Diagnostic utility of the critical level formula and clinical summary scales of the luria‐nebraska Neuropsychological Battery‐Children's Revision with learning‐disabled children

Abstract

The diagnostic utility of the critical level formula and the clinical summary scales of the Luria‐Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery‐Children's Revision (LNNB‐C) were examined with 23 learning‐disabled (LD) and 15 normal children (mean age of 10 years, 3 months). Descriptive statistics indicated that LD children performed more poorly than did normal controls on all LNNB‐C scales with the exception of the Visual scale. High interscale correlations were found for both groups of children on some scales, although the consistencies of the scale relationships varied by group. Using the critical level formula and two different criteria to specify abnormal performance, a 96% anda 100% accurate classification rates for the LD group were obtained. Of the three summary scales, the Pathognomonic scale demonstrated the most sensitivity in differentiating the two groups. These data suggest that the critical level formula and clinical summary scales of the LNNB‐C may be useful in distinguishing LD from normal children. However, due to the lack of scale independence, differential diagnosis of neuropsychological functions in LD children may not be possible.