The Child as a Diagnostic Participant

Abstract

With the ongoing development of new models of interdisciplinary evaluation of children with learning problems, the perspective of the student himself has received relatively scant attention. This study reports on the use of the Self-Administered Student Profile in children 9 years old and above. The instrument consists of a list of quotations gathered from children with learning disorders. These are classified according to the area of developmental dysfunction most likely to be relevant. A pilot study was performed in clinics at The Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston. Children proved to be quite candid in acknowledging areas of developmental dysfunction. Difficulties relating to language, cognitive tempo (impulsivity), and memory were indicated most commonly. Through the use of questionnaires, parent and teacher perspectives were compared to the students' own impressions. Findings from clinic testing also were used. The students' self-assessments were more likely to agree with the diagnostic impressions of the school than with the clinic or parents. It is suggested that the Self-Administered Student Profile can be a useful adjunct in the diagnostic process and can enhance students' insight into their own learning difficulties.