Language and visuospatial abilities in learning-disabled, brain-damaged, and nondisabled young adults

This study confirmed the construct validity of dysphasic errors but not of Block Design or dyscopia for 88 male and 22 female young adults, aged 17 to 29 yr. Right-hand sensorimotor deficits correlated with dysphasic errors but not with Block Design. Brain-damaged and learning-disabled with Halstead Impairment Index (HII) greater than or equal to 0.4 differed from nondisabled on both dysphasic errors and Block Design. Learning-disabled with HII less than 0.4 differed from nondisabled only for dysphasic errors. As a group, young learning-disabled adults had impaired language abilities. Learning-disabled with HII greater than or equal to 0.4 and brain-damaged had generalized neuropsychological deficits characterized by less adequate language and visuospatial abilities.