Learning Disabilities Elevate Children’s Risk for Behavioral-Emotional Problems: Differences Between LD Types, Genders, and Contexts

Abstract

Our purpose was to study the frequency of behavioral-emotional problems among children identified with a learning disability (LD). The data comprised 579 Finnish children (8–15 years) with reading disability (RD-only), math disability (MD-only), or both (RDMD) assessed at a specialized clinic between 1985 and 2017. We analyzed percentages of children with behavioral-emotional symptoms reaching clinical range (i.e., z score ≥1.5 SDs) and the effects of the LD type, gender, and context (home vs. school) on them. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of the severity of LD and gender on the amount of behavioral-emotional symptoms reported by teachers and parents. Alarmingly high percentages of children, irrespective of LD type, demonstrated behavioral-emotional problems: more than 37% in Affective, Anxiety, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) problems. Contextual variation was large, as more problems were reported by teachers than by mothers. The unique effects of gender and LD type were rare, but the results raised concern for those with MD-only, especially boys. The results underscore the need to draw attention to the importance of assessing children with LD for behavioral-emotional problems and emphasize the importance of teachers’ awareness of behavioral-emotional problems among students with LD and cooperation among child, teacher, and parents in assessment and support planning.

A Register Study Suggesting Homotypic and Heterotypic Comorbidity Among Individuals With Learning Disabilities

“…Our findings showing overall more diagnoses among individuals with a childhood history of LD than among the controls both corroborates findings from previous studies conducted mainly among children or adolescents (e.g., Shieve et al, 2012;Wilson et al, 2009) and provides novel information about heterotypic comorbidity beyond the previously often reported comorbidity with psychiatric disorders (e.g., Nelson & Gregg, 2012;Nelson & Harwood, 2011a or behavioral-emotional problems (e.g., Aro et al, 2022), which have also mainly included samples of children (see, however, Klassen et al, 2013;Wilson et al, 2009). Concerning homotypic comorbidity, we found especially high ORs for comorbid NDDs (homotypic comorbidity with LD), indicating that the participants with LD had a more than seven times higher probability of an additional NDD diagnosis than did the controls.…”

Analisis Hambatan Belajar Tatap Muka Terbatas Selama Masa Pandemi Mata Pelajaran Matematika Operasi Hitung Pembagian Kelas IV A di SD Negeri Mejing 2 Ambarketawang Gamping

“…Kelima adalah Learning Disabilities, yaitu ketidakmampuan untuk belajar yang mengacu pada gejala di mana peserta didik tersebut tidak dapat belajar atau menghindari belajar, sehingga hasil belajar yang didapatkan berada di bawah potensi intelektual mereka. Keadaan lingkungan-emosional peserta didik menyebabkan kesulitan belajar dalam mengembangkan kemampuan belajarnya seperti membaca dan berhitung (Aro et al, 2021). Kegagalan lingkungan dan psikis peserta didik untuk mengembankan kesetabilan dalam diri bisa mempengaruhi kemampuan nya untuk belajar seperti kemampuan membaca dan berhitung.…”

Giving Students a Voice: Dyslexia and Language Learning Experiences from Childhood to Adulthood in Greece

“…Dyslexia is the most prevalent learning disorder worldwide (WHO 2018) and research findings suggest that children, adolescents, and adults experience language learning-related anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal across primary, secondary, and tertiary education contexts (Aro et al, 2022;Goldston et al, 2007;Livingston et al 2018;Moojen et al, 2020). Dyslexic students' language learning struggles stem from environmental factors such as inadequate training and awareness of language teachers, parents' ignorance, and peers' teasing which in turn triggers stigmatization (Alexander-Passe 2015;Riddick 2013).…”