Gabrielle Rappolt-Schlichtmann

Cognitive and emotional differences in young maltreated children: A translational application of dynamic skill theory

Through a translational approach, dynamic skill theory enhances the understanding of the variation in the behavioral and cognitive presentations of a high-risk population-maltreated children. Two studies illustrate the application of normative developmental constructs from a dynamic skills perspective to samples of young maltreated and nonmaltreated children. Each study examines the emotional and cognitive development of maltreated children with attention to their developing world view or negativity bias and cognitive skills. Across both studies, maltreated children demonstrate negativity bias when compared to their nonmaltreated counterparts. Cognitive complexity demonstrated by the maltreated children is dependent upon a positive or negative context. Positive problem solving is more difficult for maltreated children when compared to their nonmaltreated counterparts. Differences by maltreatment type, severity, timing of the abuse, and identity of the perpetrator are also delineated, and variation in the resulting developmental trajectories in each case is explored. This translation of dynamic skill theory, as applied to maltreated children, enhances our basic understanding of their functioning, clarifies the nature of their developmental differences, and underscores the need for early intervention.

From Deficit Remediation to Capacity Building: Learning to Enable Rather Than Disable Students With Dyslexia

Purpose In this article, we explore the deficit view of dyslexia and consider how it may narrow research so as to hamper the progress of scientific discovery and constrain best practices to the detriment of the overall well-being and growth of students with dyslexia. We consider the neurodiversity view of dyslexia as an alternative to the deficit view and explore how strengths-based approaches such as Universal Design for Learning can be used to support the overall well-being and development of students with dyslexia. Practical strategies are provided for applying a strengths-based approach in the speech-language pathologist setting to support students with dyslexia. Method We completed a focused literature review of the history of the deficit view of dyslexia, the alternate neurodiversity view, exceptional abilities related to dyslexia, and strategies for Universal Design for Learning. Results Although the research literature that deals with visual-spatial affordances associated with dyslexia is limited, there is significant evidence that a strengths-based approach to learning experience design can be leveraged by practitioners to improve student self-development, motivation, and academic outcomes. Conclusion We find that further research is needed to explore strengths associated with dyslexia and argue that a shift in mindset from the deficit view toward the neurodiversity view is required to build the capacity of students with dyslexia to thrive in learning and life.

Stigma Consciousness Among Adolescents With Learning Disabilities: Considering Individual Experiences of Being Stereotyped:

Being identified with a learning disability makes students vulnerable to experiences of stigmatization, which can be associated with negative academic and emotional effects. Yet, research with other vulnerable populations demonstrates that individual perceptions of stigmatization, or stigma consciousness, are not uniform and that variability in stigma consciousness is more predictive of outcomes than assuming all members of the group are similarly affected. We present here a measure that enables consideration of such individual experiences of stigma consciousness specifically designed and tested with adolescents with learning disabilities (N = 42). We demonstrate that the Stigma Consciousness Questionnaire–Learning Disabilities (SCQ-LD) is reliable, valid, and usable with this population. Furthermore, we demonstrate that variability in stigma consciousness is present. Results support the use of this construct and measure to contribute to our understanding of the individual experiences of students in this population.