Family environment and loneliness among adolescents with learning disability

Abstract

Learning Disability is an “umbrella” term that describes a number of other, specific learning disabilities, like dyslexia and dysgraphia. Children and adolescents with learning disability have average or above average intelligenc but still show difficulty in forming relationships at family and at school. Family plays its own specific effect on child development by providing day to day experiences and in their behaviour formation. The purpose of the present research was to examine and compare the family environment and loneliness among male and female adolescents who are been diagnosed with and without learning disability. The samples selected were 60 adolescents with learning disability (30) and without learning disability (30) aged between 10 and 14 years studying in normal schools and special institutions. Family Interaction Scale by Dr. Asha (1987) and UCLA Loneliness Scale by Russell. D, Peplau. L. A., Ferguson, M. L. (1978) were used to determine family relationship and experience of loneliness among them. Student t-test and Pearson correlation were used as statistical tools for analysis of result. The result indicated a significant difference in family relationships and experience of loneliness among adolescents with and without learning disability. Significant negative correlation existed between family relationship and experience of loneliness.