The Relationship Between Neuropsychological/Perceptual Performance and Socioeconomic Status in Children with Learning Disabilities

A battery of 10 neuropsychological/perceptual tests was administered to a sample of 57 reading disabled children, aged 6 through 11 years. These test scores were associated, at mild to moderate levels, with measures of academic achievement. Data pertaining to socioeconomic status (SES) were also obtained. Whereas SES related significantly to achievement and intelligence, it was clearly uncorrected with performance on the neuropsychological tests. This lack of association is discussed; the potential confound-ing variable of a restricted range of neuropsychological performance does not apply. Results are addressed in light of the significant association between SES and neuropsychological/perceptual performance in non-learning-disabled children. N europsychological testing has been increasingly employed with learning disabled (LD) children to evaluate particular patterns of percep-tual and cognitive strengths and de-ficits (Hynd & Obrzut, 1981). The typical neuropsychological battery contains tests of gross and fine motor coordination, auditory and visual dis-crimination and sequencing, and vi-sual-motor coordination (Denckla &amp