Abstract: The definition and classification of learning disabilities has been an ongoing debate, largely related to the use of a discrepancy between intelligence and achievement as the determining factor. Children who have a discrepancy are typically classified as learning disabled and qualify for services through the schools, while those who have difficulty reading but do not have a discrepancy due to low or below average intelligence levels ("slow learners") are frequently denied services. Many studies have revealed more similarities than differences between slow learners and children with learning disabilities, yet educational policy has not reflected these findings. In order to further the understanding of differences between the two groups and to provide additional information about the reading process, the current study examined the relationship between phonological processing, automaticity, auditory processing, and memory in slow learners and children with reading disabilities. Participants were selected from a sample of 2,361 students in the first through fifth grades who were tested as a part of the standardization for the Woodcock- Johnson III. Three groups were formed: Control (n = 75), Slow Learner (n = 79), and Learning Disabled (n = 32), resulting in a total sample size of 186 participants. MANOVA results revealed overall differences between the groups. Follow-up comparisons found that the Slow Learner group had significantly poorer performance as compared to the Control group on all measures; the Learning Disabled group was significantly worse than the Control group on Phonological Processing but not on any other measure; and the Slow Learner Group performed significantly worse than the Learning Disabled group on all measures. Correlational analyses revealed a series of significant correlations from small to large. Results from a multiple regression revealed that from the four factors that were investigated, Phonological Processing was the only statistically significant contributor to the variance of Basic Reading. Results appear to support the "phonological-core- variable- difference" hypothesis from the literature (Stanovich, 1988), as well as current proposals for changes to educational policy. Future research should be directed towards determining the capacity of slow learners and children with learning disabilities to respond to intervention.

 

Abstract: Epilepsy research has identified higher rates of learning disorders in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, most studies have not adequately assessed complex functional adult learning skills, such as reading comprehension and written language. We designed this study to evaluate our predictions that higher rates of reading comprehension, written language, and calculation disabilities would be associated with left TLE versus right TLE. METHODS: Reading comprehension, written language, and calculation skills were assessed by using selected subtests from the Woodcock- Johnson Psycho- Educational Tests of Achievement- Revised in a consecutive series of 31 presurgical patients with TLE. Learning disabilities were defined by one essential criterion consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Patients had left hemisphere language dominance based on Wada results, left or right TLE based on inpatient EEG monitoring, and negative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), other than MRI correlates of mesial temporal sclerosis. RESULTS: Higher rates of reading comprehension, written language, and calculation disabilities were associated with left TLE, as compared with right TLE. Nearly 75% of patients with left TLE, whereas fewer than 10% of those with right TLE, had at least one learning disability. CONCLUSIONS: Seizure onset in the language- dominant hemisphere, as compared with the nondominant hemisphere, was associated with higher rates of specific learning disabilities and a history of poor literacy or career development or both. These results support the potential clinical benefits of using lateralization of seizure onset as a predictor of the risk of learning disabilities that, once evaluated, could be accommodated to increase the participation of patients with epilepsy in work and educational settings.(click to view)

 

 

Semantic retrieval (SR) and executive-procedural (EP), but not visuospatial (VS) skills, have been found to be uniquely predictive of mathematical calculation skills in a sample of clinically referred college students. This study set out to cross- validate these results in an independent sample of clinically referred college students (N = 337) as well as extend them by examination of the contributions of these cognitive domains to math reasoning skills. Results indicate that these cognitive domains were able to predict 30% of the variance in calculation skills and 50% of the variance in math reasoning; however, in both cases, only the domains of semantic retrieval and visuospatial skill contributed uniquely. Differences between studies, and the lack of unique contribution of the EP domain to either type of math skill, may be due to measurement and sampling differences, the degree of shared relations among domains, and the choice of measures that represent the EP domain. Implications and future directions are explored.

Abstract:  Bias in testing has been of interest to psychologists and other test users since the origin of testing. New or revised tests often are subject to analyses that help examine the degree of bias in reference to group membership based on gender, language use, and race/ethnicity. The pervasive use of intelligence test data when making critical and, at times, life-changing decisions warrants the need by test developers and test users to examine possible test bias on new and recently revised intelligence tests. This study investigates factorial invariance and criterion related validity of the Woodcock- Johnson III for African American and Caucasian American students. Data from this study suggest that although their mean scores differ, Woodcock-  Johnson III scores have comparable meaning for both groups.

