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Internalizing disorders in children with dyslexia: A neuropsychological approach
Abstracts from the 18th Annual Meeting
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Marquardt, N. D., & Bayless, J. D. Verbal Recall and Learning vs. Working Memory in Children and Adolescents. This study investigated the relationship of traditional measures of verbal short term recall and learning to verbal working memory performance. A heterogeneous clinic sample of 111 children and adolescents (IQ >80) were administered the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) and the appropriate Wechsler Intelligence Scale as part of comprehensive cognitive evaluations for academic dysfunction, A D H D , conduct disorder, or suspected cerebral dysfunction. A modified index of verbal working memory (WMI) was computed using the Digit Span and Arithmetic subtest scores, and was compared to performance on the A V L T total score. Results indicated statistically significant, but very low correlations between the WMI and the A V L T (r = .25), suggesting that the two verbal factors measure differing cognitive abilities in our sample as a whole. When scores of individual subjects were examined, there was greater than 1.0 SD discrepancy in WMI vs. A V L T performance in a substantial proportion of cases (47/111 or 42%). Sensitivity to impairment is also important to the practicing clinician. When impairment in verbal memory or working memory was defined by - 1 . 0 SD discrepancy from overall IQ, it was found that the two measures only infrequently agreed; both measures were defective in only 11.7% of the 34 cases with an impaired score. WMI was the sole deficit in 29% of these, and A V L T was the sole deficit in 59% of the impaired cases. The results indicate that the clinician should not expect these two measures to correlate highly. It appears that tests of verbal learning and recall such as the A V L T assess different aspects of verbal memory than do working memory tasks, and that both be included in comprehensive assessment.
Nielsen, K. H., Grant, J., Heringa, M., & Hynd, G. W. Internalizing Disorders in Children with Dyslexia: A Neuropsychological Approach. Neuropsychiatric disorders are believed to frequently co-occur in children with dyslexia. Yet, little data exists which specifically articulates the possible interrelationship between dyslexia and psychiatric disturbance. Using the Behavior Assessment Scale for ChildrenParent Report Form (BASC-PRF), 38 children with language based reading disorders were evaluated for internalizing symptoms of psychopathology. Parent ratings of behavior for this sample showed 10.5% in the significant range for anxiety, 18.4% in the significant range for depression, and 2.6% of children demonstrated significant levels of somatization. There were 5.2% of children with dyslexia rated in the borderline significant range for anxiety, 15.8% in this range for depression, and 10.5% for somatization. In a control group of 13 children with no diagnosis of dyslexia, no parent reports of internalizing symptoms were in the significant or borderline significant range. Comorbidity for psychopathological disorders has been found in children with dyslexia, however, many internalizing symptoms of psychopathology may exist and go undiagnosed because they have yet to reach levels where there is significant functional impairment. Internalizing disorders may develop in conjunction with dyslexia because of the psychosocial affects of the disorder. Deficits in social interactions have been found in subtypes of learning disabilities. These social deficits may result in elevated levels of anxiety and depression in children. The primary neuropsychological deficits of dyslexia in relation to the risk factors for internalizing disorders in this population will be discussed.
Nielsen, K. H., Mrazik, M., Hiemenz, J. R., & Hynd, G. W. Rates of Birth Complications and Toxin Exposure in Children with Attention Dey~cit Hyperactivity Disorder. Prior research has been inconsistent concerning the significance of the prenatal period and birth history of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
I3
Marquardt, N. D., & Bayless, J. D. Verbal Recall and Learning vs. Working Memory in Children and Adolescents. This study investigated the relationship of traditional measures of verbal short term recall and learning to verbal working memory performance. A heterogeneous clinic sample of 111 children and adolescents (IQ >80) were administered the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) and the appropriate Wechsler Intelligence Scale as part of comprehensive cognitive evaluations for academic dysfunction, A D H D , conduct disorder, or suspected cerebral dysfunction. A modified index of verbal working memory (WMI) was computed using the Digit Span and Arithmetic subtest scores, and was compared to performance on the A V L T total score. Results indicated statistically significant, but very low correlations between the WMI and the A V L T (r = .25), suggesting that the two verbal factors measure differing cognitive abilities in our sample as a whole. When scores of individual subjects were examined, there was greater than 1.0 SD discrepancy in WMI vs. A V L T performance in a substantial proportion of cases (47/111 or 42%). Sensitivity to impairment is also important to the practicing clinician. When impairment in verbal memory or working memory was defined by - 1 . 0 SD discrepancy from overall IQ, it was found that the two measures only infrequently agreed; both measures were defective in only 11.7% of the 34 cases with an impaired score. WMI was the sole deficit in 29% of these, and A V L T was the sole deficit in 59% of the impaired cases. The results indicate that the clinician should not expect these two measures to correlate highly. It appears that tests of verbal learning and recall such as the A V L T assess different aspects of verbal memory than do working memory tasks, and that both be included in comprehensive assessment.
Nielsen, K. H., Grant, J., Heringa, M., & Hynd, G. W. Internalizing Disorders in Children with Dyslexia: A Neuropsychological Approach. Neuropsychiatric disorders are believed to frequently co-occur in children with dyslexia. Yet, little data exists which specifically articulates the possible interrelationship between dyslexia and psychiatric disturbance. Using the Behavior Assessment Scale for ChildrenParent Report Form (BASC-PRF), 38 children with language based reading disorders were evaluated for internalizing symptoms of psychopathology. Parent ratings of behavior for this sample showed 10.5% in the significant range for anxiety, 18.4% in the significant range for depression, and 2.6% of children demonstrated significant levels of somatization. There were 5.2% of children with dyslexia rated in the borderline significant range for anxiety, 15.8% in this range for depression, and 10.5% for somatization. In a control group of 13 children with no diagnosis of dyslexia, no parent reports of internalizing symptoms were in the significant or borderline significant range. Comorbidity for psychopathological disorders has been found in children with dyslexia, however, many internalizing symptoms of psychopathology may exist and go undiagnosed because they have yet to reach levels where there is significant functional impairment. Internalizing disorders may develop in conjunction with dyslexia because of the psychosocial affects of the disorder. Deficits in social interactions have been found in subtypes of learning disabilities. These social deficits may result in elevated levels of anxiety and depression in children. The primary neuropsychological deficits of dyslexia in relation to the risk factors for internalizing disorders in this population will be discussed.
Nielsen, K. H., Mrazik, M., Hiemenz, J. R., & Hynd, G. W. Rates of Birth Complications and Toxin Exposure in Children with Attention Dey~cit Hyperactivity Disorder. Prior research has been inconsistent concerning the significance of the prenatal period and birth history of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder