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Biomedical subjects

L C Richman

Publications and source records attributed to L C Richman.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Comparison of visual-spatial performance strategy training in children with Turner syndrome and learning disabilities.

This study examined the effects of a verbal mediation strategy on three groups of subjects who had visual-spatial deficits. Thirteen females with Turner syndrome, 13 females with nonverbal learning disabilities, and 14 males with nonverbal learning disabilities, who ranged in age from 7 to 14 years, were taught via a cognitive behavioral modification approach to verbally mediate a spatial matching task. Pretest and posttest performance differences on parallel forms of a visual-spatial orientation task were examined. All three groups showed significant improvement in visual-spatial task performance after the training. There were no significant differences in the degree of improvement among the three groups. The results suggest that children with Turner syndrome may benefit from problem-solving strategy training in a manner similar to children with nonverbal learning disabilities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Immediate memory functions in reading disability subtypes.

This study examined immediate memory processes in specific reading disability subtypes. Three subgroups (n = 15 in each subgroup) of reading disabled children were examined: (a) perceptual-motor disorder, (b) verbal disorder-general, and (c) verbal disorder-specific (memory). The three groups were matched for age and full scale IQ. All children received a memory-for-colors task (Color Span Test) designed to evaluate intra- and intermodal serial memory functioning. Comparison of memory profiles for the three reading disability subtypes revealed that patterns varied depending on mode of stimulus presentation or response. Although all three groups performed considerably below normative levels on each of the four subtests of the Color Span Test, all subjects performed significantly better on verbally presented items than on visually presented items. The findings were interpreted to suggest that these reading disabled children may not consistently utilize verbal strategies for coding or retrieval of information when stimuli are visually presented.

Child↗
PubMed1988

Reading disability in children with clefts.

The prevalence of reading disability was examined in 172 elementary school children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) or cleft palate only (CPO). Approximately 35 percent of the sample displayed a moderate degree of reading disability, and 17 percent of the group exhibited severe reading disability. Reading disability was more prevalent at younger ages, presumably because of peripheral speech deficits. For older children, those with CLP displayed an incidence of reading disability similar to the general population (9 percent), whereas children with CPO exhibited a much higher rate of reading disability (33 percent). There were no sex differences in the prevalence of reading disability in this sample. The study supports earlier suggestions that children with CPO may be more likely to experience general language disorders leading to long-term reading disabilities. Children with CLP appear to manifest reading problems that tend to resolve with increased age.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

"Mental imbalance" and the prediction of recurrent delinquent behavior.

Cognitive and personality patterns of 84 court-referred adolescents were examined to identify predictors of recurrent delinquent behavior. Continued behavioral problems at follow-up were more likely in adolescents with discrepancies between Verbal and Performance IQ or large differences between "neurotic" and "psychotic" scale elevations on the MMPI. Positive outcomes were most likely for adolescents who could be described as "mildly neurotic." Combining the discrepancy scores from the intelligence and personality tests with other background variables in a Bayesian conditional probability model resulted in accurate predictions of later behavior for 81% of the sample. These findings suggest that imbalances in cognitive and personality development may limit a delinquent adolescent's ability to interact appropriately with the environment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1985

Adolescents with cleft lip and palate: self-perceptions of appearance and behavior related to personality adjustment.

Two groups of adolescents with cleft lip and palate were compared on their self-ratings of facial appearance and behavior. The two groups were identified as well adjusted (N = 19) or poorly adjusted (N = 17), based on their parents' ratings of behavior. T-test comparisons indicate that the group with good adjustment have realistic perceptions of facial appearance (based on independent ratings by their teachers), and their self-perceptions of behavior are similar to those of their parents. The poorly adjusted group have unrealistic perceptions of facial appearance and perceive their behavior as more socially acceptable than do their parents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Cross-national comparisons of developmental dyslexia in Italy and the United States.