Abstract:  The purpose of this study was to explore patterns of difficulty in 2 domains of mathematical cognition: computation and problem solving. Third graders (n 924; 47.3% male) were representatively sampled from 89 classrooms; assessed on computation and problem solving; classified as having difficulty with computation, problem solving, both domains, or neither domain; and measured on 9 cognitive dimensions. Difficulty occurred across domains with the same prevalence as difficulty with a single domain; specific difficulty was distributed similarly across domains. Multivariate profile analysis on cognitive dimensions and chi-square tests on demographics showed that specific computational difficulty was associated with strength in language and weaknesses in attentive behavior and processing speed; problem- solving difficulty was associated with deficient language as well as race and poverty. Implications for understanding mathematics competence and for the identification and treatment of mathematics difficulties are discussed.

Abstract: This study extended previous research performed by Cox, Kovatchev, Morris, Phillips, Hill, and Merkel (1998), and had three aims: (1) to investigate the Consistency Index, a quantified measure of electroencephalography (EEG), as a psychophysiological tool for differentiating between boys with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), (2) to identify diagnostic patterns that contribute to an understanding of the neurobiological etiology of ADHD, and (3) to determine the relationship between ADHD, IQ, and transitions between divergent thinking tasks. The CI, a calculation based on Fast Fourier Transformation of EEG data, measures the neural efficiency of an individual's brain when shifting between two tasks. Subjects were screened using the NIMH DISC-IV Parent interview, the DuPaul ADHD Rating Scale for Home and School, and subtests of the WISC- III (Block Design, Vocabulary, and Similarities) and Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement (Letter-Word Identification, Dictation, and Calculation). Subjects with comorbid central nervous system dysfunction, substance abuse, psychosis, sleep disorder, or those taking bronchiodialator medication for allergy or asthma were excluded from the study. In 17 controls and 17 subjects with ADHD (ages 8-11), shifts were measured in two places: between silent reading and Subtest 1 of the Torrance Tests for Creative Thinking - Figural Forms (TTCT), and between Subtests 1 and 3 of the TTCT- Figural Forms. Mean CI scores discriminated between the control group and the ADHD/ADD group (p < .01). Mean CI scores also discriminated between the control group and a subset of the experimental group with Inattentive- type ADHD (p < .01). The shift between Subtests 1 and 3 of the TTCT-  Figural Forms Data did not produce significant differences between the groups. This sample produced a possible EEG profile of ADHD: a differentiated percentage of theta during active mental processing when the mean powers of delta, theta, alpha, and beta were compared from the data used to calculate the CI. IQ did not correlate with the CI. The CI differentiated statistically between mean scores of the control and subject groups. Additional research is needed to hone the CI as a tool that would be clinically useful for aiding in the diagnosis of ADHD

 

Abstract:  Sex differences in the latent general and broad cognitive abilities underlying the Woodcock–Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities were investigated for children, youth, and adults ages 6 through 59. A developmental, multiple indicator–multiple cause, structural equation model was used to investigate sex differences in latent cognitive abilities as well as developmental changes in these differences across the 6 to 59 age span. Females showed a consistent advantage on the latent processing speed (Gs) factor, and males showed a small, consistent advantage on the latent comprehension–knowledge (Gc) factor. Males also showed an advantage on latent quantitative reasoning (RQ) and visual–spatial ability (Gv) factors at most ages, although the latter was statistically significant only for adults. No statistically significant sex differences were shown on latent auditory processing, short-term memory, long-term retrieval, or fluid reasoning factors. The higher-order, latent g factor showed inconsistent differences for children, small, nonsignificant differences favoring females for adolescents, and fairly consistent statistically significant differences favoring females in adulthood. Findings are inconsistent with developmental theory that suggests males should show an advantage on g in adulthood. Supplemental analyses suggested that methodological choices, including the use of latent variables versus composites and methods for dealing with missing data, can affect research findings.

