A profile of male and female applicants for a special college program for learning-disabled students

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Abstract
Intellectual, achievement, and personality profiles were developed for a sample of 245 applicants to a special college program for learning-disabled students. Only 15% of the applicants had WAIS IQs above 115; the most depressed subtests were Arithmetic, Digit Span, Information, Vocabulary, and Digit Symbol. For both sexes, mean WRAT reading levels were higher than spelling and arithmetic (roughly seventh- vs. sixth-grade competence). Although the male applicants (N = 174) had significantly higher WAIS Verbal IQs than the female applicants (N = 71), their WRAT spelling achievement levels were significantly lower. A higher percentage of the females than males exhibited specific arithmetic disability. For both sexes, but more robustly for females, specific arithmetic disability was associated with more elevated MMPI profiles. Dyslexic students, by contrast, admitted to fewer problem areas on the MMPI. Relatively few applicants had MMPI scaled scores ⩾ 70.