Research demonstrates that while awareness of learning disabilities helps improve academic achievement, too much attention to them may cause anxiety and a decline in achievement. The research was conducted at the Department of Learning Disabilities of the University of Haifa by Liat Feingold, under the direction of Dr. Michal Shany and Prof. Avigdor Klingman. "Until now, no one had examined whether awareness of learning disabilities is always helpful in coping with the problem or whether in certain cases it is delaying factor," explained Ms. Feingold.
Eight-five elementary school children with reading delays, the most commonly diagnosed leaning disability, participated in the study which was designed to evaluate whether self-awareness of a reading disability would improve academic achievement. Two aspects of "self-awareness" were evaluated: actual knowledge of the disability and the amount of concern with it. The study showed that knowledge of a reading disability resulted in improved achievement, but that continuous dealing with it caused general feelings of anxiety and a decline in achievement.
"It is important that children with reading problems know what their learning disability is, what its ramifications are and how to deal with the problem. However, it is important not to spend too much time dealing with the issue," stressed Ms. Feingold who explained that the more the child thinks about his disability and how it will affect his life, the more anxious he becomes." As a result of the anxiety, the information processing systems become overloaded and the result is a decline in academic achievement."
She adds that the results contradict the currently accepted theory that parents should be as involved as possible with their child's learning disabilities, revealing that exposing a child to repeated clinical evaluations and different treatment methods causes exaggerated mental activity, which actually disrupts and harms the chances of academic success.
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