Children's descriptions of their developmental dysfunctions. Field testing of a self-administered student profile

To assess schoolchildren's own perceptions of their neurodevelopmental, social, and academic status, a self-administered student assessment has been developed. Using this instrument in conjunction with teacher ratings, 420 fourth- and sixth-grade students in a suburban community were compared with 110 grade-matched patients in a hospital referral clinic for school problems. In the community group, sixth graders reported fewer concerns than fourth graders in all developmental areas. Boys reported more difficulties in attention and memory, and girls reported more difficulties in gross motor skills. Teachers rated boys as having more problems than girls in all academic and behavioral areas, except mathematics. There was a significant correlation between teacher evaluations and total scores on the profile. Differences were found between the community and clinical groups on the total assessment and in most individual areas of development. The Self-Administered Student Profile can enhance evaluations of learning disorders, while eliciting issues for counseling such children.