After a generation#x2019;s time: A follow-up study of fifty-six boys a preliminary report

A population of 56 elementary school boys, both non-dyslexic and dyslexic, known between 1930 and 1947, was retrospectively studied sociologically, analyzed educationally, and ranked according to language learning facility. By record search and interviews, in 1964–1965, the educational and vocational history and present status of each boy was ascertained, together with other data. It was found that the dyslexic boys had completed a fraction of a year more of college and graduate school education and had achieved slightly higher vocational status than had the non-dyslexics, on the average. The amounts were statistically non-significant but the outcome was contrary to the hypothesis stated, and is considered to justify increased optimism in prognosis in cases of dyslexia.     

Dyslexia and psychodynamics: A case study of a dyslexic adult

The interaction between dyslexia and its secondary emotional problems, especially those arising from unproductive defenses, is illustrated in the history and successful treatment of an adult dyslexic male. At the start of treatment, the 33-year-old subject was illiterate, despite an average IQ and a history of many previous educational and therapeutic interventions. Psychological problems, including low self-esteem, alcohol abuse, temper outbursts, and poor relationships with women were seen as largely secondary to the subject’s learning problem. A review of the treatment, consisting of remediation concurrent with psychodynamic psychotherapy, reveals specific ways in which these emotional problems hindered educational efforts, as well as ways in which their exploration and resolution in psychotherapy helped the remediation. Similarly, ways in which the subject’s learning problem contributed to the development of his emotional problems are discussed. Finally, with reference to the psychoanalytic concept of sublimation, the relationship between improvement in the subject’s reading skill and improvement in his impulse control is described.     

A developmental perspective on dyslexic subtypes

In this paper we apply a developmental model of reading to the question of dyslexic subtypes. Groups of normal readers (n=40) and dyslexic children (n=50), matched on reading level and IQ, were given a comprehensive test battery measuring level of development of visual, phonological, and orthographic skills. As a group, dyslexics deviated from normal readers of equivalent reading achievement primarily in phonological skills (spelling-to-sound translation and phonemic analysis), although limited differences in knowledge of word-specific spellings were also observed. Dyslexics were superior to the younger normal readers in visual processing of print. Analysis of individual data by reference to the reading level control group revealed three major subgroups: a group with a specific deficit in phonological processing of print (52 percent), a group with deficits in processing both the phonological and orthographic features of printed words (24 percent), and a group with phonological deficits in language (8 percent). The remainder of the sample (16 percent) had specific deficits in visual or orthographic processing of print, in spelling, or did not differ from the control group. The data support the view that most developmental dyslexics have a specific language disorder involving some aspect of phonological processing. However, small subgroups with very different configurations of reading and nonreading difficulties may exist as well. This research was supported by an NICHD grant to the first author (USPHS grant 1 R23 HD20231).     

Attributional and behavioral changes following two behavior management interventions with hyperactive boys: a follow-up study

In a 6-month follow-up study of 2 interventions with hyperactive boys, different patterns of improvement were observed for an intervention which focused on self-control and 1 which employed contingent social reinforcement. Of the 2 manipulations, self-control methods produced significantly stronger long-term benefits in terms of the child's increased perception of personal control over academic outcomes; social reinforcement, on the other hand, produced significantly stronger long-term benefits in terms of teacher ratings of hyperactivity or impulsivity (Conners Teacher Rating Scale). Both interventions produced stable changes in terms of decreased behavioral impulsivity as measured by qualitative error scores on the Porteus Mazes.     

Graphophonological processes in dyslexic readers of French: A longitudinal study of the explicitness effect of tasks

Given the well-acknowledged phonological deficit found in dyslexic children, this study was aimed at investigating graphophonological processes in dyslexic readers of French over a 1-year period. Among the different types of phonological processing can be distinguished those related to phonological awareness based on knowledge of the oral language and graphophonological processes based on correspondences between the oral and the written language. In this study, we evaluated graphophonemic and graphosyllabic processes using, in each case, two different tasks varying in the degree of cognitive constraint associated with the task (CC- vs CC+). Twenty 11 year-old dyslexic students were compared with younger normal-readers of the same reading level (RA, n=26) and to normal-readers of the same age (CA, n=24). Two variables were considered in the analyses: accuracy and response latency. Results show that dyslexic readers do process written items at the graphophonological level. Also, results indicate main effects of task (CC- vs CC+), time (T1 vs T2), and group (DYS vs RA vs CA). In general, dyslexic participants' performances are comparable to those of RA and differ from those of CA.     