This study was designed to examine whether the phonetic regularity of a language can significantly influence the prevalence and pattern of developmental dyslexia. Demographically matched samples of fifth-grade children in Italy (N = 448) and the United States (N = 1,278) were evaluated to identify children with specific reading disabilities. Reading disabled children with average intelligence were compared to normal controls on a series of neuropsychological tests to evaluate specific cognitive deficits associated with reading disorders in each country. The findings suggested that (a) dyslexia is more prevalent in the United States than in Italy, (b) reading disabilities are strongly associated with disorders of verbal processing in both countries, although some American dyslexics also show visual-motor deficits, and (c) there is a greater dissociation between reading comprehension and decoding in Italian than in English.

Child↗
PubMed1985

Cognitive profiles of children with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Intellectual and reading skills were evaluated and related to disease variables in 42 children with Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes. A significant interaction revealed lower Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) Performance IQ for children with early disease onset (less than 7 years) and long disease duration (greater than or equal to 5 years). IQ scores were nevertheless in the average range. Although there was no specific pattern of visual spatial impairment, functioning on the Performance subtests was uniformly lower for this group. Slower responding to the timed tasks of the Performance scale may account for generally lower scores. Children with early onset-long duration also evidenced higher rates of reading and memory impairment. These results indicate the importance of ascertaining educational skills in diabetic children before planning diabetic treatment regimens, especially for children with disease of early onset and long duration, who may be especially vulnerable to skill deficits.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Self indentified personality patterns of children with facial or orthopedic disfigurement.

This study compared personality characteristics of children with cleft lip and palate to another group of children with different observable physical impairment (orthopedic disability) and speech difficulties. It was hypothesized that different types of observable physical stigmata may result in different personality adaptations. Forty-five children from each of two groups (25 males and 20 females) were matched for sex, age, and intelligence. They were compared using the Missouri Children's Picture Series, a non-verbal personality test, on the following dimensions: Conformity, Masculinity/Femininity, Maturity, Agression, Inhibition, Activity Level Sleep Disturbance and Somatization. The results indicate that males with cleft lip and palate are significantly higher on Maturity and Inhibition while Orthopedically Disabled males are higher on Agression, Activity Level, and Somatization. Cleft lip and palate females are significantly higher on Maturity and Inhibition while Orthopedically Disabled females are higher on Masculinity. The results indicate differential personality adaptations in the two different types of observable physical impairments. Results are discussed in terms of their relationship to selected psychosocial variables.

Aggression↗
PubMed1978

Personality profiles of physically impaired adolescents.

Investigated MMPI profiles between two groups of adolescents with dissimilar disabilities (cleft lip/palate, orthopedic) who displayed observable physical impairment. The findings support the contention that type of disability has differential effects on adolescent personality characteristics. However, the profile elevations are consistent with previous reports of behavioral inhibition in both disability groups. Adolescents with impairments of the cleft lip/palate display greater self-concern and ruminative self-doubt over interpersonal interactions. The orthopedically impaired group exhibit an isolative and passive orientation to interpersonal interactions, as well as more generalized feelings of alienation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Parents and teachers: differing views of behavior of cleft palate children.

This study compared mothers', fathers' and teachers' perceptions of behavior of 136 cleft lip and palate children between the ages of 7 and 12. The comparisons were made on the behavioral dimensions of inhibition and acting out. The results indicate that teachers view cleft males and females as significantly more inhibited in the classroom than parents observe at home. The parents are in agreement and differ from the teachers in that they do not view their cleft children as excessively inhibited. Differential expectations at home and school may contribute to the different perceptions of behavior in those environments.

Child↗
PubMed1976

Behavior and achievement of cleft palate children.

Forty-four cleft lip and palate/palate only children were individually matched with forty-four normal school children on the basis of sex, age, grade, intelligence and socioeconomic status. All children received behavioral ratings by classroom teachers, and achievement test scores were obtained. The cleft children were rated by teachers as displaying significantly greater inhibition of impulse (internalizing behavior). Cleft children also were significantly lower on overall basic skills achievement test scores. It was suggested that cleft children may be responding to the social-behavioral environment which may include negative social responses from others.

Achievement↗