Interaction Between Emotional Functioning and Learning Disabilities

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Interaction Between Emotional Functioning and
Learning Disabilities

• Michèle M. Bartnett, Ph.D.
• drmicheleb_at_verizon.net

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A Judges Story. . . .http//www.ldonline.org/fir
stperson/7030

• For children with concrete evidence of learning
  disabilities, the quality of the psycho-social
  environment is found to be the most important
  predictor of the childs later level of academic
  functioning.

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What is the teachers role in evaluating student
behaviors in the classroom?

• Why?
• Emotional functioning has a significant impact on
  academic performance
• Learning disabilities have been shown to
  contribute to emotional trials
• Teachers are in a unique position to observe,
  compare, and evaluate children who are struggling
  emotionally

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What is the teachers role in evaluating student
behaviors in the classroom? (2)

• How?
• Compare student to peers (Does this student stand
  out from his peers in different areas? How often
  do these behaviors occur?)
• Do these behaviors coexist with academic
  difficulties?

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What is the teachers role in evaluating student
behaviors in the classroom? (3)

• How?
• Emotional signs to consider
• Unusually shy and/or withdrawn? (e.g.,,looks sad)
• Unusually anxious? (e.g.,, frequently needs
  reassurance?)
• Difficulty with attention and concentration?
  (e.g., daydreams?)
• Unusually fidgety? (e.g.,, fiddles with objects
  frequently leaves his seat)

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What is the teachers role in evaluating student
behaviors in the classroom? (4)

• How?
• Emotional signs to consider (cont.)
• Disrupts the class? (e.g.,, tapping
  soundsinterrupting other students class clown
  or refusal to comply with class rules)
• Relationship with peers (e.g.,, frequent target
  of bullies or assumes the role of bully loner)

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What is the teachers role in evaluating student
behaviors in the classroom? (5)

• How?
• Checklist for teachers (for own observations and/
  or for meeting with parents)
• Goal To break down observations into small,
  specific, behavioral samples

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What is the teachers role in evaluating student
behaviors in the classroom? (6)

• How? (cont.)
• Checklist
• What are you observing that is cause for concern?
  (e.g., child not paying attention)
• List specific examples of what child is actually
  doing in the classroom (e.g.,, often looking out
  of window initiating conversations with other
  students fidgeting with materials in his desk
  doodling)

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What is the teachers role in evaluating student
behaviors in the classroom? (7)

• How?
• Checklist (cont.)
• How often does this behavior occur?
• Under what conditions does the behavior occur?
  (e.g., only during math only when student must
  work independently only during classroom
  discussions)

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What is the teachers role in evaluating student
behaviors in the classroom? (8)

• Checklist (cont.)
• Does this behavior occur during a specific time
  of day (e.g., After lunch? Morning? End of
  day?)
• What was occurring just before observed behavior?
  (e.g., Was student asked to read out loud? Was
  student asked to do a writing assignment? Was
  student told to take out his math book?)

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What is the teachers role in evaluating student
behaviors in the classroom? (9)

• Checklist (cont.)
• How did you handle the observed behaviors? (e.g.,
  Ask student what he was doing Remind student to
  begin the work speak to student privately)
• What was the effect of your intervention? (e.g.,
  Behavior stopped Student is able to focus and
  complete assignment Student begins work but then
  quickly loses focus No response)

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What questions can be answered by a comprehensive
psychoeducational evaluation?

• What are the childs cognitive strengths and
  weaknesses compared to same age peers?
• How does this childs academic performance
  compare to national norms (age/grade)?
• How do emotional factors (e.g., anxiety,
  depression) influence this childs learning
  process?
• What interventions are appropriate for this
  childs needs?
• Is this child in the appropriate educational
  setting?

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How is a Childs Emotional Functioning Assessed?
(Projective Measures)

• Individuals tend to project their own experiences
  and unique views of the world onto vague stimuli
• The unstructured format allows for a wide range
  of responses that are interpreted by a clinician

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Why are projective measures an essential part of
a psychoeducational evaluation?

• To determine whether what initially looks like a
  learning problem is in fact a reflection of an
  emotional problem
• To assess the impact a learning problem is having
  on a childs emotional development

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What aspects of emotional functioning can be
assessed with projective measures?

