מאפיינים רגשיים-התנהגותיים, חברתיים ומוטיבציוניים בקרב נערות בסיכון עם לקויות למידה

The study focuses on understanding learning disabilities (LD) as a non-specific risk factor for emotional-behavioral disorders (EBD) and cognitive and motivational disorders among at-risk adolescent girls. It examined the ability of LD to predict theories of mind (ToM) as a measure of social understanding, internalizing and externalizing problems, and anxiety among adolescent girls with and without LD in three educational settings: youth protection authority facilities (YPA), special education (SE) and general education (GE). The sample included 46 girls adjudicated in YPA facilities, 31 with LD, and 15 without LD, seven girls placed in SE settings due to their LD, 23 girls attending GE settings, 14 with LD, and nine without LD. YPA girls with LD expressed the most severe emotional-behavioral problems. LD predicted theories of mind ability and institution type predicted theory of mind ability and emotional-behavioral problems. The need for gendered treatment for LD in research and in practice is discussed.