Jason M. Nelson

Learning Disabilities and Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis

This article presents the results of a meta-analysis of the empirical literature on anxious symptomatology among school-aged students with learning disabilities (LD) in comparison to their non-LD peers. Fifty-eight studies met inclusion criteria. Results indicate that students with LD had higher mean scores on measures of anxiety than did non-LD students. The overall effect size was statistically significant and medium in magnitude (d = .61) although substantial heterogeneity of results was found. Moderator effects were examined for informant type, gender, grade, publication status, and identification source. Informant type (i.e., self-, parent, or teacher report) explained a significant amount of variability in the sample of studies, and identification source (i.e., school identified or special school and clinic/hospital identified) approached statistical significance. Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed.

Depression and Anxiety Among Transitioning Adolescents and College Students With ADHD, Dyslexia, or Comorbid ADHD/Dyslexia

Objective: To investigate depressive and anxious symptomatology among transitioning adolescents and college students with ADHD, dyslexia, or comorbid ADHD/dyslexia. Method: Transitioning adolescents and college students with these disorders along with a non-ADHD/dyslexia college sample completed self-report measures of depression and anxiety. Results: Results indicated no differences between the college-level groups, although a main effect for gender was found and trended toward females with dyslexia reporting more symptoms of depression and anxiety than did males with dyslexia. Internalizing symptomatology differences were not found for subtypes of ADHD. Transitioning high school students with ADHD, dyslexia, or ADHD/dyslexia reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression than did college underclassmen with these disorders. Conclusion: The unique characteristics and experiences of the college population of individuals with ADHD and/or dyslexia are discussed relative to the general adult population with these disorders.

Structural and Incremental Validity of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition With a Clinical Sample

Structural and incremental validity of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV; Wechsler, 2008a) was examined with a sample of 300 individuals referred for evaluation at a university-based clinic. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the WAIS-IV structure was best represented by 4 first-order factors as well as a general intelligence factor in a direct hierarchical model. The general intelligence factor accounted for the most common and total variance among the subtests. Incremental validity analyses indicated that the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) generally accounted for medium to large portions of academic achievement variance. For all measures of academic achievement, the first-order factors combined accounted for significant achievement variance beyond that accounted for by the FSIQ, but individual factor index scores contributed trivial amounts of achievement variance. Implications for interpreting WAIS-IV results are discussed.

The Impact of Explicit, Self-Regulatory Reading Comprehension Strategy Instruction on the Reading-Specific Self-Efficacy, Attributions, and Affect of Students with Reading Disabilities.

We compared a reading intervention that consisted of explicit, self-regulatory strategy instruction to a strategy intervention that was less explicit to determine the impact on the reading-specific self-efficacy, attributions, and affect of students with reading disabilities (RD). Participants included 20 students with RD who were entering grades 4–8. The interventions were delivered on a one-to-one basis over five weeks, four days per week, for one hour per day. Those receiving the explicit, self-regulatory strategy intervention showed greater gains in their attributions to incorrect strategy usage for reading failure than participants in the less explicit intervention. Group differences approached statistical significance on the reading self-efficacy measure, with the less explicit intervention showing higher reading self-efficacy at posttest than the explicit, self-regulatory intervention. The possibility of miscalibrated reading self-efficacy and reading skill in students with RD is discussed.

Examination of the structural, convergent, and incremental validity of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS) with a clinical sample.

Empirical examination of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS; C. R. Reynolds & R. W. Kamphaus, 2003a) has produced mixed results regarding its internal structure and convergent validity. Various aspects of validity of RIAS scores with a sample (N = 521) of adolescents and adults seeking psychological evaluations at a university-based clinic were examined. Results from exploratory factor analysis indicated only 1 factor, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated that the 1-factor model was a good fit and a better fit than the 2-factor model. Hierarchical factor analysis indicated the higher order, general intelligence factor accounted for the largest amount of variance. Correlations with other measures of verbal/crystallized and nonverbal/fluid intelligence were supportive of the convergent validity of the Verbal Intelligence Index but not the Nonverbal Intelligence Index. Joint CFA with these additional measures resulted in a superior fit of the 2-factor model compared with the 1-factor model, although the Odd-Item-Out subtest was found to be a poor measure of nonverbal/fluid intelligence. Incremental validity analyses indicated that the Composite Intelligence Index explained a medium to large portion of academic achievement variance; the NIX and VIX explained a small amount of remaining variance. Implications regarding interpretation of the RIAS when assessing similar individuals are discussed.

