The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature on families of learning disabled children. Having a handicapped child is stressful to a family, but the family whose child has a hidden handicap experiences special problems. The literature on families with physically handicapped and retarded children is first explored as a basis for the more contemporary work done on the LD child's effect on the total family. The literature describing parental reactions to the diagnosis of learning disabilities and the problems inherent in living with these children is discussed, as well as the children's reactions.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Abrams, J.Parental dynamics—their role in learning disabilities. The Reading Teacher, 1970, 23 (8), 751–755.
2.
Arnold, L.E.Parents of hyperactive and aggressive children. In L.E. Arnold (Ed.), Helping Parents Help Their Children. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1978, 192–207.
3.
Barsch, R.H.Explanations offered by parents and siblings of brain-damaged children. Exceptional Children, 1961, 27, 286–291.
4.
Birenbaum, A.The mentally retarded child in the home and the family cycle. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1971, 12(1), 55–65.
5.
Chodoff, P., Friedman, S., & Hamburg, D.Stress, defenses and coping behavior: Observations in parents of children with malignant disease. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1964, 120, 743–749.
6.
Doleys, D., Cartelli, L., & Doster, J.Comparison of patterns of mother-child interaction. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1976, 9 (6), 371–375.
7.
Eisenberg, L.Behavioral manifestations of cerebral damage in childhood. In H.G. Birch (Ed.) Brain Damage in Children: The Biological and Social Aspects. Baltimore: The Williams & Wilkins Company, 1964, 61–76.
8.
Faerstein, L.M.Coping and defense mechanisms of mothers of learning disabled children. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1979.
9.
Farber, B., & Ryckman, D.B.Effects of severely mentally retarded children on family relationships. Mental Retardation Abstracts, 1965, 2, 1–17.
10.
Ferholt, J., & Solnit, A.Counseling parents of mentally retarded and learning disabled children. In L.E. Arnold (Ed.). Helping Parents Help Their Children. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1978, 157–173.
11.
Fields, G.Social implications of long-term illness in children. In J. Downey & N. Low (Ed.). The Child with Disabling Illness: Principles of Rehabilitation. Pennsylvania: W.B. Saunders, 1974, 541–558.
12.
Gardner, R.Psychogenic problems of brain-injured children and their parents. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 1968, 7(3), 471–491.
13.
Hart, E. & Carter, S.Minimal brain dysfunction. In J. Downey & N. Low (Eds.). The Child with Disabling Illness: Principles of Rehabilitation. PhiladelphiaW.B. Saunders, 1974, 255–275.
14.
Jackson, E., Klatskin, E. & Wilkin, L.Early child development in relation to degree of flexibility of maternal attitude. The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child. 1952, 7, 393–428.
15.
Jordan, T.E.Physical disability in children and family adjustment. In R. Noland (Ed.), Counseling Parents of the Ill and Handicapped. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas, 1971.
16.
Kaslow, F., & Cooper, B.Family therapy with the learning disabled child and his/her family. The Journal of Marriage and Family Counseling. 1978, 4(1), 41–49.
17.
Knobloch, H., & Pasamanick, B. (Eds.) Gesell and Amatruda's Developmental Diagnosis: The Evaluation and Management of Normal and Abnormal Neuropsychologic Development in Infancy and Early Childhood. Hagerstown, Md.: Harper & Row, 1974.
18.
Kubler-Ross, E.On Death and Dying. New York: MacMillan Company. 1969.
19.
Lawson, B.Chronic illness in the school-aged child: Effects on the total family. Maternal Child Nursing. 1977, 649–56.
20.
LeMasters, E.E.Parenthood as crisis. In H.J. Parad (Ed.). Crisis Intervention: Selected Readings. New York: FSAA. 1965, 111–117.
21.
Levinson, R.M.Family crisis and adaptation: Coping with a mentally retarded child. Dissertation Abstracts International, 1976, 36(12-AO), 8336–8337.
22.
Loney, J., Comly, H., & Simon, B.Parental management, self concept and drug response in minimal brain dysfunction. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1975, 8(3), 65–68.
23.
Maccoby, E.Role taking in childhood and its consequences for social learning. Child Development. 1959, 30, 239–252.
24.
McCarthy, J.McR. Children with learning disabilities. In J.J. Gallagher (Ed.). The Application of Child Development Research to Exceptional Children. Reston, Va.: Council for Exceptional Children, 1975.
25.
McDonald, E.T.Understand those feelings. In R. Noland (Ed.). Counseling Parents of the Ill and Handicapped. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas, 1971.
26.
Mendelson, W., Johnson, N., & Stewart, M.Hyperactive children as teenagers: A follow-up study. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 1971, 153(4), 273–279.
27.
Miller, L.Toward a greater understanding of the parents of the mentally retarded child. The Journal of Pediatrics, 1968, 73, 699–705.
28.
Nordan, R.The psychological reactions of children with neurological problems. Child Psychiatry and Human Development. 1976, 6(4), 214–223.
29.
Pettit, R.P.The parents' role in communication. In J.I. Arena (Ed.). Successful Programming: Many Points of View. Pittsburgh, Pa.: ACLD. 1968, 3–8.
30.
Roghman, K., Hecht, P., & Haggerty, R.Family coping with everyday illness: Self reports from a household survey. The Journal of Comparative Family Studies. 1973, 4(1), 49–62.
31.
Silver, L.B.Emotional and social problems of the family with a child who has developmental disabilities. In R.E. Weber (Ed.). Handbook on Learning Disabilities: A Prognosis for the Child, the Adolescent, the Adult. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1974.
32.
Stewart, M., Mendelson, W., & Johnson, N.Hyperactive children as adolescents: How they describe themselvesChild Psychiatry and Human Development. 1973, 4(1), 3–11.
33.
Strauss, A. & Lehtinin, L.Psychopathology and Education of the Brain Injured Child. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1947.
34.
Wender, P.H.Minimal Brain Dysfunction in Children. New York: Wiley Interscience, 1971.
35.
Wepman, J., Cruickshank, W., Deutsch, C., Morency, A., & Strother, C.Learning disabilities. In N. Hobbs (Ed.). Issues in the Classification of Children (Vol. 1). San Francisco: Jossey Bass. 1975, 300–318.
