Abstract
M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
This study was conducted to ascertain whether the mothers
of children with psychoneurological learning disabilities
were more depressed, helpless due to a particular
attributional style, and had a lower self-concept, than
the mothers of children with anxiety disorders.
The Beck Depression Inventory, (Beck, Ward, Mendelson &
Erbaugh, 1961), the Attributional Style Questionnaire
(Abramson, Seligman &Teasdale, 1978), and the Tennessee
Self Concept Scale (Fitts, 1965) were completed by the
mothers of 20 boys with psychoneurological learning
.disabilities and the mothers of 20 boys with anxiety
disorders, aged 6-12 years.
Significant results were obtained contrary to expectations,
in that the mothers of children with anxiety disorders,
were in fact more depressed, helpless and had a lower
self-concept than the mothers of children with psycho-
neurological disabilities.
The conclusion was drawn that the nature of the psychopathology
did not depend as much on one factor such as
a specific learning disability or an anxiety disorder,
but was rather a manifestation of the functioning of
the family system. Further research seems indicated
to investigate the strengths and vulnerabilities in the
family system as a whole, in terms of the reciprocal influence
of the learning disabled child and his family...