Article Title: Identification of Learning Disabilities in Students: A Gender Perspective
Author(s): Farzana Ashraf & Najma Najam
Institute(s): Department of Humanities, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore; Institute of Applied psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore
Journal: Pakistan Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 2017, Vol. 15, No.1, 36-41
Correspondence Address: Farzana Ashraf, Department of Humanities, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology,Lahore, Pakistan, Email: farzana.ashraf777@yahoo.com
Abstract
There has been seen a growing concern given to learning disabilities (LDs) in students at school level. There is empirical evidence that explain prevalence of in boys and girls. The aim of present study was to identify and replicate this difference in LDs in girls and boys in 6th to 10th grades. We sampled 226 girls and 314 boys aged between 11 to 18 years. For this study, we administered Learning Disabilities Checklist (2007) to assess the differences (Ashraf & Najam, 2014). A 2 × 5 (Gender × Academic Levels) MANOVA was applied to determine the mean differences in LDs between girls and boys across their academic levels. In the current study, no significant gender differences in LDs and their sub-types were observed. However, gender differences in context of academic levels were significant. Boys report significantly more LD in grade 7th whereas girls manifest significantly higher LD in grade 8th. Overall, students at grade 7th report more LD in comparison of other grades. The present study highlights the importance of assessing presence of in middle and high school students. Present research also suggested that early identification of learning disabilities may guide teachers and school psychologists to develop plans and psychological interventions to help students.
Keywords: gender, learning disabilities, reading disability, writing disability, mathematical disability