Abstract: Two of the most popular methods of profile analysis, cluster analysis and modal profile analysis, have limitations. First, neither technique is adequate when the sample size is large.  Second, neither method will necessarily provide profile information in terms of both level andpattern. A new method of profile analysis, called Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS; Davison, 1996), is introduced to meet the challenge. PAMS extends the use of simple multidimensional scaling methods to identify latent profiles in a multi-test battery.  Application of PAMS to profile analysis is described. The PAMS model is then used to identify latent profiles from a subgroup (N = 357) within the sample of the Woodcock- Johnson Psychoeducational Battery—Revised(WJ-R; McGrew, Werder, & Woodcock, 1991; Woodcock & Johnson, 1989), followed by a discussion of procedures for interpreting participants’ observed score profiles from the latent PAMS profiles. Finally, advantages and limitations of the PAMS technique are discussed. 

 

Abstract:  The black–white difference in test scores for the three standardizations of the Woodcock–Johnson battery of cognitive tests is analyzed in terms of birth cohorts covering the years from 1920 through 1991. Among persons tested at ages 6–65, a narrowing of the difference occurred in overall IQ and in the two most highly g-loaded clusters in the Woodcock–Johnson, Gc and Gf. After controlling for standardization and interaction effects, the magnitude of these reductions is on the order of half a standard deviation from the high point among those born in the 1920s to the low point among those born in the last half of the 1960s and early 1970s. These reductions do not appear for IQ or Gc if the results are restricted to persons born from the mid-1940s onward. The results consistently point to a B–W difference that has increased slightly on all three measures for persons born after the 1960s. The evidence for a high B–W IQ difference among those born in the early part of the 20th century and a subsequent reduction is at odds with other evidence that the B–W IQ difference has remained unchanged. The end to the narrowing of the B–W IQ difference for persons born after the 1960s is consistent with almost all other data that have been analyzed by birth cohort.

This study used a double-dissociation design to evaluate whether children with ADHD demonstrated specific deficits relative to children with Reading Disorders. Recent theory suggests that ADHD children have deficits in time perception and working memory, whereas RD children have deficits in phonological decoding. The performance of 113 clinic- referred children aged 6–11 was examined using measures of working memory, phonological processing, and time perception. Respondents completed two time production tasks in which they were to judge when 30-s had elapsed, and another in which they were asked to estimate the duration of the Conners’ CPT (CCPT). Time Perception and phonological processing variables were submitted to a 2 × 2 ANCOVA (ADHD vs. RD), covarying for age, SES, IQ, and working memory. Children with ADHD were more likely to overestimate the time taken for the CCPT than children without ADHD, but no group differences were found on the 30-s estimation tasks. Children with RD did not display deficits in time estimation, but showed deficits in auditory phonological processing. The lack of interaction effects supported an “etiological subtype” over the “phenocopy” model of ADHD and RD. No group differences were detected using the CCPT. Although our previous studies did not find an order effect for the Conners’ CPT in a 1-hr battery, a fatigue effect was evident with a 1.5-hr battery. The implications for Barkley’s behavioral inhibition theories (R. Barkley, 1997) are discussed.

Abstract:  Hispanics have become the largest minority group in the United States. Hispanic children typically come from working class homes with parents who have limited English language skills and educational training. This presents challenges to psychologists who assess these children using traditional IQ tests because of the considerable verbal and academic (e.g., quantitative) content. Some researchers have suggested that intelligence conceptualized on the basis of psychological processes may have utility for assessment of children from culturally and linguistically diverse populations because verbal and quantitative skills are not included. This study examined Hispanic children's performance on the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS; [Naglieri, J.A., and Das, J.P. (1997). Cognitive Assessment System. Itasca, IL: Riverside.]) which is based on the Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive (PASS) theory of intelligence. The scores of Hispanic (N=244) and White (N=1956) children on the four PASS processes were obtained and the respective correlations between PASS and achievement compared. Three complementary sampling methodologies and data analysis strategies were chosen to compare the Ethnic groups. Sample size was maximized using nationally representative groups and demographic group differences were minimized using smaller matched samples. Small differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic children were found when ability was measured with tests of basic PASS processes. In addition, the correlation between the PASS constructs and achievement were substantial for both Hispanic and non-Hispanic children and were not significantly different between the groups.