Rorschach responses of dyslexic children

Fifteen dyslexic children between the ages of 8 and 16 were given the Rorschach ink blot test and their responses were compared with those of 12 suitably matched controls. It was found that they made very considerable use of the shape of the cards, but much less use of the other determinants (color, texture, etc.). Unlike the controls they seldom turned the cards around so as to obtain some fresh “view,” and the overall number of responses per person was considerably less, with many of them giving only one response per card. It is suggested that the educational and social pressures on a dyslexic child often make him reluctant to commit himself in a context where “playing safe” is socially acceptable.     

Letter processing in dyslexic subgroups

Hypothesized cognitive strengths and weaknesses of three dyslexic subgroups (Boder and Jarrico 1982) were examined in two reading related experiments. The first experiment tested the prediction that auditorily presented letter sets should be processed better by dyseidetic than by dysphonetic readers. The prediction was not confirmed. The results did not show any modality of presentation-specific recall differences between the three dyslexic subgroups. Overall, dyslexic children’s scores were significantly lower than those of age-matched control groups. The second experiment tested predictions of differential performance of dyseidetic and dysphonetic readers in a task in which the name identity of letters in pairs had to be indicated. Predicted patterns were not confirmed. Compared to the control groups all three dyslexic subgroups (whose means did not differ significantly) made significantly more errors in the condition in which it was essential to activate phonetic representations of the letters. The experimental results of this study suggest a greater similarity in the nature of letter processing problems in dyslexic children than is assumed in Boder and Jarrico’s (1982) subtyping test. This research was supported by grant 634301 from the Department of Special Education, State University of Groningen, and a travel grant from the Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (Z.W.O.). Based on a presentation at the 32nd Annual Conference of The Orton Dyslexia Society, Baltimore, Maryland, November 1982.     

Evaluating the use of multimedia authoring with dyslexic learners: a case study

This paper reports on the findings of a case study set up to explore the possible benefits that dyslexic learners might have when engaging in the creation of their own multimedia project. Two children with specific learning difficulties worked with the author to develop a multimedia presentation. The children developed authoring skills (such as planning and drafting, composition, revision and reflection, proof reading and presentation) and became active, motivated learners. It is believed that the open-ended character of a multimedia authoring package can encourage creative thinking and interest for content and style of presentation.     

Early syntactic development of dyslexic children

The syntactic development of preschoolers who later became disabled readers was compared to that of children who were similar to the dyslexics in sex, socioeconomic status, and IQ, but who became normal readers. Expressive and receptive syntactic abilities were examined longitudinally from age 30 to 60 months. The dyslexic group was poorer than the control group on all measures until the age of five, at which time both groups exhibited similar syntactic proficiency. The etiological relation of language development to reading disabilities is discussed. This research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation.     

A follow-up study of students in Slovenia: The 1976 generation

The paper presents the main results of nearly nine years of a follow-up study. All Slovene secondary school students, who in scholastic year 1975/76 were in the last class of at least four-year secondary schools were followed-up during higher education from 1976/77 to 1983/84. Study efficiency is analyzed by gender, family educational background, type of secondary school, delay of the first enrollment, abilities, early scholastic achievement and regional development.     

How effective is the multidisciplinary approach? A follow-up study

The multidisciplinary approach to diagnose, evaluate, and plan the treatment of victims of child abuse and neglect has been widely advocated and adopted by hospitals and community-based protective service teams. Despite the increasing prevalence of this approach, few if any studies have looked at its effectiveness. In the current study the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary approach was assessed by looking at the number of recommended services obtained by a sample of 180 children one year after evaluation by a multidisciplinary team. The results indicate that a large percentage of services recommended by the multidisciplinary team were obtained. This compares with the very low probability of service acquisition reported in samples of abuse and neglected children identified by CPS teams but not having access to a multidisciplinary evaluation. The multidisciplinary team plays a central role in acquiring the services needed to reduce the deficits and sequelae suffered by the victims of child abuse and neglect.     

Families with abused children: A follow-up study of post-crisis support

Treatment provisions planned and executed were studied in a follow-up of 14 abused or neglected children three years after discharge from the Children's Department of Ullevaal Hospital. A majority of the families were shown to have received either no help or inappropriate help. Half of the children were evaluated as being so emotionally impaired that serious future adjustment problems could be anticipated. Inappropriate treatment related to lack of understanding, workers' own feelings and normative standards. Overidentification with parents and a general belief in their ability to develop caring skills were observed as was the tendency to overlook or minimize the child's experiences and the risk to which he was exposed. Anxiety, insecurity and lack of skill in establishing appropriate relationships prevented workers obtaining adequate bases for evaluation and for effectuation of treatment. Workers' professional situations were unfavorable in specified ways. Appropriate treatment was based on differentiated psychosocial evaluation, a high involvement level by the worker and continuity. The professional situation was also favorable. Workers combined traditional therapeutic approaches with conscious use of professional authority. They intervened actively for protective purposes but were empathetic with both child and parents.