[Explaining Learning Disorders to Primary School Children: Evaluation of a Psychoeducational Lesson About Learning...

Explaining Learning Disorders to Primary School Children: Evaluation of a Psychoeducational Lesson About Learning Disorders The pilot study investigates the effect of a one-hour psychoeducational lesson for primary school children about specific learning disorders. A pre-post-follow-up-design with waitlist control group has been used. The study examines whether third grade children's (N = 85) knowledge as well as classroom climate, social integration, and well-being could be improved through the psychoeducational lesson. The results show a significant increase in knowledge in the intervention group. This effect remained six weeks after the psychoeducation and was also evident in comparison to the waitlist control group. The social anxiety rating of the intervention group decreased significantly after the psychoeducation. Children who believed to have a learning disorder rated their social integration, social anxiety and their level of classroom stress more negatively than their classmates. The intervention significantly improved the assessment of the social integration of these children in particular. The teachers rated the psychoeducation lesson positively. They considered it to be important and meaningful.