Abstract
M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
The purpose of this study was to assess the differential and relative effects of cortical immaturity and non-cortical immaturity in specific learning disabled children on the development of maladaptive behavior.
For this purpose twenty specific learning disabled children were selected according to certain criteria.
This group was divided into a group of children with specific learning disabilities with cortical immaturity, and a group with specific learning disabilities without cortical immaturity.
Acontrol group consisting of ten children without any learning disabilities was also selected.
The three groups thus obtained were assessed on indices of aggression, withdrawal, class- and learning problems, and personal and social efficacy. The results indicated that specific learning disabled children manifested more maladaptive behavior than non-specific learning disabled children.
Concerning the differential effect of cortical immaturity and noncortical immaturity in specific learning disabled children on the development of maladaptive behavior there were no meaningful differences.
The recommendation was made that future studies should control contaminating
variables among which socio-economic class differences and parental child rearing practices.