Abstract.  Gender differences in ability and achievement have been studied for some time and have been conceptualized along verbal, quantitative, and visual-spatial dimensions. Researchers recently have called for a theory-based approach to studying these differences. This study examined 1,100 boys and 1,100 girls who matched the U.S. population using the Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, Successive (PASS) cognitive- processing theory, built on the neuropsychological work of A. R. Luria (1973). Girls outperformed boys on the Planning and Attention scales of the Cognitive Assessment System by about 5 points (d = .30 and .35, respectively). Gender differences were also found for a subsample of 1,266 children on the Woodcock- Johnson Revised Tests of Achievement Proofing (d = .33), Letter-Word Identification (d = .22), and Dictation (d = .22). The results illustrate that the PASS theory offers a useful way to examine gender differences in cognitive performance

Abstract:  This study evaluated college adults (N = 138) referred for learning problems using a Cattell- Horn-    Carroll based intelligence measure (Woodcock Johnson- Revised: WJ-R) and spatial and executive function neuropsychological measures to determine processing abilities underlying math skills. Auditory and visual perceptual (WJ- R Ga and Gv), long- and short- memory (WJ-R Glr and Gsm), crystallized and fluid intellectual (WJ- R Gc and Gf), and spatial and executive function (Judgment of Line Orientation [JLO] and Category Test) measures differentiated those with and without math deficits. Multiple regression revealed selective processing abilities (Gf, JLO, and Category) predicting about 16% of the variance in math skills after variance associated with general intelligence (also about 16%) was removed. Cluster analysis found evidence for a selective spatial deficit group, a selective executive function deficit group and a double deficit (spatial and executive function) group. Results were discussed in relation to a double deficit hypothesis associated with developmental dyscalculia.

 

Abstract: This article examines whether various cognitive abilities are associated with symptoms of ADHD. Cognitive ability is conceptualized using Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory as measured using the Woodcock- Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability (3rd ed.). This article also examines whether test session behavior mediates the association between cognitive ability and ADHD. Participants are children ages 6 to 12 with (n= 33) and without (n= 19) ADHD. Results show that inattentive symptoms of ADHD are significantly related to the CHC ability of processing speed above and beyond the effect of test session behavior. Symptoms of ADHD (both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity) are also significantly associated with visual spatial processing, but this is completely mediated by test session behavior. It is concluded that inattentive symptoms of ADHD are associated with slower processing speed and that this relationship is not explained by test session behavior.

 

Abstract: This study used theWoodcock–Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability–Revised to investigate a wide range of cognitive abilities in people withWilliams syndrome (WS). It involved a comparatively large sample of 31 people with WS, but took a case- series approach. The study addressed the widespread claims of a characteristic “WS cognitive profile” by looking for heterogeneity rather than homogeneity. People with WS showed a variety of preserved (significantly above mental age [MA]), expected (at MA), and significantly impaired (significantly below MA) levels of functioning.  Such results provide clear evidence for heterogeneity in cognitive functions within WS.We found the most homogeneity on a test of phonological processing and a test of phonological short-term memory, with half of the WS sample performing at MA levels on these tests. Interestingly, noWS individual showed a weakness on a test of nonverbal reasoning, and only oneWSindividual showed a weakness on a test of verbal comprehension. In addition, we found that strengths on analysis–synthesis and verbal analogies occurred only for WS individuals with an MA less than 5.5 years (our sample median MA); people with an MA greater than 5.5 years performed at MA level on these 2 tests. Results also provided preliminary evidence for distinct subgroups of WS people based on their cognitive strengths and weaknesses on a broad range of cognitive functions. On the basis of the findings, caution should be made in declaring a single cognitive profile that is characteristic of all individuals with WS. Just as there is heterogeneity in genetic and physical anomalies within WS, not all WS individuals share the same cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Also, not all WS individuals show the profile of a strength in verbal abilities and a weakness in spatial functions. 

