Learning and behavioral correlates in learning-disabled pupils prone to heterozygous thalassemia and sicklemia.
The pilot study was designed to vindicate planning for large-scale detection and management of two parallel genetic blood disorders occurring in large numbers of Mediterranean- and black Americans; the heterozygous minor traits of thalassemia (Cooley's anemia) and sicklemia (sickle-cell anemia). Referred pupils (N=191) matched on schools, age, and learning difficulties associated with learning disabilities were compared as to presumed ethnic origin (n Mediterranean = 80; n black = 64; n "others" = 47) and incidence of trait-related learning and behavioral characteristics. Group mean differences on the study's criteria were found to be significant. Both minor-trait prone groups equally indicated the associative effects, while the control group without tradt-predisposition showed a nonsignificant relationship, thus supporting the hypotheses and the need for large-scale research.
D000124:Achievement; D001741:Black or African American; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications*; D001288:Attention; D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000208:ethnology; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000208:ethnology; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D011932:Reading; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications*; D014481:United States; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000150:complications; D014787:Vision Tests; D014956:Writing