Research has shown evidence that mindfulness-based meditation practices are effective treatment interventions for mental, emotional, and medical disabilities in the adult population. There has been a limited number of research studies showing the effectiveness of meditation practices with high school students who receive special education…

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is frequently associated with learning disabilities. The present study examined the written composition of children with ADHD, which depends to a large degree on continuous self-regulation and attentional control skills for organizing information and maintaining the level of effort. Fifty children…

Relationships between attention/executive functions and language learning were investigated in students in Grades 4 to 9 (N = 88) with and without specific learning disabilities (SLDs) in multiword syntax in oral and written language (OWL LD), word reading and spelling (dyslexia), and subword letter writing (dysgraphia). Prior…

The Institute at Virginia has focused its efforts on learning disability (LD) children with attentional problems with emphasis on cognitive behavior modification techniques. Studies included investigations of metacognition, information processing, self-recording of task-related behavior, and strategy training. Adult-child interactions and…

This study investigated the role of executive function in children with attention deficit disorders (ADD) by comparing differences resulting when diagnostic measures of reading comprehension consisting of either short or long passages were used. Subjects (all in grades 1-12) were grouped as having an attention deficit disorder (ADD) and not taking…

Based on three areas of research (memory, selective attention, and metacognition), three strategy training interventions with learning disabled children are described: Lloyd's academic strategy training, Torgeson's strategy training, and Deshler's learning strategies model. Individual approaches may be appropriate only for selected subgroups of…

In response to a previous critique of her paper on self-monitoring of attention with learning disabled students, the author stresses the importance of effective curricula as a prerequisite to instruction in metacognitive strategies so that students know what to pay attention to. (Author/DB)

In this research review of basic issues in learning disabilities, definitions, possible causes, prevalence, and identification of learning disabilities are discussed. Characteristics of learning disabled individuals are considered under five headings: perceptual and perceptual-motor disabilities, problems with attention and hyperactivity,…

The literature on the use of self-monitoring of attention with learning disabled (LD) students is reviewed in terms of models of cognitive behavior modification, methodological concerns limiting the interpretability of self-monitoring research, problems LD students have in selecting what to pay attention to, and implications for instructional…

In response to a previous critique of their research on self-monitoring of attention with learning disabled students, the authors focus on such aspects as the theoretical conceptualizations of attention, the issue of improving attentional versus academic behavior, and the type of student for whom self-monitoring of attention is appropriate.…

This study examined relationships between mathematical learning difficulties (MLD) and the planning, attention, simultaneous, successive (PASS) theory of cognitive processing. PASS processes were assessed in 267 Dutch students with MLD. Results indicated students with MLD performed lower than peers on all "Cognitive Assessment System"…

Learning disabled (n=34) and low-achieving (n=34) incarcerated delinquents (16-19 years) were assigned to social metacognitive training, attention control, or test-only control groups. Those given metacognitive training improved in rehabilitation achievement and other areas of social adjustment, with a greater proportion of the learning disabled…

Sixteen nonretarded young adults with fetal alcohol syndrome were divided into two groups, one with average to above average IQ and one with borderline to low average IQ. Subjects in both groups manifested clear deficits on neuropsychological measures sensitive to complex attention, verbal learning, and executive function at a frequency and…

This study examines executive function and its relationship to attention dysfunction and working memory. It attempts to document the manifestations of executive function problems in school-related extended processing tasks, such as verbal problem-solving in math and reading of extended passages. Subjects (in grades 1-12) included 49 children with…