PSYCHOLINGUISTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF CONDUCT PROBLEM BOYS∗

Abstract

Abstract Forty‐seven boys identified by their third grade teachers as conduct problems were administered the ITPA and subdivided into three groups on the basis of race and social class: (1) the working class Negro group (N = 21); (2) the working class White group (N = 14); and (3) the middle class White group (N = 12). The total sample (N = 47) performed significantly below the standardization population on Auditory Reception, Visual Memory, Verbal Expression and Grammatic Closure and significantly above on Sound Blending. The working class Negro group did significantly poorer on the ITPA than the other two groups which did not differ significantly from each other. All three subgroups performed significantly below the standardization population on visual sequential memory. This latter result may indicate a non‐verbal learning disability which interferes with learning appropriate social behavior. ∗ Based on the author's doctoral dissertation completed at the University of Illinois under the direction of Dr...