GREEK ADULT POPULATION WITH SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES: EPIDEMIOLOGY, DEMOGRAPHICS, AND GENDER DIFFERENCES

The aim of this study was to collect information about demographic characteristics of a clinical sample of Greek adults with specific learning disabilities (SLD) who referred themselves for learning assessment in a State Certified Diagnostic Center. Greek adult population with SLD is under-researched and difficult to access. The sample comprised 132 Greek adults (66.7% males) meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for SLD. Data were collected through self-report records and case records which included demographic information and learning assessments. Most of the participants came from urban areas and they were studying in post-secondary non-tertiary or in tertiary education. As regards the prevalence of the main types of SLD and their comorbidity our findings agree with international data. The demographic characteristics, such as educational level and employment status, are discussed within the Greek socio-cultural context

Assessing test anxiety and resilience among Greek adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic

The aim of the present study was to explore the impact of school year’s extension due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) by addressing test anxiety and by studying the coping strategies adolescents used to overcome it. For the majority of the adolescents the final exams can be a powerful source of stress, since the entrance examinations are required for admission into higher education and further reflect the transition to adulthood. The sample consisted of 67 High School students and the data collection was conducted online due to the imposed measures by the Greek government. Results showed normal or average levels of test anxiety with low self-esteem and fear of a family member contracting the virus identified as significant predictors. Students who participated in the research pointed teachers as the main source of pressure in school exams. Gender differences regarding social media engagement and online video gaming were also detected. Resilience was equally as high among genders [t(63) = 858, p =.324] and the correlation between test anxiety and resilience did not produce a statistically significant result (r = -.178, p = .155)

Preschool-age children at risk of subsequent learning difficulties: assessment and intervention