Passageless Comprehension on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test: Well Above Chance for University Students

The comprehension section of the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT) is widely used to assess the reading comprehension skills of adolescents and adults in the United States. In this study, the authors explored the content validity of the NDRT Comprehension Test (Forms G and H) by asking university students (with and without at-risk status for learning disorders) to answer the multiple-choice comprehension questions without reading the passages. Overall accuracy rates were well above chance for both NDRT forms and both groups of students. These results raise serious questions about the validity of the NDRT and its use in the identification of reading disabilities.

Meta-analysis on the Effectiveness of Extra time as a Test Accommodation for Transitioning Adolescents With Learning Disabilities More Questions Than Answers

The accommodation of students with learning disabilities (LD) on mandatory high stakes tests continues to heighten concern over the equity and effectiveness of current practices. As students transition from high school, they are required to complete timed graduation tests and postsecondary entrance examinations. The most common accommodation accessed by transitioning adolescents with LD is extended time. In order to inform test accommodation practices, a meta-analysis was conducted to address whether test scores from accommodated (i.e., extended time only) and standard test administrations are comparable for transitioning adolescents with LD as compared to their normally achieving peers. The results of the meta-analyses raised more questions than answers and highlighted the need for future research in this area.

Self-concept of college students with ADHD: discordance between self- and parent-reports.

Objective: To investigate the self-concept of college students with ADHD. Method: College students with ADHD and their parents completed self-report and observer-report measures of self-concept, respectively. Results: Results indicated that college students with ADHD did not report problems with self-concept but their parents did for them. This difference was statistically significant and large in magnitude (d = .84). Conclusion: Perceptions of the self-concept of college students with ADHD appear to vary by informant source. Hypotheses for the discordance between self- and parent-reports are discussed. Multi-informant assessment is recommended as a way to obtain a more complete clinical picture than reliance on self- or parent-report alone.

Documenting Hidden Disabilities in Higher Education Analysis of Recent Guidance From the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)

Once students with disabilities leave high school, they must take proactive steps to document their disabilities to educational institutions or employers when requesting accommodations. The Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) has been the principal organization offering suggestions on documentation requirements, and AHEAD’s recently revised guidance involves radical changes to the suggested requirements. AHEAD now recommends that students’ self-reports and disability services professionals’ impressions take precedence over external, objective records. This article reviews the relevant research to evaluate the evidence base for the revised guidance, finding it lacking in important ways as it applies to hidden disabilities (learning, cognitive, and psychiatric disabilities). The evidence supporting various sources of disability documentation is reviewed, and implications for policy and practice are discussed.

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Symptom Validity Tests when Used with Postsecondary Students with Learning Disabilities: A Preliminary Investigation

The current exploratory investigation examined the diagnostic accuracy of the Word Memory Test (WMT), Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), and Word Reading Test (WRT) with three groups of postsecondary students: controls, learning disability (LD) simulators, and a presumed honest LD group. Each measure achieved high overall diagnostic accuracy, yet each contributed differently to suboptimal effort detection. False-negative classifications varied by measure, yet no simulator went undetected by all three tests. The WMT and WRT identified different members of the presumed honest LD group as demonstrating poor effort, whereas the TOMM identified none. Each measure contributed unique variance in a logistic regression, with effort status best predicted by WMT Consistency. Findings provided preliminary evidence that all three measures may be useful when assessing effort during postsecondary LD evaluations. Implications for future practice and research are discussed.