Discriminating attention-deficit hyperactivity disordered, learning disabled, and typical school aged children: Evaluating an assessment battery for learning clinics and schools

Abstract

The performance of children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Learning Disability (LD) were compared to "typical" children using the Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Experimental Assessment Battery (AEAB). The AEAB is a battery of assessment instruments that have been used individually and in various combinations in research to either (1) measure attention or other ADHD characteristics in research participants or (2) discriminate LD characteristics from the characteristics of typical participants. The present study examined whether these assessment instruments differentiated ADHD and LD from typical children. The two hypotheses that were addressed were (1) the combined scores on the Child Behavior Checklist - Attention Problems Scale, the Stroop Color - Word Test, the Hand Movements Test, and the Audiovisual Checking Task will discriminate ADHD from typical participants and (2) the combined scores on the Minnesota Percepto-Diagnostic Test - Revised and the Trail Making Test will discriminate LD from typical participants. The instruments used to measure attention characteristics were the Child Behavior Checklist - Attention Problems Scale (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1983), the Stroop Color - Word Test (Golden, 1978), The Hand Movements Test from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (Kaufman & Kaufman, 1983) and the Audiovisual Checking Task (Margolis, 1973). Two instruments were used to measure and discriminate LD characteristics. They were the Minnesota Percepto-Diagnostic Test - Revised (Fuller, 1983) and the Trail Making Test from the Halstead - Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery (Reitan & Wolfson, 1985). A Kruskal - Wallis Analysis of Variance by Ranks (Hays, 1973) was calculated for the groups. The results showed that the groups were significantly different for the analyzed combined scores. These findings were discussed in regard to the research literature in this area.