What do diagnostic test data tell us about differences in the profiles of children diagnosed with reading disability or language impairments?

Abstract

A detailed evaluation of a child's strengths and weaknesses allows for a valid and reliable diagnosis of reading disability for the selection of optimal intervention practices. Using archival data from a clinic that specialized in the diagnosis of reading disabilities, we compared the performance of 60 children diagnosed with specific reading disability (SRD) and 31 children with language impairments and reading disability (LIRD) on measures of cognitive reasoning, verbal ability, phonological manipulation, rapid serial naming, and phonological memory. While the SRD and LIRD groups did not differ in their phonological processing, children with LIRD performed significantly below their peers with SRD on thinking ability and verbal ability measures. Rapid naming skills served as current predictors of text reading fluency and verbal ability skills served as concurrent predictors of reading comprehension in both groups. These findings highlight the need for reading diagnosticians to conduct comprehensive evaluations using a range of cognitive and language processes to ensure the most accurate and specific diagnoses of children with reading disabilities.Learning outcomes: Readers will be able to (a) describe general characteristics of reading disabilities, (b) differentiate features of two learning disabilities, specific reading disability and language impairments and reading disability, and (c) identify key clinical issues and approaches for identification, diagnosis, and intervention of these two diagnostic profiles.