The Relationship between Learning Disabilities, Hyperactivity, Distractibility, and Behavioral Problems: A Clinical Analysis

This study attempts to assess the incidence of learning disabilities, hyperactivity, distractibility, and emotional problems in three different populations: a group diagnosed within a school system as learning disabled; a group diagnosed by pediatricians as hyperactive; and a group diagnosed by mental health clinicians as emotionally disturbed. The difficulties in defining terms and the questionable reliability of such data are discussed. The findings lend some support to the view that there is a clinical relationship between children who have learning disabilities and children who are hyperactive and/or distractible. Furthermore, such children frequently develop secondary emotional problems.