Comparison of visual-spatial ability of students with non-verbal learning disorder and high-performing independent students

Master's Thesis in Psychology and Education of Exceptional Children

Abstract

The present research was conducted to compare the visual-spatial ability of children with non-verbal learning disorder and high functioning independent children. In this research, a descriptive type of contextualization was used, which was implemented in two stages of selection (subjects and research implementation). The statistical population includes all independent students with high performance and all students with non-verbal learning disorders in Tehran. Available sampling was used in this research. For this purpose, the number of 15 students with non-verbal learning disorders, using the teacher form of Goldstein (1999) and the number of 15 students with high performance from special schools for these children, who were identified using the Garez test. And on each of them, Kohs's cube test was performed. In order to test the research hypothesis, independent t-test was used. The results of the research showed that there is a significant difference between the average scores of students with non-verbal learning disorder and students with high performance in terms of visual-spatial ability. And students with non-verbal learning disorder have better visual-spatial ability than students with high-functioning autism.

Keywords: visual-spatial ability, non-verbal learning disorder, high-functioning autism

Introduction

Non-verbal learning disorder[1] is described and reflects a group of neuropsychological[2], academic, social and emotional characteristics. Deficits in non-verbal reasoning, these defects include weakness in visual-spatial ability, reasoning, executive functions and non-verbal memory. The prevalence of non-verbal learning disorders varies, but it is often estimated that 10 to 15 percent of students with learning disorders also have some kind of non-verbal learning disorder (Ozules[3], 1998; Zeidabadi et al., 2013). The special abilities of these children are: parrot-like memory and learning, simple verbal skills, early development of speech and language, attention to details, early reading skills, remarkable spelling skills, good ability to express themselves and good ability in listening memory (Cronenberg, Vedan, 2003; Thomson [4], 1997, quoted by Alizadeh, 2019).  

Almost 10% of the entire population has learning disabilities and 1 to 10% of these people have non-verbal learning disabilities. Although this information is based on clinical evidence, many experts believe that the prevalence of this disorder is underestimated due to its unknown nature (Nabizadeh, 1384).

High-functioning autism [5] is a developmental disorder with symptoms similar to autism, which was recognized by Austrian psychiatrist Hans Asperger [6] in 1944. This disorder is usually considered and referred as a mild form of withdrawal because people with high level of withdrawal are generally stronger in terms of mental function than people who are usually withdrawn. Like autism, Asperger's syndrome is a long-term condition. However, the fourth revised edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [7] (2000) has classified high-level narcissism as a separate disorder, and there is a contradiction in this article whether high-level narcissism is a separate syndrome or a form of narcissism (Davidai Sousa [8], 2001; translated by Yarmohamedian and Kajbaf, 2018). Children with high self-esteem have been classified as a widespread developmental disorder, which means that this disorder affects all areas of life (Kazemi and Nejad Lahsini, 2017).

High-functioning self-esteem is a relatively rare phenomenon, and research indicates that 10 to 15 people out of every 1000 people have this disorder. Its cause may be a genetic disorder or physical damage to the brain (Lonz, 1996).

Visual spatial ability [9] is a complex process and includes many parts that are related to each other, and their sub-skills include the following activities: the ability to visualize objects mentally, the ability to recognize the difference between objects, orientation, left and right recognition, the ability to recognize the relationships between objects in space (position and orientation), the ability to copy a model and produce and build it using blocks, the ability to adapt some landscapes and interpret objects mentally, and the ability to interpret symbolic images in outer space (maps and ways) and the ability of non-verbal issues and the growth and development of these sub-skills are formed in the early years and develop during childhood and adolescence with the growth of attention, memory, experience and education. Visual-spatial processing[10] is the ability to use visual information to understand the surrounding world (Cronin-Colomb and Brown [11] 1997; Abedi, 2006).

Non-verbal learning disorder and high-level independence with impairments in coordination and movement abilities, perceptual-visual abilities, using and understanding language, social understanding and non-verbal communication in combination with strong language skills and parrot memory. Varkhob, have been described (Niden,[12] 2010).

Statement of the problem

Visual-spatial structure is a kind of central cognitive ability. There is a large individual difference between people in the ability to perform visual-spatial tasks. For example, some people can draw very well and some can't draw well, some people can copy complex patterns correctly and quickly, others can copy correctly but slowly, and some can only copy simple patterns (Morvis, Robinson, & Pani, 1999; Manshadi, 2019).

Despite the common clinical features between high-functioning introversion and non-verbal learning disorder, in fact These two disorders have been considered separate according to visual-spatial patterns, communication and social skills, considering that spatial cognition is located in the right hemisphere of the brain, non-verbal learning disorder has also been considered a right hemisphere disorder. However, autism spectrum disorders have been introduced as left hemisphere disorders and developmental coordination disorder has similarities and common clinical features with non-verbal learning disorders; For example, both of these groups of children have problems in mental-motor, perceptual-visual-spatial skills, in tactile perception and perceptual skills and executive functions (Tangvi [13] 2002, Yalov [14] 2006, quoted by Alizadeh 2009).

Problems with visual perception, visual processing and visual-spatial cognitive ability are among the most obvious characteristics of children with non-verbal learning disorders. These children show a lot of failure in difficult tasks that require visual processing or visual-spatial abilities (Denklig[15] 2000; Haroon Rashidi 2009).

Dmitrescu[16] (2005) in a research investigated the differences in the neurological profile of children with high performance isolation and children with non-verbal learning disorders. The results showed that the group with self-reliance with high performance performed better than the group with non-verbal learning disorder in visual-spatial and visual-structural abilities. And both groups showed general weaknesses in non-verbal areas. The results of Gunter's study [17] (2002) support some predicted deficits in high-functioning introverts based on the profile of non-verbal learning disorder, which includes a pattern of non-verbal, visual-spatial deficits despite having skills in verbal memory and verbal processing, difficulties in understanding humor, serious damage in language, and damaged memory for The patterns are complex and conceptual. They also concluded that Rourke's model of non-verbal learning disorder provides the basis for the organization of many high-level self-restraint features. Research Objective: This research compares the visual spatial ability of students with non-verbal learning disorder and students with high-functioning resiliency disorder. Research hypothesis 1. There is a difference between the spatial visual ability of students with non-verbal learning disorders and high-performing independent students.

The importance and necessity of research

Differential diagnosis of non-verbal learning disorders is of particular importance. There are common features between non-verbal learning disorders and some developmental disorders such as Asperger's disorder that may cause errors in diagnosis. Diagnostic criteria of children with non-verbal learning disorder: 1. Presence of deficiencies and abilities side by side 2. Insufficiency in visual-spatial ability 3. Difficulty in learning handwriting, essays and mathematics and at the same time ability in decoding in the early stages of reading 4.