This study investigated the extent to which children's knowledge about reading disabilities, preoccupation with their own reading disability, and anxiety predicted reading comprehension in fifth and sixth grade children with reading disabilities (N = 85). Participants provided rich and accurate information about reading disabilities and the…

The study examined perceptions of family relationships and communication in 52 families who have an adolescent child diagnosed with learning disabilities (LD) with a matched group of 52 families who have a child without LD. Parents and youth completed a self-reported "Family Relations and Communication Scales" assessment. Findings…

This study examined the contribution of attachment security and emotion regulation (ER) to the explanation of social information processing (SIP) in middle childhood boys with learning disabilities (LD) and without LD matched on age and grade level. Children analyzed four social vignettes using Dodge's SIP model and completed the Kerns security…

Mothers (N=24) generally evidenced coping mechanisms when involved with medical, social, and educational agencies, and were able to obtain services. However, coping functions broke down in direct confrontation with the child. Mothers, contrary to traditional attitudes, experienced relief at receiving a diagnosis, confirming their suspicions rather…

Self-concepts of 54 regular class, 48 learning disabled (LD) and 22 students referred for special education were measured, and mothers were asked to rate their child's self-concept. Results revealed minimal differences between self-concept scores of LD and regular class children. Mothers of LD Ss predicted lower self-concepts than their children.…

Behavioral observations obtained from mother-child interactions were compared for three groups of nine mother-child (mean age 6 years) pairs: (1) nonclinic, normal children; (2) noncompliant children; (3) children identified as learning disabled. (Author)

Maternal stress was assessed in mothers of children ages 8 to 11 years with learning disorders (LD). Age-, gender-, and IQ-matched children with reading disorders (RD; n = 31), children with nonverbal learning disorders (NVLD; n = 21), and typically developing control participants (n = 23) participated. Mothers of children with LD reported higher…

Eight school-aged boys with learning disabilities (LD) with a discrepancy between verbal and performance IQ and with more language difficulties were less successful on a mother/child problem-solving task. Their mothers exhibited lower communication clarity in their instructions to the children than the mothers of the eight boys with LD who did not…

Four mothers of children (ages 10-18) with learning disabilities were interviewed over a 1-year period. Their comments about services provided by educational and mental health professionals indicated high levels of frustration and dissatisfaction. Parental expectations and perspectives differed from those of educators. (Author/JDD)