This study was an effort to subtype adolescents' learning disabilities using scores on the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery–Revised. A cluster analysis of 88 cases classified as learning disabled and 75 as nonlearning disabled was conducted to characterize subtypes. Two distinct subtypes emerged for the group while one for the nonlearning disabled group was identified. A multivariate analysis of variance to test for differences in scores among the identified subtypes yielded significant differences, suggesting that these students had two specific types of learning disorders. Cross-validation is essential.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BasherA. S.ScavuzzoA. (1992) Children with language disorders: national history and academic success. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 25, 53–65.
2.
CohenR. L. (1982) Individual differences in short-term memory. International Review of Research in Mental Retardation, 11, 43–47.
3.
D'AmatoR. C. (1988) Subtyping children's learning disabilities with neuropsychological, intellectual and achievement measures. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ball State Univer.
4.
HurleyG. A. (1996) Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery–Revised: profiles of learning disability subtypes in adolescence. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana Univer. of Pennsylvania.
5.
JohnsonD. J.MyklebustH. R. (1967) Learning disabilities.New York: Grune & Stratton.
6.
MannV. A. (1991) Language problems: a key to early reading problems. In WongB. Y. L. (Ed.), Learning about learning disabilities.New York: Academic Press. Pp. 129–162.
7.
McGrewK. (1994) Clinical interpretation of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability–Revised.Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
8.
McIntoshD. E.GridleyB. E. (1993) Differential Ability Scales: profiles of learning-disabled subtypes. Psychology in the Schools, 30, 11–24.
9.
NorušisM. (1995) Statistical package for the social sciences: graduate pack advanced version for Windows.Chicago, IL: SPSS.
10.
RourkeB. P. (1989) Nonverbal learning disabilities: the syndrome and the model.New York: Guilford.
11.
Semrud-ClikemanM.HyndG. W. (1991) Specific nonverbal and social-skills deficits in children with learning disabilities. In ObrzutJ. E.HyndG. W. (Eds.), Neuropsychological foundations of learning disabilities: a handbook of issues, methods, and practice.New York: Academic Press. Pp. 603–629.
12.
ThomsonM. E. (1982) The assessment of children with specific reading difficulties (dyslexia) using the British Ability Scales. British Journal of Psychology, 73, 461–478.
13.
TorgesenJ. K. (1985) Memory processes in reading disabled children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 18, 350–357.
14.
TylerS.ElliottC. D. (1988) Cognitive profiles of groups of poor readers and dyslexic children on the British Ability Scales. British Journal of Psychology, 79, 493–508.
15.
WagnerR. K.TorgesenJ. K. (1987) The nature of phonological processing and its causal role in the acquisition of reading skills. Psychological Bulletin, 101, 192–212.
