The prevalence and comorbidity rates of specific learning disorder among primary school children in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of specific learning disorder (SLD), comorbid disorders, and risk factors in primary school children for the first time in two-stage design in Turkey.

Materials and methods: Participants were 1041 pupils in 28 primary schools and aged from 7 to 11. The Mathematics, Reading, Writing Assessment Scale (MOYA) teacher and parent forms were used in the screening stage and parents and teachers of each child completed MOYA. Ninety-five children were screen positive and eighty-three of these children participated in the interview. SLD diagnoses were based on DSM V criteria. Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children–Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) was used for the comorbid psychiatric disorders.

Results and conclusions: The prevalence rate of the SLD was 6.6%, impairment in reading was 4%, in mathematics was 3.6%, and in written expression was 1.8%. About 62.75% of children with SLD had one or more comorbid diagnoses. ADHD was the most common comorbid mental disorder in SLD (54.9%). SLD prevalence was higher among males. The prevalence of SLD in primary school children in Turkey is consistent with previous studies.

Keywords:

• Specific learning disorder
• prevalence
• comorbidity
• children

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the teachers, parents, and the children who participated in this study for their cooperation. The authors also would like to thank to Denizli provincial directorate of national education, Pamukkale guidance and research center and Merkezefendi guidance and research center for their help.

Ethical approval

Ethical approval for the study was granted from the Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine Medical Ethics Committee.

Informed consent

All procedures performed in the study were in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all study participants.

Disclosure statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Notes on contributors

Study concept and design: AB, ÖB and HŞ. Data acquisition: AB, ÖB. Analysis and interpretation of data: AB, ÖB and HŞ. Critical revision: AB, ÖB and HŞ.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.