Emotional disorder and educational underachievement

Abstract

It is emphasized that various mechanisms by which emotional disturbance may lead to underachievement have, with very few exceptions, not been subjected to systematic investigation and their importance remains a matter for clinical judgment. Of all the varieties of underachievement, specific reading retardation has been most studied. In the case of this disorder, the available evidence suggests that emotional disorder does not play an important part in etiology though motivational factors are more influential in the continuation of difficulties. Though reading retardation shows a strong association with conduct disorder, the mechanisms involved in the association are complex and are not well understood. Several factors probably play a part in the association, but it appears that only rarely does conduct disorder lead to reading difficulties. It is likely that emotional factors play a greater part in the learning inhibitions which arise later in childhood after initial success. However, which mechanisms are most important in this connection is still not known.