Learning Disabilities in Adult Life - Research Paper Example

"Learning Disabilities" Introduction Learning disabilities often go unobserved. There are various myths prevailing in the societies about the learning disabilities. It is believed that as the child grows up, pass out from the school, graduates and also secure job, learning disabilities habitually disappear. Adults, under normal conditions do not come across any problem related with reading and learning. Gradually, as they engage themselves in jobs or when they have to meet the day-to-day challenges, they feel that they are struggling hard to understand, learn and remember. Once an individual experiences the efforts while learning new things, stress generates and this drastically affects the personal and professional dealings of the individual. According to Nicholson & Cooper, (2012), social exclusion emerges as a problem for the individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). A similar problem was also observed in the individuals belonging to the rural areas as individuals belonging to the rural areas do not get good exposure to the latest trends and therefore have poor knowledge about many practical as well as technical things. Individuals belonging to the category of intellectual disability residing in rural areas are at greater disadvantage. Learning disabilities are unrelenting as well as insidious in the life of individual possessing learning disabilities. Often people who grow up with such disability suffer with a feeling of shame. In some cases individual do not like to reveal their learning disabilities as they feel it is an impact on their status and position at workplace and also in the society but on the other hand a few individuals feel happy and relieved to seek the treatment for this predicament. It becomes difficult for the physicians to reach to the diagnosis in a better way as individuals do not reveal the truth in most of the cases. Initially, individuals with learning disabilities were regarded as mentally retarded or mentally challenged. Individuals with learning disabilities inculcate feeling of shame and hide their problems and the problem becomes more grave when such individuals are tagged as lazy and brainless. A psychological impact is observed in such individuals and they deny their learning disabilities as a protective mechanism to safeguard their position in the society. Internal pessimistic tags of being uncompetitive inculcates the feeling of poor understanding of self-worth as well as lack of self-belief and self-reliance (Gerber et al, 1992). Observation and research studies highlight the fact that some adults who any how managed to pass out their school often come across difficulty in coping with the basic literacy agility and dexterity, they are slow in processing the information, understanding the facts and also find difficulty in reciprocating the facts. Attention intricacies are often faced by such individuals, chronic absentmindedness, poor memory retention and complexity is also observed in their organizational skills as well as management of things. There are various misnomers persisting in the society about the learning disabilities encompassing- individuals with learning disabilities are have low intelligence and they can never learn appropriately. However according to Gerber, (1998), most of the students with learning disabilities possess average to above average intelligence. According to Brody & Mills (1997), most of the individuals belonging to the category of learning disability are actually gifted. Timely guidance, supervision and with patience and hard work these individuals are able to cope well to overcome their learning disabilities and can be successful individuals in future. In certain cases, individuals with learning disabilities are marked as the individuals who are lazy and out of their laziness they tend to cut excuse that they are negligent, careless and apathetic or unenthusiastic. Gradually, with the research being carried out and studies performed it is now established that learning disabilities are the resultant of neurological mutilations and it is not related with the characteristic attributes of the individual. An individual has no control over such an attitude and therefore by nature such individuals are not lazy or unenthusiastic but because of their neurological condition they tend to display such characteristics (NICHCY, 2002). Learning disabilities were considered to be associated with childhood but now it has been established that learning disabilities continue throughout the lifespan of the individual. Moreover, such kind of disabilities deepen in adulthood when tasks as well as demands changes. As compared to the school and college curriculum where one has to reproduce what is learnt all through the year, adults, after procuring jobs find difficult to learn new things in a day or in training or workshops. This real life situation expose their learning disabilities and it comes as a shock to the individual, as well as it serves as a stressor for such individuals. Reason why most of the individuals are diagnosed with learning disabilities in their adulthood has emerged, it is now established that such disabilities persisted right from the childhood but could be realized only in adulthood as the individual witnesses the real-life situation. Research studies conducted to understand the impact of psychology, reveals that people never want to expose their weakness and they feel that learning disability is a kind of stigma. The individual categorize stigma under two categories- self-stigma and social or public stigma. Public stigma finds its relation with the kind of cultural atmosphere of the individual. In some countries especially in Asian and African countries, stigma is not very imperative while in Islamic societies, stigma does not finds any place. In western world, public stigma is weighed extremely high. In western countries people have a great terror of being excluded from their communities. The public stigma seizes the authority of the individual, i.e. the individual is thought to be highly irresponsible in all his/ her actions and pursuits. This takes away the individuality as all the decisions are taken by associates about him and the patient is deprived of taking any decision. It is observed that people with learning disabilities are not widely accepted in the social set-up as normal individual. This is one of the major reasons for concealing the disability by the individual. Such an approach paves the way for behavioral impact and the individual feels lonely and secluded, experiences avoidance and segregation. Therefore, it becomes imperative that appropriate strategies and psychological impact must be formulated to change the outlook of people for uplifting the lives of individuals with learning disabilities and to enable them to come out of their disgrace. Observation reveals that people suffering with learning disabilities take their lives in a different manner. They react in severely distorted manner, not because of their condition but because of the society's reaction towards them. The outlook of the individual changes once they witness their discrimination from rest of the individuals in the social circle. The condition becomes grave if not treated in a psychological manner. Fear of being secluded and social isolation could culminate into a typecasting, disbelieve, terror or dodging behaviour and be able to pessimistically impact tracking down of treatment, job status and earnings, self-image and relations with those in the family and also with the society. Thus their personalities are projected as feeble willed and capricious. These features retreat individuals with learning disabilities from their close ones and affects their behaviour as well as their socio-economic status. