NCJ Number
57009
Journal
JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: (APRIL 1970) Pages: 200-207
Date Published
1970
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION AMONG MINORITY MALE DELINQUENT DROPOUTS IS REPORTED.
Abstract
THE 102 STUDY SUBJECTS RANGED IN AGE FROM 16 TO 23. MOST WERE RESIDENTS OF MINORITY GHETTOS, HAD DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL, AND HAD ENGAGED IN VARYING DEGREES OF DELINQUENCY. A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF UNTREATED MEDICAL AND DENTAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND AMONG THE SUBJECTS. THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VERBAL AND PERFORMANCE SCORES ON THE WECHSLER ADULT INTELLIGENCE SCALE FOR 39 PERCENT. OVER HALF (58 PERCENT) WERE READING BELOW THE SIXTH-GRADE LEVEL; 64 PERCENT WERE BELOW THE SIXTH-GRADE LEVEL ON THE GATES TEST OF READING TO UNDERSTAND DIRECTIONS. THE MEAN GRADE LEVEL AT WHICH THE SUBJECTS DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL WAS 10.5. ONLY ONE-THIRD WERE IN THE NORMAL RANGE ON THE BENDER VISUAL-MOTOR GESTALT TEST. A COMPARISON OF THE BENDER TEST RESULTS WITH RESULTS FROM THE OSERETSKY TEST OF MOTOR PROFICIENCY INDICATED THAT MOST OF THE YOUTHS' VISUAL-MOTOR PROBLEMS WERE RELATED TO VISUAL-MOTOR INTEGRATION AND MOTOR COORDINATION. COMPARISON OF THE BENDER RESULTS WITH CLOSURE FLEXIBILITY TEST RESULTS REVEALED THAT ONLY A SMALL PROPORTION OF THE VISUAL-MOTOR PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO DISTURBANCES OF VISUAL PERCEPTION. ALL OF THE DEFICIENCIES FOUND AMONG THE STUDY SUBJECTS ARE PARTS OF THE MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME--THE MEDICAL ENTITY RELATED TO THE EDUCATIONAL CONCEPT OF LEARNING DISABILITY. THE FINDINGS SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS THAT A SIGNIFICANT DEGREE OF MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION EXISTS IN THE MINORITY DELINQUENT DROPOUT POPULATION. SUCH FINDINGS MAY HELP TO EXPLAIN WHY SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THESE YOUTHS GENERALLY HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)