Neuropsychological Significance of Right Hemisphere Cognitive Mode in Behavior Disorders

Abstract

This paper presents the results of two studies which investigate the relationship between cognitive mode, emotional disturbance, classroom behavior, and reading and spelling performance. The Adapted Children's Form of Your Style of Learning and Thinking (SOLAT) was administered to 76 nonhandicapped students forming study one, and 31 emotionally disturbed students and 63 nonhandicapped students forming study two to obtain their left, right, and integrated hemisphere cognitive mode scores. Some students were also administered the WISC-R, Bender-Gestalt test, WRAT reading and spelling tests, and/or rated by their classroom teachers on the Walker Problem Behavior Identification Checklist. There were significantly more emotionally disturbed subjects classified right hemisphere cognitive mode by the SOLAT than control subjects, and the emotionally disturbed subjects had significantly higher right hemisphere SOLAT scores than controls. Emotionally disturbed subjects scored significantly lower than controls on the WISC-R, WRAT, and Bender Test, and higher on the WPBIC. As SOLAT right hemisphere scores increased, scores on the WISC-R, WRAT, and Bender Test significantly decreased, whereas scores on the WPBIC significantly increased. And as Solat integrated hemisphere scores increased, so did scores on the WISC-R, WRAT, and Bender Test, whereas scores on the WPBIC decreased. Right hemisphere cognitive mode individuals may be at risk for behavior/learning problems. Implications of the findings are discussed, and possible explanations are presented.

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