Denise E. Maricle

Neuropsychological Profiles of Written Expression Learning Disabilities Determined by Concordance-Discordance Model Criteria

Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) have disparate neuropsychological processing deficits that interfere with academic achievement in spelling, writing fluency, and/or written expression (WE). Although there are multiple potential causes of WE SLD, there is a paucity of research exploring this critical academic skill from a neuropsychological perspective. This study examined the neuropsychological profiles of WE SLD subtypes defined using the concordance-discordance model (C-DM) of SLD identification. Participants were drawn from a sample of 283 children (194 boys, 89 girls) aged 6 years to 16 years old (Mage = 9.58 years, SD = 2.29 years) referred for comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations in school settings and subsequently selected based on C-DM determined spelling, writing fluency, and WE SLD. WE SLD subtypes differed on several psychomotor, memory, and executive function measures (F range = 2.48–5.07, p range = .049 to <.001), suggesting that these children exhibit distinct patterns of neuropsychological processing strengths and weaknesses. Findings have relevance for differential diagnosis of WE subtypes, discriminating WE SLD subtypes from low WE achievement, and developing differentiated evidence-based instruction and intervention for children with WE SLD. Limitations and future research will be addressed.

Psychosocial Subtypes on the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

This study identified the subtypes of psychosocial functioning in children who had sustained traumatic brain injury using the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition. Participants (N = 91) were aged 6-20. Using hierarchical agglomerative clustering techniques, a reliable typology emerged that consisted of two subtypes, which were labeled as Normal and Pervasive Emotional Difficulties. Using further exploratory analyses, other less statistically reliable subtypes were also observed, which were thought to have clinical significance. These were labeled as Mild Externalizing/Depression, Mild Externalizing/Attention Problems, Mild Depression, and Mild Anxiety. The majority of participants were assigned to the Normal subtype. Relationships between subtypes and other variables, including gender, time elapsed since injury, age at injury, and age at testing were also analyzed, with time elapsed since injury being the only variable to significantly differentiate the subtypes.

Working memory, short-term memory and reading proficiency in school-age children with cochlear implants

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to examine short-term memory and working memory through both visual and auditory tasks in school-age children with cochlear implants. The relationship between the performance on these cognitive skills and reading as well as language outcomes were examined in these children. METHODS Ten children between the ages of 7 and 11 years with early-onset bilateral severe-profound hearing loss participated in the study. Auditory and visual short-term memory, auditory and visual working memory subtests and verbal knowledge measures were assessed using the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV Integrated and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children II. Reading outcomes were assessed using the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test III. RESULTS Performance on visual short-term memory and visual working memory measures in children with cochlear implants was within the average range when compared to the normative mean. However, auditory short-term memory and auditory working memory measures were below average when compared to the normative mean. Performance was also below average on all verbal knowledge measures. Regarding reading outcomes, children with cochlear implants scored below average for listening and passage comprehension tasks and these measures were positively correlated to visual short-term memory, visual working memory and auditory short-term memory. Performance on auditory working memory subtests was not related to reading or language outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The children with cochlear implants in this study demonstrated better performance in visual (spatial) working memory and short-term memory skills than in auditory working memory and auditory short-term memory skills. Significant positive relationships were found between visual working memory and reading outcomes. The results of the study provide support for the idea that WM capacity is modality specific in children with hearing loss. Based on these findings, reading instruction that capitalizes on the strengths in visual short-term memory and working memory is suggested for young children with early-onset hearing loss.

Instructional Implications from the Woodcock–Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities

Abstract The purpose of this chapter is to explore instructional implications from the Woodcock–Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities. Enhancing cognitive or intellectual abilities in children has been a topic of great interest in education and rehabilitation. Children’s cognitive impairments affect their ability to achieve developmental milestones not previously attained, impact school achievement, and restrict their ability to participate in age appropriate social activities.

Comparing Three Patterns of Strengths and Weaknesses Models for the Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities.

Processing Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW) models have been proposed as a method for identifying specific learning disabilities. Three PSW models were examined for their ability to predict expert identified specific learning disabilities cases. The Dual Discrepancy/Consistency Model (DD/C; Flanagan, Ortiz, & Alfonso, 2013) as operationalized by the Cross Battery Assessment Software (X-BASS; Ortiz, Flanagan & Alfonso, 2015), the Concordance-Discordance Model (C-DM; Hale & Fiorello, 2004), and the Psychological Processing Analyzer software (PPA v3.1; Dehn, 2015b) were evaluated. The DD/C approach as represented with the X-BASS system had a 100% agreement with the expert panel in the identification of specific learning disabilities and non-specific learning disabilities cases. The C-DM model was more conservative, identifying only 45% of the specific learning disabilities cases. The PPA software was too limited to be used in the study and is not recommended for use in identifying specific learning disabilities via a PSW approach. Although more research is needed, the results of this study would suggest that the DD/C and X-BASS provide the greatest utility for a PSW approach to identifying specific learning disabilities.