Learning disabilities as functions of familial learning problems and developmental problems

ABSTRACT: A [amil » history or learning problems as provided on a specially designed questionnaire hy maternal report Ivas examined injamilies ofI ()Jchildren with learning disabilities and J7J children without disabilities. Diagnoses oj"learning disabilitiesfollowed the U. S. Office or Education definition Students were sclectcdjroni the Special School District ofSt. Louis County and the Pattonville School District. A lifi ' history ofdevelopmental riskiactors in the child subiect was also examined in the same two groups. Leaming disabilities wercfonnd to he snonglyfantilial.ln principle, the definition oj"leaming disabilities excludedfrom the studv children with problems attributable to child rearing, emotional, or motivational factors The report or a jamilv histoi » or learning problems IS there/ewe interpreted as consistent with. although not unequivocallv supportive o], geneticfactors as determinants. Among dcvctopmentaltactors, only male gender proved 10 have a significant association with learning disabilities. o In recent years, a consensus concerning the definition of learning disabilities has emerged in the literature (although such agreement does not necessarily prevail in practice, particularly as a definition would affect special education; Furey, 1987; landers, 1987), This consensus was per-haps best expressed by the National Joint Com-mittee for learning Disabilities (NJClD) which defined the term learning disability as follows: Learning disability is a generic term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders mani-fested by significant difficulties in the acquisi-tion and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual and presumed to be due to central nervous sys-tem dysfunction. Even though a learning dis-ability may occur concomitantly with other handicapping conditions (c.g., sensory impair-ment, mental retardation, social and emotional disturbance) or environmental influences (e.g., cultural differences, insufficient! inappropriate instruction, psychogenic factors), it is not the di