Child Abuse as Predictor of Learning Disabilities

The study intended to examine the predicting role of Child Abuse in Learning Disabilities (LDs). Initially, a total of 210 students, age ranged 11-18 years, enrolled in various schools of Gorakhpur district were screened out and from this pool, finally 60 participants, diagnosed with Learning Disability, were selected for the present study. Diagnostic Test of Learning Disability (DTLD) was applied to identify the level and forms of LD in participants. Further, Child Abuse Checklist (S. Pandey, 2012) was used to determine the level and various forms of abuse. Obtained scores were analyzed in terms of Bivariate and Multivariate statistical techniques. Results evinced the pervasive role of child abuse in learning disability. More specifically, correlation results revealed strong positive relationships of different forms of child abuse i.e. physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect and educational neglect, with various forms of LD i.e. Dyslexia (reading disability), Dysgraphia (writing disability) and Dyscalculia (mathematical disability). Further, regression results have proved the contributing roles of different forms of child abuse, neglect and age in Learning Disability and its various domains. Findings are discussed.