Preschool-aged children with either a low auditory-verbal cognitive profile or with a low visual-perceptive cognitive profile may be predisposed to develop subsequent learning difficulties, either deriving from problematic language development or dyslexic-type learning difficulties.The aim of the current study was to implement an intervention program in children being “at-risk” of developing learning difficulties at a later time. Both static and nonstatic diagnostic tools and early diagnostic procedures were initially utilized to describe the children’s cognitive profiles. Based on the results a special intervention program was designed aiming to “balance” these discrepancies in preschool-age children’s performances, among the different cognitive areas, in order to reduce the cognitive risk factor and, possibly, to avoid the prevalence of learning difficulties at a later age.The Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude–2 (DTLA-2) was used to assess 320 preschool children aged between 6.0 and 6.4 years. During pretesting, the 320 children were divided into 4 groups according to their cognitive profiles based on the DTLA-2 test assessment. Of the total sample, 40 children according to their low performances in all cognitive auditory-verbal and non-verbal sub-tests of DTLA-2 were selected for the final construction of the first experimental group (11 boys and 9 girls) and its control group (10 boys and10 girls). Accordingly, 40 children comprised the second experimental group and its control group.Based on their low performances in visual-perceptual or auditory-verbal sub-tests, two different intervention programs were implemented. The intervention procedure lasted 3 months and the children attended approximately 20 sessions (20 - 25 minutes each), either individually or in a small group of two or three children. In the three-month follow-up(post-test), a better balance in their cognitive profile was achieved compared to the control groups. More specifically, the differences between the verbal and non-verbal scales and/or the visual-perceptual scales of the DTLA-2 test remained significant in the control groups, whereas, in the experimental groups, no significant differences were detected between the two scales, thus revealing the positive results of the intervention, as regards preschool children’s “at-risk” specific cognitive profiles. In the one year follow-up, similar results were detected. More specifically, a better balance in the cognitive profiles was achieved in both experimental groups compared to their control groups. The overall results of the study underline the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate interventions in children with specific cognitive profiles, which place them “at-risk” of developing subsequent learning difficulties.Keywords: Preschool-aged children, Auditory-Verbal Cognitive abilities/Profiles, Visual-perceptual cognitive abilities/profiles, Specific Learning DifficultiesΕισαγωγή: Τόσο στο χώρο της παιδαγωγικής όσο και της ψυχολογίας, οι μαθησιακές δυσκολίες αποτελούν ίσως το μεγαλύτερο θέμα αμφισβητήσεων και διαφωνιών ανάμεσα στους ερευνητές. Αυτό οφείλεται κυρίως στην πολυπαραγοντική φύση τους, καθώς και στους ποικίλους τρόπους με τους οποίους εκδηλώνονται στις διαφορετικές ηλικίες. Ειδικότερα κατά την προσχολική ηλικία, πολλές διαφορετικές ερμηνείες έχουν δοθεί όσον αφορά στις ενδείξεις των δυσκολιών μάθησης και ως προς το ποια παιδιά βρίσκονται σε επικινδυνότητα για εμφάνιση τέτοιων δυσκολιών. Παράλληλα, μέσα στα πλαίσια των σύγχρονων απόψεων που δίνουν ιδιαίτερη έμφαση στην ανάγκη για έγκαιρη διάγνωση και πρώιμη αντιμετώπιση των μαθησιακών δυσκολιών από την προσχολική ηλικία, έχουν κατά καιρούς, προταθεί αναρίθμητες διαγνωστικές μέθοδοι, όπως και πολλά προγράμματα θεραπευτικής αντιμετώπισης, ανάλογα με τη θεωρητική προσέγγιση στην οποία βασίζονται οι υποστηριχτές τους.Σκοπός της έρευνας: Σκοπός της παρούσας έρευνας ήταν, μέσα από τη χρήση (σταθμισμένων και μη) διαγνωστικών μέσων, να εντοπίσει συγκεκριμένα γνωστικά προφίλ παιδιών προσχολικής ηλικίας με φυσιολογικό νοητικό επίπεδο και με κοινά χαρακτηριστικά και παρόμοιες δυσκολίες σε επιμέρους γνωστικές-μαθησιακές ικανότητες. Ταυτόχρονα, μέσα από την εφαρμογή ειδικών παιδαγωγικών προγραμμάτων παρέμβασης, να επιχειρήσει να εξισορροπήσει, ως ένα βαθμό, τις μεγάλες διαφοροποιήσεις στις επιδόσεις των παιδιών στους επιμέρους γνωστικούς τομείς, έτσι ώστε να μειώσει το γνωστικό παράγοντα επικινδυνότητας και πιθανότατα, να συμβάλλει στην αποφυγή εμφάνισης μεταγενέστερων μαθησιακών δυσκολιών.