Learning disorders can have adverse impacts on children and families extending beyond the academic skills deficits. The goal of the present study was to assess the impact of the school’s response, following an independent evaluation, for child and family school-related quality of life (QOL). We hypothesized that a positive school response would be associated with improved QOL. Parents completed the LDQOL/15, a brief measure of school-related QOL, at the time that their child received an independent evaluation and again a year later (N =155). At follow-up, parents reported the tenor of the school’s response to the evaluation and whether special education services had changed. QOL problems were very high in this referred population, with 66% of respondents rating a level of problems in the clinical range at baseline. Predicted interactions between time of assessment (baseline/follow-up) and the school’s response to the evaluation were confirmed for all outcome variables; a positive school response was associated with improved QOL. Nevertheless, the overall prevalence of school-related QOL problems remained high a year after the evaluation. These findings indicate that special education interventions can mitigate LD impacts, but even with these services, many children with learning disorders and their families continue to be significantly affected.

学习障碍对儿童和家庭的不利影响超出了学术技能的缺陷。本研究的目的是在独立评估后评估学校的反应对儿童和家庭学校相关生活质量 (QOL) 的影响。我们假设学校的积极反应与生活质量的提高有关。父母在孩子接受独立评估时完成了 LDQOL/15，这是一项学校相关 QOL 的简短测量，一年后再次完成（N=155)。跟进时，家长报告了学校对评估的回应，以及特殊教育服务是否发生了变化。在这个转诊人群中，QOL 问题非常高，66% 的受访者在基线时对临床范围内的问题进行了评级。所有结果变量都确认了评估时间（基线/随访）和学校对评估的反应之间的预测相互作用；积极的学校反应与改善的生活质量相关。尽管如此，在评估一年后，与学校相关的生活质量问题的总体流行率仍然很高。这些研究结果表明，特殊教育干预可以减轻 LD 的影响，但即使有这些服务，许多学习障碍儿童及其家庭仍然受到显着影响。