Intelligence, achievement, and visual-motor performance among learning disabled and emotionally impaired children

This study investigated the performance of Learning Disabled (LD) and Emotionally Impaired (EI) children on intelligence, achievement, and visual-motor tests. An attempt was made to find patterns of performance and/or specific variables that would aid in identification and differentiation of these two groups. Eighty elementary school children were selected on the basis of their placement within either a learning disability or emotionally impaired classroom, according to the specifications of Michigan Mandatory Special Education Guidelines. The LD group consisted of 38 subjects and the EI group of 42. All of the children were tested on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), and the Minnesota-Percepto-Diagnostic Test (MPD). In addition, age and sex were investigated. The data were analyzed by discriminant function analysis and stepwise multiple regression analysis. A cutoff score was established that significantly separated the LD and EI children. It was also established which of the test scoring variables used were the best predictors.