• Reality testing
• Individual defense mechanisms
• Effectiveness of defenses
• Conflicts
• Ability to recover from emotional eruptions
• Perception of oneself and others
• Object relations
• Differential diagnosis (ADHD/depression/anxiety)

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What Are Common Projective Measures?

• Rorschach
• Child is asked to view 10 inkblots and say what
  each one looks like to him
• Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
• Series of pictures of people engaged with one
  another in a sufficiently ambiguous manner to
  allow for a variety of themes to emerge

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What Are Common Projective Measures? (2)

• Figure drawings
• Child is asked to draw people of each gender
• Clinical Interview
• Interview with psychologist to explore underlying
  themes that could be contributing to difficulties
  in the childs life

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How do psychologists make use of cognitive and
academic measures to assess emotional functioning?

• Examples of how emotional difficulties can emerge
  during. . .
• Cognitive testing (WISC-IV, Memory Tests,
  Language Tests, etc.)
• Academic testing (e.g., reading comprehension,
  writing, etc.)

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Why is it important for teachers to be aware of
students psychological problems?

• Psychological problems. . .
• Characterize children and adolescents with
  learning disabilities and are often as
  problematic as the disability.
• Further complicate relationships, learning, and
  school functioning
• Inevitably become interwoven with a childs
  development over time
• Are particularly evident in late childhood and
  adolescence

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What psychological difficulties are commonly
observed in children with learning disabilities?

• Depression
• Repeated academic failures can lead to. . .
• Learned Helplessness
• Loss of motivation
• Feelings of loss
• Poor self-esteem
• A sense of feeling damaged
• A disruption in a childs ability to learn

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What psychological difficulties are commonly
observed in children with learning disabilities?
(2)

• Anxiety
• Repeated academic failures lead to. . . .
• A childs belief that failures are unpredictable
  and uncontrollable
• Anxious anticipation of failure and humiliation
  (panic anxiety)
• Difficulty modulating anxiety (resembles ADHD)
• An experience for the child of repeated traumas

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What psychological difficulties are commonly
observed in children with learning disabilities?
(3)

• ADHD (controversial diagnosis)
• Difficulty sustaining attention
• Hyperactivity
• Impulsivity
• Should be evident before 7 years of age
• Should be evident in two or more settings (e.g.,
  school AND home)
• Should SIGNIFICANTLY impair social and academic
  functioning

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What defenses are commonly seen in children with
learning disabilities in their attempts to manage
their depression and anxiety?

• Avoidance
• Denial
• Displacement
• Paranoia (blaming others)
• Rigidity in thinking

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What can teachers do in the classroom to help
students with chronic academic and/or emotional
difficulties?

• Administrators play a crucial role by setting the
  emotional and academic climate for the school!
• Children respond best when teachers. . .
• Show a sincere interest in their academic and
  emotional well-being
• Convey empathy for the childs struggle
• Create a safe environment by supporting a climate
  of acceptance and nurturing in the classroom
• Are able to read emotional cues and respond to
  them

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What can teachers do in the classroom to help
students with chronic academic and/or emotional
difficulties? (2)

• Children respond best when teachers. . .
• Take time to speak privately to children who are
  struggling ( delve deeper into what may be
  occurring with this child)
• Reward small measurable increments of learning
• Make the gains they have made concrete (e.g.,
  growth charts folder with gains/improvement of
  work over time)

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What can teachers do in the classroom to help
students with chronic academic and/or emotional
difficulties? (3)

• Children respond best when teachers. . .
• Provide opportunities for children with learning
  disabilities to shine (Find their islands of
  competence)
• Allow children to show what they know in a
  variety of ways (e.g., projects that include art,
  drama, technology, etc.)
• Pair their students who have LD with empathic,
  capable classmates (e.g., working on projects)

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How can teachers effectively communicate with
parents about students academic and emotional
needs?

• Communicate childrens strengths first
• Describe behaviors dont diagnose or label
• Remember that parents need a great deal of time
  to understand and accept that their child is
  struggling
• Use the checklist provided to organize your
  thoughts before meeting with parents