 

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of the Woodcock- Johnson Test Battery- Revised (WJ-   R) for determining driver's license status among individuals with cognitive disabilities. A sample group of 147 individuals was chosen from archival file reviews of consumers who had been administered the WJ-R while receiving driver education services. Scores obtained on the WJ-R were used to differentiate driver's license status among these rehabilitation consumers. Eleven of the 12 WJ- R scores demonstrated significant differences between licensed and non- licensed consumers.

Abstract:  This study extends previous research examining the relations between Cattell-  Horn- Carroll cognitive abilities and math achievement. The cognitive profiles of children with normative weaknesses in Math Calculation Skills or Math Reasoning were compared to those of their average-  achieving peers. The cognitive profile of the low Math Calculation Skills group (n = 68) was similar to that of their average-  achieving peers. The low Math Reasoning group (n = 52) scored lower than their average- achieving peers on the cognitive abilities as a set and on Fluid Reasoning and Comprehension–Knowledge. When individual profiles were considered, approximately half of the children with normative math weaknesses demonstrated commensurate weaknesses in one or more cognitive abilities, which may inform diagnostic models of learning disabilities.

 

Abstract:  We compared the level of agreement among four models used to diagnose learning disabilities (LD), including the simple discrepancy, intraindividual, intellectual ability–achievement, and underachievement models. The sample included 170 clinic- referred university students. The simple discrepancy model diagnosed significantly more students with LD than the other three models. The highest degree of agreement occurred between the intraindividual and intellectual ability–achievement models (70%); the lowest level of agreement occurred between the simple discrepancy and underachievement models (48%). Finally, only two of the six comparisons among the four models demonstrated significant correlations. We conclude that even when discrepancy models diagnose similar numbers of students with LD, the same students are not diagnosed across different models.

 

Abstract: Measurement of the abilities of gifted children is challenging. Identifying patterns of performance for gifted children has proven elusive. The WJIII COG, a theory- driven measure, purports to provide information about a child's pattern of abilities, including areas previously not measured by other cognitive instruments. Only one study has addressed the relationship between the WJIII COG and gifted children. (Rizza, et al., 2001). The purpose of this study was to examine the WJIII COG's appropriateness for use with gifted children. Interpretive guidance when using the WJIII COG with gifted children was sought. The following question was addressed: Do children of high intellectual ability display distinct patterns of performance on the WJIII COG Stratum II variables. If so, do these patterns qualitatively differ from the performance of children of non-high intellectual ability? The participants for this study were taken from the standardization sample of WJIII COG participants (N = 3,145). The participants were divided into two groups: high intellectual ability, Group 1 (N = 389), and "other," (Group 2) (N = 2756). Group 1 participants had a GIA Standard score of 120 or above. The participants were further divided into three subgroups, determined by age: preschool, school-aged, and college- aged. Approximately half of the sample was male. White participants were the majority of the sample (77.4- 87.9%). Most participants were non- Hispanic (91.3-        94.9%). Means, standard deviations, ranges, minimum values, and maximum values, were obtained. WJIII COG Stratum II variables were paired and compared. The comparisons made were ranges and point differences. Cumulative percentages of point differences were calculated at the 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 point levels. Two primary findings emerged. The first finding was that Group 1 participants scored higher overall than Group 2 participants when averages were compared. The second finding was that no gifted profile emerged for Group 1. Although no gifted pattern emerged, there was a great deal of variability within individual student profiles for both Groups. It was suggested that further research be directed at whether subtypes of students with high abilities could be identified that would have clinical implications congruent with multidimensional theories of giftedness.

 