Δείγμα – Μέθοδος: Το τελικό δείγμα της έρευνας αποτελούνταν από 40 παιδιά που φοιτούσαν σε νηπιαγωγεία των δυτικών περιοχών της Θεσσαλονίκης, ηλικίας από 6.0 έως 6.4 ετών. Δημιουργήθηκαν δύο πειραματικές ομάδες και οι αντίστοιχές τους ομάδες ελέγχου, καθεμία από τις οποίες αποτελούνταν από 10 παιδιά. Τα παιδιά του δείγματος χωρίστηκαν σε ομάδες, ανάλογα με τα χαρακτηριστικά των γνωστικών τους προφίλ, έτσι όπως αυτά προέκυψαν μέσα από την αξιολόγησή τους με το κριτήριο DTLA-2. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, οι ομάδες Α και Α1 (πειραματική και ελέγχου), αποτελούνταν από παιδιά με χαμηλή επίδοση στις ικανότητες του λόγου, ή αλλιώς με χαμηλό επίπεδο ακουστικο-φωνητικής επεξεργασίας και ταυτόχρονα, υψηλές επιδόσεις στις δοκιμασίες και στα έργα που απαιτούσαν οπτικο-αντιληπτική επεξεργασία. Αντίστοιχα, οι άλλες δύο ομάδες Β και Β1 αποτελούνταν από παιδιά με ακριβώς αντίθετο προφίλ ικανοτήτων απ’ ότι οι προηγούμενες δύο ομάδες. Ακολούθησε συμπληρωματική αξιολόγηση με στόχο την πιο λεπτομερή ανάλυση των ικανοτήτων των παιδιών στις επιμέρους γνωστικές ικανότητες. Στη συνέχεια, με βάση τις επικρατέστερες θεωρητικές απόψεις σχετικά με τη φύση των μαθησιακών δυσκολιών αυτών των δύο γνωστικών προφίλ, σχεδιάστηκαν δύο διαφορετικά παιδαγωγικά προγράμματα παρέμβασης, διάρκειας περίπου τριών μηνών, τα οποία εφαρμόστηκαν στις δύο πειραματικές ομάδες Α και Β. Κάθε παιδί παρακολούθησε περίπου είκοσι συνεδρίες ειδικής παιδαγωγικής παρέμβασης διάρκειας 20-30΄ περίπου η καθεμία. Μέσα στα πλαίσια των προγραμμάτων παρέμβασης, τα παιδιά της Α πειραματικής ομάδας εξασκήθηκαν κυρίως σε έργα αφηγηματικού λόγου, όπως και σε έργα ανάπτυξης των επιμέρους γλωσσικών τους ικανοτήτων, ενώ τα παιδιά της Β πειραματικής ομάδας εξασκήθηκαν σε έργα οπτικο-αντιληπτικής επεξεργασίας. Και οι δύο πειραματικές ομάδες εξασκήθηκαν επίσης στη συστηματική χρήση γνωστικών, μνημονικών και μεταγνωστικών στρατηγικών, καθώς και στην εφαρμογή τους σε διαφορετικά μαθησιακά έργα, με στόχο τη γενίκευση και τη μεταβίβασή τους.Αποτελέσματα: Σύμφωνα με τα συνολικά ευρήματα της έρευνας, έγινε σαφές ότι η προσχολική ηλικία είναι ίσως η πιο κατάλληλη –ηλικιακά- περίοδος για την έγκαιρη διάγνωση και αντιμετώπιση δυσκολιών σε επιμέρους τομείς της μάθησης, με στόχο την πρόληψη της μετέπειτα σχολικής αποτυχίας.Ως καταλληλότερο μέσο πρώιμης διάγνωσης παιδιών σε επικινδυνότητα για μαθησιακές δυσκολίες, αποδείχτηκε ο συνδυασμός των προβλέψεων των νηπιαγωγών, η χρήση του σταθμισμένου κριτηρίου αξιολόγησης των επιμέρους μαθησιακών ικανοτήτων DTLA-2, καθώς και η χρήση συμπληρωματικών έργων αξιολόγησης με στόχο, τόσο την ποσοτική όσο και την ποιοτική εκτίμηση των ικανοτήτων των παιδιών, με βάση τα γνωστικά τους προφίλ. Τουλάχιστον όσον αφορά στα συγκεκριμένα γνωστικά προφίλ, η συστηματική παρέμβαση κυρίως σε έργα αφηγηματικού λόγου για την Α ομάδα και σε έργα οπτικο-αντιληπτικής επεξεργασίας για τη Β ομάδα, έδειξε ότι υπάρχει δυνατότητα έγκαιρης ανάπτυξης και βελτίωσης των ικανοτήτων εκείνων, που αργότερα οδηγούν σε συγκεκριμένες μορφές μαθησιακών δυσκολιών.Η σύγκριση των επιδόσεων των δύο πειραματικών ομάδων μετά την παρέμβαση, με τις αντίστοιχες επιδόσεις των παιδιών των δύο ομάδων ελέγχου έδειξε ακόμη ότι η τυπική δηλωτική, σχολική μάθηση δεν επαρκεί για να εξισορροπήσει τις μεγάλες διακυμάνσεις ανάμεσα στους επιμέρους μαθησιακούς τομείς. Αντίθετα, η συστηματική εξάσκηση στις συγκεκριμένες γνωστικές ικανότητες με παράλληλη έμφαση στην εκπαίδευση στη χρήση στρατηγικών και στη διαδικαστική μάθηση, φάνηκε ότι συμβάλλει σημαντικά στην ανάπτυξη και βελτίωση συγκεκριμένων ικανοτήτων, όπως και στη δυνατότητα μεταβίβασης και γενίκευσης της γνώσης σε διαφορετικά μαθησιακά έργα.Συμπεράσματα: Καταλήγοντας, θα μπορούσε να υποστηριχθεί ότι, από τη συγκεκριμένη έρευνα, προκύπτουν θετικά μηνύματα, όσον αφορά στις πρακτικές εφαρμογές μεθόδων πρώιμης διάγνωσης και παρέμβασης ακόμη και μέσα από το υπάρχον εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα, με την προϋπόθεση βέβαια ότι γίνεται σωστή χρήση των θεωρητικών δεδομένων, των διαγνωστικών εργαλείων και των βασικών αρχών της πρώιμης παρέμβασης με γνώμονα πάντα, τις ιδιαιτερότητες και τα χαρακτηριστικά των παιδιών της προσχολικής ηλικίας

