Reliability and Validity of the NIMHANS Index of Specific Learning Disabilities

Abstract

The present study, aims to establish the reliability and validity of the NIMHANS Index for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) for a sample of children with SLD. The NIMHANS Index for Specific Learning Disabilities was initially developed by Kapur, John, Rozario and Oommen in 1991 in the Department of Clinical Psychology, NIMHANS, Bangalore. The study was conducted on a sample of 40 children selected from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, (CAMHU), NIMHANS after meeting the inclusion criteria of the study. Each child was individually assessed using MISIC and NIMHANS SLD index. The parents were also seen separately and administered the DPCL. They were also asked to bring the Checklist for School Report completed by the class teacher. Out of the 40 children tested, 35 children were confirmed as having Specific Learning Disability and five did not SLD as per the NIMHANS Index for SLD. There was significant correlation between teachers rating and clinical rating when compared with the presence of SLD. There was moderate association found between severities of SLD as assessed on the NIMHANS Index Specific Learning Disabilities with the Parental rating on the Learning Difficulties subscale of the DPCL.