Abstract: This study primarily addressed two questions. The first question asked if individuals with learning disabilities in reading differ from individuals with other types of learning disabilities and from individuals with no clinical diagnosis on processing speed measured cognitively. The second question asked if subgroups within the two experimental groups with learning disabilities could be identified that conform to the Double Deficit Hypothesis (DDH) (Wolf & Bowers, 2000). Subjects were extracted from an existing data base that consisted of over 2000 individuals in the Mid- Western United States who had been referred for neuropsychological assessment, and were chosen for this study if they had been diagnosed with a learning disability or had received no clinical diagnosis. A total sample of 307 was available for the study, including 211 males and 96 females. The subjects were assigned to one of three groups by the researcher. One group consisted of individuals diagnosed with learning disabilities in reading, a second group consisted of individuals with learning disabilities in areas other than reading, and the third groups consisted of individuals who had received no clinical diagnosis. Scores on the Woodcock-  Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability- Revised, and the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement- Revised were used for analysis. The investigation into the first question found that the three groups differed significantly on a cognitive measure of processing speed. The literature search had found that an achievement measure of processing speed discriminated between the three types of individuals. The current findings imply that processing speed problems may be linked to cognitive abilities as well as academic abilities. The results for the second question were not as clear. However, a cluster analysis of both the group with learning disabilities in reading and the group with learning disabilities in areas other than reading found processing speed to be an important factor in describing these individuals' difficulties. For the first group, Wolf and Bowers (2000) Double Deficit Hypothesis was supported for processing speed, but not for phonological processing. For the other group, the DDH was supported for processing speed and phonological processing, but not for the double deficit.

 

Abstract: The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) factor clusters of theWoodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ III COG; Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001) were studied with a group of gifted (n551) and nongifted individuals (n551).   Specifically, a profile analysis was conducted using the seven CHC factors identified by the WJ III COG authors. The gifted and nongifted individuals were between the ages of 5 and 18 years, and were matched on gender, age, ethnicity, and father’s level of education. Each group consisted of 23 females and 28 males. The mean age in months for the gifted group was 135.61 (SD 5 48.81), and the mean age in months for the nongifted group was 134.25 (SD 5 47.86). The results of the profile analysis found gifted and nongifted individuals display similar patterns of performance across the CHC factor clusters. As expected, the gifted group, on average, scored consistently higher across the set of CHC factor clusters compared to the nongifted group. In addition, no intracognitive differences were found among the CHC factor clusters for either the gifted or nongifted group. Clinical and educational considerations when using the WJ III COG when assessing giftedness are also discussed.

 

Abstract: The Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML) is a relatively new instrument used in the assessment of memory in children. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the WRAML by comparing the performance of children on both the WRAML and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability- Revised (WJTCA- R). Subjects for the study were children in treatment for a brain tumor at a regional children's medical center. Fifty children participated in the study ranging from ages 6 to 17. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine which of four selected clusters from the WJTCA-R would have the highest correlation with the Verbal Memory Index (VERI) from the WRAML. The Short-Term Memory (GSM) cluster had the highest correlation (r = .82) as predicted. A Pearson's product- moment correlational analysis was conducted between the Visual Processing (GV) cluster from the WJTCA-R and the Visual Memory Index (VISI) from the WRAML. GV was found to have a high positive correlation (r = .63) with VISI. A similar analysis was conducted between the Long- Term Retrieval (GLR) cluster from the WJTCA-R and the Learning Index (LRNI) from the WRAML. GLR was found to have a high positive correlation (r = .81) with LRNI. Finally, a correlational analysis was conducted between the Broad Cognitive Ability (BCA) scale from the WJTCA- R and the General Memory Index (GENI) from the WRAML. A high positive correlation (r = .87) was found between these most global measures from the two batteries. The observed correlation between BCA and GENI was much higher than anticipated. The author concluded that neurological impairment had affected subject memory and intellectual functioning in similar ways. The results do not generalize to children who have not had similar decrements in cognitive functioning. Future research should establish a baseline correlation between the two instruments with a non- impaired population.

 

Abstract: Three ability-achievement discrepancy methods for identifying learning disabilities were compared. The first method uses a simple standard score difference calculation; the second method a regression equation; and the third, a variation of the second, takes the standard error of estimate into account. These three methods were examined using varying significance criteria, producing five individual models: the simple difference models (1A and 1B) used 16 and 23- point discrepancy criteria, respectively; the basic regression models (2A and 2B) used 16 and 23 points; and the regression variation model (3) used a 95% confidence level. The five models were applied to 145 students' IQ (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition) and achievement (Woodcock- Johnson Achievement Tests- Revised) scores; all students had been referred for psychoeducational testing. Mean diagnostic proportions produced by each model yielded no significant distinction between simple difference and basic regression methods; however, within methods, models using less stringent criteria identified significantly more students (p <.05). Of the students identified by Model 1A, 17% were declassified by Model 1B; 24% of those identified by 2A were declassified by 2B. Model 3 functioned much like Model 2B. Students' classification across models was dependent on their age and ability level. These findings suggest that the criterion chosen for significance has more impact on eligibility outcomes than the discrepancy method.

