ABSTRACT

Individuals with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are at risk of increased psychological distress, such as internalising (e.g. anxiety) or externalising (e.g. aggressive behaviour) symptoms. This study investigates the psychopathological profile of children and adolescents with SLD from their point of view and the point of view of their mothers. The sample included 98 mother-child couples, with children having a single identified disability area (e.g. only dyslexia) or multiple disability areas. Children having SLD presented a higher than expected (based on the normal distribution) percentage of clinically relevant and borderline scores in internalising symptoms, as well as in the DSM-oriented scales of affective, anxiety, and somatic problems, ADHD and oppositional defiant problems; rates of symptoms were higher in mothers’ reports. More symptoms of ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder were reported for children with multiple learning disability areas, and more internalising symptoms were associated with dyscalculia. These results highlight the presence of both internalising and externalising symptoms in individuals with SLD, with stronger difficulties observed by mothers compared to children themselves. Also, having multiple learning disability areas in comorbility and having dyscalculia could be risk factors for more severe psychopathology in children with SLD; this information could guide clinical work.

摘要

患有特定学习障碍 (SLD) 的个体面临心理困扰增加的风险，例如内化（例如焦虑）或外化（例如攻击性行为）症状。本研究从 SLD 儿童和青少年及其母亲的角度调查其精神病理学特征。样本包括 98 对母子夫妇，其中孩子有一个确定的残疾区域（例如，只有阅读障碍）或多个残疾区域。患有 SLD 的儿童在内化症状以及以 DSM 为导向的情感、焦虑和躯体问题、ADHD 和对立违抗问题的量表中，临床相关和临界分数的百分比高于预期（基于正态分布）；母亲报告的症状发生率较高。有多个学习障碍区域的儿童报告了更多的多动症和对立违抗障碍症状，更多的内化症状与计算障碍有关。这些结果突出了 SLD 个体存在内化和外化症状，与儿童本身相比，母亲观察到的困难更大。此外，在合并症中具有多个学习障碍区域和计算障碍可能是 SLD 儿童更严重精神病理学的危险因素；这些信息可以指导临床工作。这些结果突出了 SLD 个体存在内化和外化症状，与儿童本身相比，母亲观察到的困难更大。此外，在合并症中具有多个学习障碍区域和计算障碍可能是 SLD 儿童更严重精神病理学的危险因素；这些信息可以指导临床工作。这些结果突出了 SLD 个体存在内化和外化症状，与儿童本身相比，母亲观察到的困难更大。此外，在合并症中具有多个学习障碍区域和计算障碍可能是 SLD 儿童更严重精神病理学的危险因素；这些信息可以指导临床工作。