Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Supervisor: Margaret Semrud-Clikeman. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

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Children and adolescents with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NVLD) commonly experience severe social and academic difficulties. Youth with NVLD lack social competence. They display poor social perception and find it challenging to appropriately attend to the facial expressions, prosody, and body language of others. Children with NVLD are often unable to accurately interpret social exchanges. Subsequently, they have trouble determining which behaviors to enact and tend to respond to social situations with inappropriate or atypical behaviors. As a result, they are repeatedly isolated, neglected, and ostracized by their peers (Little, 1993). These negative experiences correspond with elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts (Fletcher, 1989; Rourke, Young & Leenars, 1989). This study sought to gain a greater understanding of how youth with NVLD process social information as their poor performance in this area increases the likelihood that they will experience detrimental life outcomes. This study examined the perspectives of children with NVLD and the perspectives of their primary caretakers and teachers. Participants consisted of 12 children with NVLD between the ages nine and 13. A parent and teacher of each child also participated. Data was collected via interviews, observations, and field notes. Grounded theory methodology was used to analyze data for significant themes and trends. Data analysis generated rich theory regarding how children with NVLD understand social interactions and nonverbal communication. Key traits of those with NVLD are detailed and findings indicate that communication across parties promotes social development. / text

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

This research is an exploratory investigation into the convergence of Asperger‟s syndrome and Nonverbal learning disability and the inclusion of these learners into mainstream schools. Conceptual research has been used based on questions asked around Asperger‟s syndrome, Nonverbal learning disability, convergences and differences between the disabilities based on the history, etiology, assessment and diagnosis of each disorder as well as alternative forms of assessment and diagnosis. Due to the wide body of literature available in this area of research and the nature of conceptual research, this study is largely literature based. The aim of the research is to look at the literature that supports the convergence between Asperger‟s syndrome and Nonverbal learning disability and to study the assessment tools that are being used to diagnose Asperger‟s syndrome and Nonverbal learning disability to see if various tools can be taken from both batteries of tests and used as one. An important part of this research is its placement in the educational context of inclusion. The results from this research will add to the literature already available on this topic, emphasising the importance of accurate and thorough investigation and assessment towards reaching a diagnosis and the implementation of a valid support plan. The research also offers a discourse concerning learners who are not in a position to be assessed for diagnosis and the benefits of using the SIAS strategy for these learners. The research confirms that there is a convergence between Asperger‟s syndrome and Nonverbal learning disability. It also confirms that, despite the convergence, the assessment and intervention for each disorder is mostly different and a misdiagnosis would not be beneficial to the learner. The findings of the research are also largely confirmatory of literature and other research studies in this area. Finally, the research takes a critical look at the purpose, benefits and possible downfalls of labelling a learner with a specific disability, and how labelling could either help or hinder a learner in their educational pursuits. Possible directions for future research into Asperger‟s syndrome, Nonverbal learning disability, assessment tools and support structures are discussed

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Nov. 12, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 150-173).

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Illinois University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-86).

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The purpose of this study was to construct and validate a parent rating scale to screen for individuals with nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD). Scale construction began with extensive literature review and concluded with the adoption of Rourke’s conceptualization of the NLD syndrome. The behavioral manifestations in the areas of language, academics, adaptive and socioemotional functioning of Rourke’s model were deduced to be reasonable NLD constructs for the parent rating scale. An Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) group was used to test the sensitivity of the parent rating scale in differentiating NLD from AS in view of their several shared characteristics. The literature supported the presence of “unusual, restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities” that typically are seen in AS but not seen in NLD as one probable differentiating factor. Hence, Likert scale items were written for 5 constructs - Language Assets and Deficits, Academic Assets and Deficits, Adaptive Deficits, Socioemotional Deficits, and Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behavior. Validation of the NLD parent rating scale began with data collection from the AS, NLD and Control groups. The NLD and AS groups consisted of parents of children who had been diagnosed in a clinical setting. The Control group children had never been evaluated for special education services by the school system or clinically diagnosed. Subjects were 14 in the AS group, 45 NLD, and 46 Control group. Discriminant groups validity test indicated that the AS, NLD and Control groups were significantly different from one another on the 4 extracted factors i.e., Socio-Conceptual, Asperger’s Syndrome, Adaptive and Learning Style. Thus, it may be concluded that the parent rating scale is discriminating in screening for individuals with NLD. The construct that most differentiates NLD from Control is the Socio-Conceptual deficits factor, which demonstrates the significant difficulty of individuals with NLD in interpreting the subtleties and nuances in social interactions and in understanding concepts. The NLD and AS groups were significantly different on the Learning Style factor but could not be differentiated on the other three factors, thus supporting literature that NLD and AS have overlapping characteristics and yet are distinctive disorders / Department of Educational Psychology