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Learning disabilities and social competence: a social ecological perspective
1University of Texas, Dallas.
Exceptional Children
|December 1, 1993
Summary
Children with learning disabilities (LD) show academic challenges but possess higher self-concepts. Social differences are primarily linked to peer status, not the disability itself.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Learning disabilities (LD) impact academic achievement.
- Social competence is crucial for child development.
- Understanding the interplay between LD and social skills is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between learning disabilities and social competence in school-aged children.
- To compare academic and social competence between students with and without LD.
Main Methods:
- Collected data on academic grades, teacher/peer/self-perceptions, social networks, and observed social interactions.
- Utilized a matched sample design comparing students with LD to peers without disabilities (Grades 3-6).
Main Results:
- Students with LD demonstrated significant differences in academic competence across various measures.
- Children with LD reported higher self-concept scores compared to their non-disabled peers.
- Social differences were predominantly associated with peer status, irrespective of disability status.
Conclusions:
- Learning disabilities are strongly associated with academic competence deficits.
- Self-concept may be a protective factor or differently developed in children with LD.
- Peer status, rather than LD itself, appears to be a key determinant of social differences.