Educational characteristics of children adopted through a public agency: epidemiology of learning disabilities

Includes bibliographical references (pages 39-41)The purpose of this study was to analyze the entire range of educational characteristics in a specific group of adoptive children adopted through a public agency. Limited clinical research studies reported approximately four times as many adoptive children with learning disabilities as one would expect to find in the population at large. In this study, particular attention was given to the learning disabilities evidenced by the sample population. Educational and behavioral characteristics of the sample children were obtained by means of questionnaires answered by parents of adoptive children adopted through a public agency in the years 1964, 1965, and 1966. Data were analyzed and tabulated. Data were significant regarding the categories gifted, educationally handicapped, educational therapy, and Strauss Syndrome characteristics. Findings indicate 1.4 times more gifted children and 3.5 times more educationally handicapped children in the sample population than in the general population of the geographic area under study. It was concluded that the findings substantiated 'the limited empirical data regarding the educational characteristics of adoptive children. In addition, findings of the study provided data not included in previous clinical research. Data reveals that further studies relating to the educational and behavioral characteristics of adoptive children are indicated