 

Abstract: The present study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 involved the development of ability/achievement normative taxonomies for reading and mathematics using the multivariate techniques of cluster analysis. The core profiles that emerged provide important comparisons for evaluating individual profiles, as well as add to the information explaining common variability in the child population. The taxonomies were based upon 711 children in the 8 to 17 year old portion of the standardization sample of the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) who were co- administered the Woodcock- Johnson Tests of Achievement- Revised (WJ-R ACH). Ability/reading and ability/math normative taxonomies were developed from the Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive scales of the CAS in conjunction with four reading and three math WJ-R ACH subscales. Eight reading and five math clusters were identified and described using demographics and overall ability and achievement levels. In Phase 2, the prevalence of students with low reading and math achievement in each cluster was examined. Ramifications for intervention planning are discussed.

Abstract: To examine the effects of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and very low birth weight (VLBW) on the cognitive and academic achievement of a large sample of 8- year- old children. METHODS: Infants who were VLBW and had BPD (n = 98) or did not have BPD (n = 75) and term infants (n = 99) were followed prospectively to age 8. Groups were compared on measures assessing 4 broad areas of functioning: intelligence, achievement, gross motor, and attentional skills. Measures included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III, the Woodcock Johnson Test of Achievement-   Revised, the Bruininks- Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, the Tactual Performance Test (spatial memory), and the Continuous Performance Test (attention). School outcomes were assessed by parent and teacher report, as well as from school records. Groups were comparable on socioeconomic status, sex, and race. The total sample of BPD, VLBW, and term children was compared on all outcome measures. In addition, neurologic risk was assessed in the present sample and included the following: intraventricular hemorrhage, echodense lesions, porencephaly, hydrocephalus, ventriculoperitoneal shunt, meningitis, and periventricular leukomalacia. Individual difference analyses were conducted for neurologically intact children in all 3 groups. Finally, treatment effects were examined by comparing BPD children who had received steroids as part of their treatment with BPD children who had not.

 

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acquired brain injury (ABI) using the Das- Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System (CAS), the Parent Rating Scale of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC), and the Woodcock- Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ- R). In particular, this study explored how deficits in planning, attention, simultaneous and successive processing may impact a student with ABI socially, emotionally, and academically. Participants in the study included 27 children and adolescents who had received an acquired brain injury. These injuries occurred less than one year to 13 years prior to testing, with an mean of 5.1 years. This sample obtained significantly lower means than the standardization sample on the Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive scales of the CAS. Additionally, this sample received significantly lower means than the standardization sample on the Broad Reading and Broad Math scales of the WJ-R, and on the Externalizing Composite, Internalizing Composite, and Behavioral Symptoms Index of the BASC. Positive relationships were demonstrated between the CAS and the WJ-R. Because high scores on the CAS indicate greater cognitive ability and low scores on the BASC indicate no socioemotional problems, it was assumed that any relationship between the CAS and the BASC would be negative. This study failed to reveal any significant negative relationships between these measures. This study demonstrated the ability of the CAS in detecting deficits in planning, attention, successive, and simultaneous processing. Moreover, significant deficits were found in mathematics and reading using the WJ-R. This study also demonstrated the ability of the BASC to detect socioemotional problems. The CAS, WJ-R, and BASC all appear to be useful and valid instruments for examining the cognitive, academic, and socioemotional effects of acquired brain injury.

