Psychosocial Correlates of Specific Learning Difficulty in Children in Upper Primary School

The aim of the present study is to explore the relationship between specific learning difficulty and different aspects of psychopathology in upper primary children. 90 children with learning difficulty were assessed on various dimensions of psychopathology and learning difficulty. The mean age of the participants was 11.39 with a standard deviation of 0.63. The tools included Developmental Psychopathology Checklist, the arithmetic section of the NIMHANS Battery for Specific Learning disorder and a teacher rated Visual Analogue Scale. Learning difficulty was found to be associated with developmental history, developmental problems, hyperkinesis, emotional disorders, psychotic behaviour, total psychopathology, psychosocial stressors and teacher reported problems. The study points to the need to address psychosocial concerns of children with learning difficulty.