Depression in Learning Disabled Children

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Abstract
In order to investigate the prevalence of depression amongst LD children, 103 completed the Children's Depression Inventory. Fourteen percent of the sample scored at or above the critical cutoff, more than in the general population but not significantly so at the .05 level. Comparing the most depressed children with the least depressed, upper versus lower quartiles, revealed that the former were much lower in self-esteem, tended to be oversensitive and shared traits associated with neuroticism. No differences between the two groups were found, however, with respect to age, sex, intelligence, type of learning disability or parental expectations. It is suggested that in dealing with depressed LD children their affective state and their personality be taken into account as well as their obvious cognitive handicap.