Development and validation of the Greek severe impairment battery

Most neuropsychological batteries, especially those most often used, are unsuitable for the assessment of patients with severe dementia. The Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) was developed for the evaluation of preserved cognitive functions in these patients. The aim of this study was to formulate a Greek version of the SIB and to conduct a first assessment of its use of patients with mild, moderate, or severe Alzheimer's disease (AD), compared to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). A convenience sample of 42 dementia patients according to DSM-IV-TR criteria and 23 healthy participants was selected. Patients were assessed twice using a Greek translation of the SIB and the Greek version of MMSE. Patients were divided into three severity groups based on grouped by Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score and the SIB and MMSE scores were compared. The validity of the SIB was confirmed by evaluating the correlation coefficients between the SIB and Greek-MMSE, grouped by CDR, which were found to be significant. Cronbach's α for the total SIB score and each subscale score showed high significance, and the item-total correlation for each subscale was also acceptable. The test-retest correlation for the total SIB score and subscale scores were significant. The total SIB score and subscale scores were examined according to CDR. The Greek SIB is reliable and valid in differentiating patients with moderate or severe dementia, whereas MMSE loses sensitivity due to a floor and ceiling effect

Childhood ADHD and Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder Comorbidity: A Case Report

Introduction: Recent research has highlighted an increased rate of co-morbidity between the neurodevelopmental-behavioral disorder of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a variety of psychiatric disorders, such as mood disorders or bipolar disorder (BD). The etiology and clinical course of BD are considered to be determined by both genetic and environmental factors, either aggravating or improving. Aim: This follow-up study of an adolescent aimed to clarify the co-morbidity between ADHD and BD. We also discuss the controversies surrounding the two diagnoses in younger populations and describe several aspects of concern regarding diagnosis, differential diagnosis, therapeutic planning/intervention, and prognosis. Methods: Reporting of a two-year follow-up study of a bipolar 15-year-old female patient with a previous diagnosis of ADHD during childhood. Results: Despite the occurrence of major risk factors, such as early onset and positive family history, the patient’s condition rapidly remitted with medication, without relapse and/or rehospitalization during the following two years, due to the stability of her cooperation, and support of a stable and caring familial environment. Early diagnosis of BD and differential diagnoses of ADHD are considered crucial protective factors leading to an appropriate planning of treatment. In addition, parental involvement and empathic attitude towards the patient supported the latter to cooperate and comply with the treatment, enhancing positive outcomes and stability. Conclusions: Research is required into the reliability and validity of diagnostic protocols and criteria for BD in children and adolescents, and also into the development of individualized therapeutic planning

Assessing Children ‘At Risk’: Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Motor Behavior Checklist (MBC) into Arabic and Pilot Use in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Children’s emotional, behavioral, and developmental problems can be properly identified and assessed based on observations from their teachers and parents. The Motor Behavior Checklist (MBC) was designed to assist classroom teachers and Physical Education (PE) teachers in assessing their students’ motor-related behaviors. The instrument has already been successfully translated and culturally adapted into six languages and used in a number of research studies internationally. The present study aimed to develop the Arabic version of the MBC checklist and proceed with the necessary cross-cultural adaptations for the use of the instrument in Arabic speaking countries and especially in United Arab Emirates (UAE) primary schools. The translation and cultural adaptation of the MBC was based on the ten-step process: forward translation of the original instrument; development of a synthesized version, back-translation; linguistic and semantic comparisons; back translators evaluation of divergent items; development of a synthesized version; based on the back translators’ suggestions; clarity assessment of the synthesized version by professionals (teachers); additional assessment of clarity indicators by a focus group of experts; and development of the final version. Results indicated a satisfactory level of agreement between the original and the back-translated versions, while nine items required minor adjustments and two items needed major adaptations and word replacements to clarify their content and be fully adapted into the UAE culture. In the pilot use, UAE teachers confirmed the clarity of the items in an 84% percentage. The final translated version’s overall content was found sufficiently compatible with the original version of the instrument. The study highlights the importance of a rigorous translation process and the process of cultural adaptation

Priorities in the Interdisciplinary Approach of Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) in Children with Type I Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). From Theory to Practice

Background: A considerable endeavor had taken place in order to understand the associated challenges for children and adolescents with Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) but also in order to describe the necessary skills and approaches that the care givers have to develop to assist both children and parents. (1) Aim: The aim of this review is twofold. Firstly, to highlight the T1DM’s potential impact on psychological well-being, on cognitive functioning and on school performance in children and adolescents who confront SLD. Secondly, to discuss the necessity of a multidiscipline approach of poor school performance in students with SLD and T1DM, presenting the serious contribution of care providers: (a) parents/carers in the family setting, (b) teachers and psychologists in the school setting and (c) health specialists (pediatricians, nutricians, nurses, child psychiatrists and psychologists) in the medical setting. (2) Methods: In this narrative literature review of 12 selected articles, each one studies a special aspect of approach, during the diagnosis and the treatment of individuals with T1DM and SLD. The review concerns the arising problems and difficulties in the adherence to diagnosis, the management of insulin, the mental and physical wellbeing, the school performance, the cognitive functioning and learning difficulties of patients. We tried to synthesize an interdisciplinary approach that involves collaboration between family, school and medical frame; facilitating children’s and adolescents’ difficulties management, as well as parent and teacher involvement during the intervention implementation. (3) Results: The main issues of concern were examined through the available literature, as different factors had to be re-examined in the previous studies, regarding the potential impact of T1DM in cognitive and psychological functioning, as well as the effects of the intervention/approach/treatment of children and adolescents with SLD and T1DM. (4) Conclusions: Although T1DM diagnosis and demanding treatment are a heavy burden for children and their families, T1DM may or may not be associated with a variety of academic and psychological outcomes. Despite the variability of the reviewed research design quality, it was clearly defined that the impact of T1DM is not uniform across educational and mental variables. Strengthening the children’s physical, psychological and social wellbeing is an especially important factor, as it facilitates the insulin’s management as well as the learning difficulties. This is possible by supporting the parental and teacher involvement in the intervention process. This review highlights the need to reduce the distance between theory/research and practice, in some of the proposed areas in this field of knowledge