Differences between learning disability subtypes classified using the revised Woodcock-Johnson psycho-educational battery

This study examined the characteristics of students with specific learning disabilities in either reading and spelling or arithmetic. Based on scores obtained using the revised Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery, students with a marked weakness in arithmetic relative to reading and spelling were designated as Group A. Group R-S showed the opposite pattern. Each group included 30 participants ranging in age from 7 to 16 years, with a mean age of 10 years. The boy-to-girl ratios were 16:14 and 19:11 in Group A and Group R-S, respectively. Comparisons using measures from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) indicated that Group A was weaker in nonverbal skills than Group R-S, despite equivalent overall IQ scores between the two groups. Group R-S showed a within-group strength in nonverbal versus verbal skills. Group A students were more likely than Group R-S students to have counseling provided as part of their Individualized Education Program, suggesting greater socioemotional difficulty among Group A students. The present study supports the connection between nonverbal skills and socioemotional functioning noted by previous researchers, and generalizes findings from earlier studies to more current test editions.