Factors in Diagnosing the Learning Disabled

Abstract

Examines the decision-making processes of administrators, psychologists, teachers, and nurses in their judgments about the learning disabled based upon a theoretical framework provided by Brunswick (1952). Judges were first asked to rate the value of cues considered in judgments about the learning disabled including academic achievement, behavior disorder, intellectual functioning, neurological indicators, and socioeconomic status. Judges were next asked to rate the severity and make a placement recommendation for hypothetical case histories. Next, these data were used to calculate linear stepwise multiple regression equations approximating the judgmental processes of the different judges. The results indicated that judges did differ with respect to the weights assigned specific cues but were similar in their ratings of severity level and recommended educational placement. The obtained regression equations reflected the differential weighting of cues with academic achievement and behavior disorder accounting for the largest proportions of variance. Additionally, cues indicating level of intellectual functioning and socioeconomic status explained only minimal amounts of variance. Reliability estimates found the regression equation to be useful approximations of the decision-making processes of judges.