy, S.H. (1986). Social competence and behavioral problems of learning disabled boys aged 12--16. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 19, 101–106.
15.
McKinney, J.D. (1982, April). The search for subtypes of specific learning disabilities. Paper presented at the meeting of the Gatlinburg Conference on Research in Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, Gatlinburg, TN.
16.
McKinney, J.D., & Feagans, L. (1983). Adaptive classroom behavior of learning disabled students. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 16, 360–367.
17.
Morris, R., Blashfield, R., & Satz, P. (1981). Neuropsychology and cluster analysis: Potentials and problems. Journal of Clinical Neuropsychology, 3, 79–99.
18.
Nussbaum, N.L., & Bigler, E.D. (1986). Neuropsychological and behavioral profiles of empirically derived subgroups of learning disabled children. The International Journal of Clinical Neuropsychology, 8, 82–89.
19.
Nussbaum, N.L., Bigler, E. D., & Koch, W. (1986). Neuropsychologically derived subgroups of learning disabled children: Personality/behavioral dimension. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 19, 58–67.
20.
Peter, B.M., & Spreen, O. (1979). Behavior rating and personal adjustment scales of neurologically and learning handicapped children during adolescence and early childhood: Results of a follow-up study. Journal of Clinical Neuropsychology, 1, 75–92.
21.
Reitan, R.M., & Davison, L.A. (Ed.). (1974). Clinical neuropsychology: Current status and applications.Washington, DC: Winston & Sons.
22.
Rourke, B.P. (1988). Socioemotional disturbances of learning disabled children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 801–810.
23.
Selz, M., & Reitan, R.M. (1979). Neuropsychological test performance of normal, learning disabled, and brain damaged older children. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 167, 298–302.
24.
Skinner, H.A. (1978). Differentiating the contribution of elevation, scatter, and shape in profile similarity. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 38, 297–308.
25.
Spreen, O. (1989). The relationship between learning disability, emotional disorders, and neuropsychology: Some results and observations. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 11, 117–140.
26.
Spreen, O., & Haaf, R.G. (1986). Empirically derived learning disability subtypes: A replication attempt and longitudinal patterns over 15 years. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 19, 170–180.
27.
SPSSX. (1988). User's guide (3rd ed.). Chicago: SPSS Inc.
28.
Trites, R.L., Blouin, A.G.A., Ferguson, H.B., & Lynch, G.W. (1981). The Conners' Teacher Rating Scale: An epidemiological inter-rater reliability and follow-up investigation. In K.D. Gadow & J. Loney (Eds.), Psychosocial aspects of drug treatment for hyperactivity (pp. 151–175). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
29.
Watson, B.U., Goldgar, D. E., & Ryschon, K.L. (1983). Subtypes of reading disability. Journal of Clinical Neuropsychology, 5, 377–399.
30.
Wechsler, D. (1949). Manual for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corp.
31.
Wechsler, D. (1955). Manual for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale.San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corp.
32.
Wechsler, D. (1974). Manual for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised.San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corp.
33.
Wechsler, D. (1981). Manual for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised.San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corp.
