Comparison of cognition abilities between groups of children with specific learning disability having average, bright normal and superior nonverbal intelligence.
BACKGROUND
Specific learning disabilities (SpLD) viz. dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia are an important cause of academic underachievement.


OBJECTIVE
To assess whether cognition abilities vary in children with SpLD having different grades of nonverbal intelligence.


METHODS
Government recognized clinic in a medical college.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Ninety-five children with SpLD (aged 9-14 years) were assessed. An academic achievement of two years below the actual grade placement on educational assessment with a Curriculum-Based test was considered diagnostic of SpLD. On basis of their nonverbal Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores obtained on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children test, the study children were divided into three groups: (i) average-nonverbal intelligence group (IQ 90-109), (ii) bright normal-nonverbal intelligence group (IQ 110-119), and (iii) superior-nonverbal intelligence group (IQ 120-129). A battery of 13 Cognition Function tests (CFTs) devised by Jnana Prabodhini's Institute of Psychology, Pune based on Guilford's Structure of Intellect Model was administered individually on each child in the four areas of information viz. figural, symbolic, semantic and behavioral.


METHODS
The mean CFTs scores obtained in the four areas of information were calculated for each of the three groups and compared using one-way analysis of variance test. A P value < 0.05 was to be considered statistically significant.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences between their mean CFTs scores in any of the four areas of information.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognition abilities are similar in children with SpLD having average, bright-normal and superior nonverbal intelligence.
Karande
Sunil
S
Learning Disability Clinic, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital, Sion, Mumbai - 400 022, India. karandesunil@yahoo.com
Sawant
S
S
Kulkarni
M
M
Galvankar
P
P
Sholapurwala
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D014888:Wechsler Scales