Perceptions of quality of life in children with learning disabilities

Abstract

This study investigated the difference between children with Learning Disabilities (LD) and children without LD in terms of their perceived quality of life. Children with LD and children without LD matched in terms of age, gender, income level and GPA. Children ranging from ages 8 to 15 were selected purposefully from two districts of Ġstanbul (n=240). Children‟s perceived quality of life was measured by the Questionnaire for Measuring Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents – Revised Version (KINDL-R) Turkish Form and perceived quality of life of mothers, who had children with LD, was measured by World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) Turkish Form. In addition, Learning Disabilities Screening Measure was used to gather data from classroom teachers about children with LD. Results of the study showed a statistically significant difference between self-perceived total quality of life of children with LD (M=53.2, SD=12.9) and quality of life of children without LD (M= 71.7, SD=15.8). Parents of children with LD also perceived their children with significantly lower quality of life (M=56.8, SD=13.3) than parents of children without LD did (M=65.6, SD=14.9). Similarly, teachers of children with LD assigned lower quality of life scores (M=43.4, SD=8.4) than teachers of children without LD (M=60.8, SD=13.9). When the relationship between quality of life scores of children with LD and their mothers‟ quality of life was analyzed, a positive and statistically significant relationship was found (r=.44, p<.001). As a result, this study revealed that children with LD have lower quality of life scores than their peers without LD and that the difficulties they experience are observable in different domains of life quality.