Academic Achievement and Minimal Brain Dysfunction

Abstract

To investigate a possible predictive relationship between a diagnosis of minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) and the child's academic achievement, the following comparisons were made: (1) Positive neurological and/or visual motor findings (MBD), versus (vs.) negative neurological and visual motor findings (NORMAL); (2) Positive neurological (N+) vs. negative neurological (N-) findings; (3) Positive visual motor (VM+) vs. negative visual motor (VM-) findings; (4) N+ and VM+ vs. NORMAL; (5) N- and VM+ vs. NORMAL; (6) N+ and VM- vs. NORMAL; (7) N+ and VM+ vs. N+ and VM+. The subjects within each comparison were matched by IQ and chronological age. The dependent variables were grade level scores in word recognition, arithmetic, and spelling as measured by the Wide Range Achievement Test. Analysis of variance performed computed for each comparison failed to reveal significant differences. The results provide no evidence that a diagnosis of minimal brain dysfunction based on a pediatric neurological evaluation and/or visualmotor impairment as measured by the Bender-Gestalt, is a useful predictor of academic achievement.