Social skills in the comorbidity between learning disabilities and behavior problems: a multimodal assessment

Abstract

The ongoing prevalence and co-morbidity of behavior problems and learning disabilities highlight the importance of early evaluation in the prevention of these problems and some methodological issues. Based in a sample of 50 children with this co-morbidity, of both sexes, aged eight to 12 years, the present study compared results obtained by two instruments (IMHSC-Del-Prette and SSRS-BR) and two informants (children and teachers) showing acquisition and performance deficits of social skills (especially assertive and empathic skills), high frequency of behavior problems and biases between student and teacher evaluations. Implications of the findings in the analysis of educational special needs and in the planning of intervention programs for this population were discussed.