M. Alan J. Finlayson

Neuropsychological significance of variations in patterns of academic performance: verbal and visual-spatial abilities.

Forty-five 9- to 14-year-old children with learning disabilities whose WISC Full Scale IQs fell within the range of 86–114 were divided into three groups on the basis of their patterns of reading, spelling, and arithmetic achievement. Group 1 was composed of children who were uniformly deficient in reading, spelling, and arithmetic; children in Group 2 were relatively adept at arithmetic as compared to their performance in reading and spelling; Group 3 was composed of children whose reading and spelling performances were average or above, but whose arithmetic performance was relatively deficient. The performances of these children on 16 dependent measures were compared. The performances of Groups 1 and 2 were superior to that of Group 3 on measures of visual-perceptual and visual-spatial abilities; Group 3 performed at a superior level to that of Groups 1 and 2 on measures of verbal and auditory-perceptual abilities. The results are discussed in terms of the relationships between varying patterns of academic abilities and patterns of brain-related behaviors, and the nature of the neuropsychological abilities that may limit performance on arithmetic calculation tasks.

The MMPI and neurologic dysfunction: Profile configuration and analysis

This study examined the application of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) to the assessment of personality and emotional status in neurologic patients. Eighteen specialists in the clinical neurosciences examined the standard MMPI and indicated those items they felt were potentially tapping valid manifestations of neurologic damage or dysfunction. Forty-four items, loading primarily on the Hs, Hy, and Sc scales, were identified. These items were then deleted from the standard MMPI protocols of a heterogeneous group of 115 verified neurologic patients and the protocols rescored in the usual fashion. Corresponding high-points between the original MMPI and the modified version occurred in 46% of the cases. Comparable two-point code types occurred in only 29% of the cases. Taking into account the neurologic content of the MMPI can thus considerably alter the MMPI profile of a neurologic patient. Caution should thus be exercised with regard to the application and literal interpretation of the MMPI in neurologic cases.

HANDEDNESS IN RELATION TO MEASURES OF MOTOR AND TACTILE-PERCEPTUAL FUNCTIONS IN NORMAL CHILDREN

10 boys and 10 girls were tested at each of six age levels (6, 7, 8, 12, 13, and 14 yr.). All of the children were right-handed, and at each age level the groups did not differ in age, WISC Full Scale IQ, or educational attainment. The groups were compared on motor tasks (strength and speed) and tactile-perceptual tasks (finger localization and symbol recognition). The performances of the right and left hands were compared. The results indicated clear right-hand motor superiority, but no “sidedness” effect for the tactile-perceptual measures. The implication of these results for brain-behaviour relationships was discussed.

The MMPI and closed-head injury

This study examined Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory profile configuration in matched samples of males (n = 77) and females (n = 25) suffering from closed-head injury. For the males, the mean group high-point was the 5c scale; the mean group high-point for the females was the D scale. For the males, the mean group two-point code was the 8-2 configuration; the mean group two-point code for the females was the 2-3 configuration. The males as a group also scored significantly higher than the females on the Sc scale. The D scale was the most frequently elevated clinical scale and high-point for both groups. The overall pattern of findings also suggested a greater predominance of Hs and Hy two-point code types for the females. The results are discussed in terms of the need to pay critical attention to methodological issues in neuropsychological research and practice.

Effect of lateralized lesions on ipsilateral and contralateral motor functioning

Abstract The present study investigated the effect of lesions principally involving the left or right cerebral hemisphere upon measures of grip strength and finger tapping speed. The purpose was to determine whether ipsilateral and contralateral motor deficits were more frequently associated with lesions of the right or left cerebral hemispheres in patients with cerebral vascular, traumatic, or neoplastic damage. Groups of subjects with right hemisphere (n = 45) and left hemisphere (n = 45) damage were composed solely on the basis of detailed neurological records. Each group consisted of 15 subjects with vascular, traumatic, or neoplastic lesions. The results indicated that neither lesions of the left nor right cerebral hemisphere were pre-eminent in producing ipsilateral or contralateral motor deficits. The significant differences found were interpreted as reflecting the hand preference of the patients.

Tactile‐perceptual Functioning in Relation to Intellectual, Cognitive and Reading Skills in Younger and Older Normal Children

Forty‐eight 12‐ to 14‐year‐olds and 40 six‐ to eight‐year‐old normal boys and girls were distributed into two groups on the basis of the number of errors they made on several tests of tactile‐perceptual ability. The groups were then compared on measures of intellectual, cognitive and reading ability. In the older group, children with poor tactile‐perceptual skills performed significantly less well on the other measures than children with few tactile‐perceptual errors. This relationship was not so clearly demonstrated in the younger groups. The results are discussed in terms of individual differences in brain function.

How useful is the WAIS‐R in closed head injury assessment?

The present study examined whether head-injury assessment findings based on the WAIS could be generalized to the WAIS-R. It also investigated whether WAIS-R findings from individuals with focal mass lesions could be generalized to closed-head-injured patients with mass lesions. Subjects were 71 CHI patients assessed with the WAIS-R an average of 1.38 years post-injury. Results were not always consistent with previous research. Patients with left or right mass lesion loci did not exhibit previously reported Verbal IQ-Performance IQ discrepancies.

Locus of control as a predictor variable in rehabilitation medicine

Reports the results of preliminary work with the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. It was predicted that treatment motivation and treatment success would be related to the dimension of locus of control. Independent physiotherapists ratings confirmed the first hypothesis, but not the second. This appears to be a fruitful area for further research with this instrument.

Test complexity and brain damage at different educational levels

This investigation attempted to determine whether the complexity (problem-solving component) of selected tests of the Reitan-Halstead Neuropsychological Test Battery was related to their ability to discriminate groups of brain-damaged and non-brain-damaged adults at different educational levels. Twenty tests from the Wechsler-Bellevue and the Reitan-Halstead Battery were administered to 51 brain-damaged and 51 non-brain-damaged adults at three educational levels (grade school, high school, university). Spearman rank-order correlations were obtained for the relationship of task complexity with global scores that reflected the effects of education and brain damage for each variable and with the differences between group means for each education level. The ability of these measures to discriminate the groups was correlated significantly with problem-solving level, whereas the effects of education were correlated negatively with this dimension.

CHILDREN'S WORD-FINDING TEST: A VERBAL PROBLEM-SOLVING TASK

A version of the Word-Finding Test was constructed for use with children. This test was administered to 40 normal children and 20 children with learning disabilities who had been matched for age and WISC Full Scale IQ. The results indicated that the test is appropriate for use with 9- and 10-yr.-old children, and that performance distinguishes between normal and learning disabled children of these ages at a high level of confidence. There were also some indications that the mode of approach to the test exhibited by the children with learning disabilities differed qualitatively from that of the normal children.