The results of a 2-year treatment study of children with learning problems are reported. During the first treatment year, half of the children participated in a multifaceted neurocognitive treatment and the other half in a treatment that provided supervision of school tasks and peer group support. During the second treatment year, all children participated in the neurocognitive treatment. The participants were 74 Chilean children 6 to 11 years old. The issues under investigation were the effect of treatment duration, and the relationship between pretreatment neurocognitive and behavioral characteristics and academic treatment outcome. The results indicated that significant gains occurred during both the first and the second treatment year. No major differences were found between the treatment groups. Pretreatment negative behavioral traits were associated with lesser academic growth in the group participating in the homework supervision treatment but not in the neurocognitive treatment group.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Achenbach, T. M. (1991). Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist. Burlington: University of Vermont, Department of Psychology.
2.
Ahonen, T., Luotoniemi. A., Nokelainen, K., Savelius, A., & Tasola, S. (1994). Multimodal intervention in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 9, 168–;181.
3.
Beery, K. E. (1982). Revised administration, scoring and teaching manual for the Developmental Test of Visuo-motor Integration. Cleveland, OH: Modern Curriculum Press.
4.
Buschke, H., & Fuld, P. A. (1974). Evaluating storage, retention, and retrieval in disordered memory and learning. Neurology, 11, 1019–;1025.
5.
Carlberg, C., & Kavale, K. (1980). The efficacy of special versus regular class placement for exceptional children: A metaanalysis. The Journal of Special Education, 14, 295–;309.S
6.
Casto, G. (1987). Plasticity and the handicapped child: A review of efficacy research. In J. J. Gallagher & C. T. Ramey (Eds.), The malleability of children (pp. 103–;113). Baltimore: Brookes.
7.
Corno, L., & Snow, R. E. (1986). Adapting teaching to individual differences among learners. In M. C. Wittrock (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (pp. 605–;629). New York: Macmillan.
8.
Denckla, M. B. (1973). Development of speed in repetitive and successive finger movements in normal children. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 15, 635–;645.
9.
DuPaul, G. J., Rapport, M., & Perriello, L. M. (1990). Teacher ratings of academic performance: The development of the Academic Performance Rating Scale. In R. A. Barkley (Ed.), Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A clinical workbook (pp. 63–;67). New York: Guilford.
10.
Fad, K., & Ryser, G. (1993). Social/behavioral variables related to success in general education. Remedial and Special Education, 14, 25–;35.
11.
Futterweit, L., & Ruff, H. (1993). Principles of development: Implications for early intervention. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 14, 153–;173.
12.
Gage, N. L. (1990). Dealing with the dropout problem. Phi Delta Kappan, 281–;285.
13.
Grossi, D., Orsini, A., Monetti, C., & DeMichele, G. (1979). Sex differences in children's spatial and verbal memory span. Cortex, 15, 667–;670.
14.
Hartlage, L. C., & Telzrow, C. (1983). The neuropsychological basis of educational intervention. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 16, 521–;528.
15.
Hinshaw, S. P. (1992). Academic under-achievement, attention deficits, and aggression: Comorbidity and implications for intervention. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 893–;903.
16.
Howe, H. (1986). The prospect for children in the U.S. Phi Delta Kappan, 68, 191–;196.
17.
Jöreskog, K. G., & Sörbom, D. (1979). LISREL V: Analysis of linear structural relationship by maximum likelihood and least squares methods. Chicago: International Educational Services.
18.
Kavale, K. (1990). Effectiveness of special education. In T. B. Gutkin & C. T. Reynolds (Eds.), The handbook of school psychology (2nd ed., pp. 868–;898). New York: Wiley.
19.
Kavale, K., & Dobbins, A. (1993). The equivocal nature of special education interventions. Early Child Development and Care, 86, 23–;37.
20.
Lamminmäki, T., Ahonen, T., Todd de Barra, H., Tolvanen, A., Michelsson, K., & Lyytinen, H. (1997). Comparing efficacies of neurocognitive treatment and homework assistance programs for children with learning difficulties. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30, 333–;345.
21.
Lezak, M. (1983). Neuropsychological assessment (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
22.
McKinney, J. D. (1989). Longitudinal research on the behavioral characteristics of children with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 3, 141–;150.
23.
McLeskey, J., Lancaster, M., & Grizzle, K. (1995). Learning disabilities and grade retention: A review of issues with recommendations for practice. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 10, 120–;128.
24.
Reynolds, A. J. (1994). Effects of a preschool plus follow-on intervention for children at risk. Developmental Psychology, 30, 787–;804.
25.
Reynolds, C. (1981). Neuropsychological assessment and the habilitation of learning: Considerations in the search for the aptitude x treatment interactions. School Psychology Review, 10, 343–;349.
26.
Rourke, B. P. (1994). Neuropsychological assessment of children with learning disabilities: Measurement issues. In G. R. Lyon (Ed.), Frames of reference for the assessment of learning disabilities (pp. 475–;514). Baltimore: Brookes.
27.
Sameroff, A., & Fiese, B. (1990). Transactional regulation and early intervention. In S. J. Meisels & J. P. Shonkoff (Eds.), Handbook of early childhood intervention (pp. 119–;149) New York: Cambridge University Press.
28.
Spreen, O. (1989a). Learning disability, neurology, and long-term outcome: Some implications for the individual and for society. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 11, 389–;408.
29.
Spreen, O. (1989b). The relationship between learning disability, emotional disorders, and neuropsychology: Some results and observations. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 11, 117–;140.
30.
Stott, D. H., Moyes, F. A., & Henderson, S. E. (1984). Test of motor impairment (manual). Ontario, Canada: Brook Educational.
31.
Strom, D., Gray, J., Dean, R., & Fischer, W. (1987). The incremental validity of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery in predicting achievement for learning-disabled children. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 2, 157–;165.
32.
Todd de Barra, H. (1991). Manual of methodology CDA. Helsinki: Barnavrrds-föreningen and The Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki.
33.
Ullman, R. K., Sleator, E. K., & Praque, R. L. (1988). ADD-H comprehensive teacher's rating scale. Champaign, IL: MetriTech.
34.
Wechsler, D. (1974). Manual for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corp.
35.
Wilson, B. (1991). Theory, assessment, and treatment in neuropsychological rehabilitation. Neuropsychology, 5, 281–;291.
36.
Woodcock, R. W. (1982). Bateria Woodcock Psico-Educativa en Español. Allen, TX: DLM Teaching Resources.
37.
Ysseldyke, J., & Marston, D. (1990). The use of assessment information to plan instructional interventions: A review of the research. In T. B. Gutkin & C. T. Reynolds (Eds.), The handbook of school psychology (2nd ed., pp. 661–;682). New York: Wiley.
38.
Zigmond, N. (1995). Models for delivery of special education with learning disabilities in public schools. Journal of Child Neurology, 10, S86–;S92(Suppl).
