Differentiation of Praxis among Children

Abstract

Abstract This study was designed to evaluate the conceptual model proposed by Luria to identify different types of dyspraxia in learning-disabled (LD) children. The types of apraxia investigated were kinesthetic, optic-spatial, symbolic, and dynamic. In addition, the study explored differential performance on tasks of praxis in learning-disabled children as a function of their Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) IQ patterns. The subjects included 41 LD and 17 normal children ages 108 months to 153 months. They were administered The Praxis Test for Children, a compilation based on Luria’s division of types of praxis with brain-damaged adults. Results indicated that the test differentiated between the LD and normal groups on the dynamic and optic-spatial tests. Data analyzed for the LD children with a significant WISC-R discrepancy between their Verbal IQ and Performance IQ profile yielded no difference between these two IQ groups. Results were discussed in terms of the need to investigate individual patterns of performance in the differentiation of dyspraxia.