 

Abstract: This study investigated the effects of a memory intervention on the short-term memory of children with mild neurological impairments. Nine children, ages 4 to 9 participated. The research considered the core of memory function itself, based on an information processing model of cognition and memory. This intervention approach was more diverse than found in previous studies. Rather than the single modality restriction, three modalities (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) were considered. The intervention involved practice repeating randomized notes played on a 4-note Little Tykes piano, and then imitated by the participant. A multiple baseline design across individuals was used to show improvement in short- and long- term ordered memory after intervention implementation. Experimental effects were determined by introducing the intervention to three groups of children, at different points in time after baseline stabilization, resulting in behavior changes during intervention periods and not at any prior time. Effects were shown in a controlled fashion for 7 of the 9 participants, showing increases in mean scores and upward trends during intervention. Second, the effects of the memory intervention on Stanford- Binet IV pre and post Test Composite scores were examined. Scores increased for all 9 participants, with a range of 1 to 18 standard score points, and a mean increase of 9.77 points. Intervention effects were also compared using pre- and post-testing on the Visual Auditory Learning subtest from the Woodcock Johnson III, multiple measures of Bead Memory and Memory for Sentences from the Stanford- Binet IV, and Memory for Words from the Woodcock Johnson III. Visual Auditory Learning subtest scores increased from 4 to 18 points, with a mean increase of 11 points. Multiple measures of Bead Memory, Memory for Words, and Memory for Sentences in general showed increased standard scores greater than the SEm for those subtests, however, increases were not consistent per participant. A positive correlation of +.5737 was found between increases in notes played and differences in SB-IV Test Composite pre-post scores. For a sample size of 9, a significance of .10 was not reached.

 

Abstract: Although there is growing evidence of developmental differences in competency to waive interrogation rights and adjudicative competence, the correlates of adolescents' legal capacities remain unclear. This study examined the relationship of legal capacities to cognitive development, legal learning opportunities, and psychological symptoms. Participants were 152 male and female defendants aged 11–17, who completed Grisso's Instruments for Assessing Understanding and Appreciation of Miranda Rights, the Fitness Interview Test (Revised Edition), the Woodcock- Johnson III Cognitive Assessment Battery, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale for Children. Legal capacities relevant to interrogation and adjudication increased with age. These developmental differences were partially mediated or explained by cognitive development. Of the specific cognitive ilities examined (general intellectual ability, verbal ability, reasoning, long- term retrieval, attention, and executive functioning), verbal ability was a particularly strong predictor of performance on competency measures. Also, defendants obtained lower scores on competency measures if they showed evidence of attention deficits or hyperactivity, had spent limited time with their attorneys, and/or were from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

 

Abstract: This study is designed to explore cognitive strengths and weaknesses, as assessed with the Woodcock Johnson- Revised Cognitive Battery, of a sample of rigorously selected private school students with ADHD. ADHD is a disorder that can significantly impact cognitive functioning and academic performance. Research strongly indicates deficits in auditory processing, processing speed for individuals with ADHD. Based on research on gifted students with learning disabilities, academically successful students with ADHD may rely on cognitive strengths to compensate for cognitive weaknesses associated with the disorder. It was hypothesized that the sample would yield significant cognitive strengths as well as cognitive weaknesses characteristically associated with ADHD. For the purpose of this study, a Standard Deviation- Difference score of +1 was considered strength whereas a Standard Deviation- Difference score of -  1 was considered weakness. A sample of 72 students with ADHD referred for psycho-  educational testing from an academically rigorous private school was used for this study. A 7 (broad cognitive ability) by 3 (relative performance: strength, weakness, or neither) crosstabulation was constructed to examine the joint probability of these events. In addition, a 2 (sample: norm versus study) by 3 (relative performance: strength, weakness, neither) chi-square test was conducted for the seven cognitive abilities. Results of this study indicate that fluid reasoning, auditory processing, processing speed, short-term retrieval, and long- term retrieval are significantly different from the norm sample at p &lt;.05. Magnitude of difference was calculated by coefficient of contingency (C). Fluid reasoning C = .35) and short-term memory  (C = .37) appear to be serve as cognitive strengths whereas auditory processing (C = .63) and long-   term retrieval (C = .45) appear to be cognitive weaknesses for these students with ADHD. Processing speed (C = .3) split evenly as strength and weakness. This study demonstrates that these students do have significant cognitive strengths as well as the characteristic weaknesses of students with ADHD. These results have clinical implications for the treatment of ADHD in the academic environment.