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the psychology of the individual and necessary actions must be taken. In a research study carried out by Cooper et al (2009), adults with intellectual disabilities display aggression due to their inability to fulfill the given tasks as well as because of lack of competence. Learning disability serves as an inciter of aggression. Study highlight the fact that no research could conclude how aggression affects learning; however, research helps in exploring the impact of learning disabilities of adults. Observation reveals that learning disabilities could be highlighted in school or college years because of various characteristic features which could be noticed right during the childhood days by either the teacher or the parents. As students feel difficulty in reading, writing or with skills in mathematics. Observation also reveals that most people with learning disabilities display more than one area of predicaments. According to Silver (1998), "learning disabilities are life disabilities. The same disabilities that interfere with reading, writing, and arithmetic also will interfere with sports and other activities, family life, and getting along with friends." Therefore, students must be observed for their fine and gross motor skills, time management, attention in the class, the way they organize their things, the speed of their processing as well as understanding things as well as situation, social skills and their ability to make friends and their ability to make and maintain affiliations. Poignant maturation, ability to express opinion, thoughts, willingness or dislikes, co-ordination with others, group discussions, memory retention and ability to reciprocate, application of mind which is very important as it involves the past experience of the individual. These parameters should be observed in ability to carryout the day-today tasks such as maintaining budgets, writing a note, application, letters, e-mails to the friends and also their ability to maintain relationships, arguments with others to prove their worth in social setup. According to Gerber & Reiff (1994), individuals do complete their college or university degree and succeed in their lives but with support and appropriate guidance. According to Mattek & Wierzbicki (1998), individuals with learning disabilities display depression. Cognitive and behavioral characteristics or learning disability inculcates the seeds of depression in such individuals. As depression is a kind of mental disorder which hinders the day-to-day work, studies, sleep, eating habits and also any kind of pleasure the individual with learning disability display dysthymia, and mood swings. It generates negative thoughts as well as behavior leading to changes in bodily functions called as neurodegenerative signs. Thus the normal psychology of the person is affected due to learning disabilities. According to Davis et al, (2009), the quality of life of college and undergraduate students is greatly affected due to learning disabilities, inculcating anxiety in these individuals as well as sadness which is detrimental on the mental as well as physical health of the individual. Any activity that affects the performance or behavior of an individual is designated as behavior or mental process. Thus, learning disability also affects mental process, it encompasses different cognitive operations which are essential in learning process, procuring knowledge, reasoning, memory or learning skills, perception and outlook, attention and ability to be alert and attentive, language skills and communication, thoughts and aptitude, emotions, decision making and problem solving skills. As psychology encompasses a thorough understanding of mental and behavior processes, learning disabilities also aids in being considerate towards brain functioning, communication and interpersonal predispositions, motivation and social behavior along with the physiological as well as neurological predilections. Psychology encompasses various aspects of human nature, comprising developmental aspects with which an individual is nurtured. Individuals with learning disabilities display psychological trouble thus they may suffer with anxiety and sadness leading to depression. An individual who is alert, knowledgeable, possess insight and depth to react towards a fastidious situation gains confidence of others along with the appreciation and approach. On the other hand individuals lacking understanding, knowledge, problem solving skills and appropriate decisive power display poor mental process and lag in accomplishments because of their learning disabilities. Cognitive psychology focuses on the awareness, remembrance and trouble resolving expertise. The ability or the proficiency to react to a given situation defines the cognitive temperament or the cognitive psychology of the individual. In individuals with learning disabilities such co-ordination is lacking and individual display poor cognitive development According to Neisser (1967), cognition involves "all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used. It is concerned with these processes even when they operate in the absence of relevant stimulation, as in images and hallucinations... Given such a sweeping definition, it is apparent that cognition is involved in everything a human being might possibly do; that every psychological phenomenon is a cognitive phenomenon." In order to understand the mind process of an individual an insight about the cognitive psychology is essential (What is cognitive psychology?). Mind processes are essentially imperative to grasp the situation and thinking aptitude of others as it helps an individual to take hold of or grapple and assist people belonging to numerous profession viz. engineering, research, art, designing, to know what is the need of time and what is desired by their customers. Mental process and cognitive psychology support the authorities to understand learning disabilities to meet the requirement of the individual by means of various behaviour patterns. Various physiological (biological) processes are regulated by means of genetic and cellular processes responsible for attitude, memory skills and learning temperament (Pinel, 2010). Numerous psychologists have proposed methodologies to enhance the memory skills. According to Miller (1956), seven is the magic number that could test the memory presentation of the individual. Other researchers have also come up to provide people with various skills to enhance their decision making power, learning temperament and interpersonal skills. A sound physical and mental health, positivity in approach leads to potentially high mental activity and enhanced mental processes and prevents from stress and other associated ailments (Leichsenring, 2003). As the age progresses the experience and perception about the situation becomes more accurate but in case of individuals displaying learning disabilities it becomes a matter of great worry and anxiety. Depending on the family atmosphere, education level of the parents, school approach towards the developing child psychology, along with other evolutionary changes that are age and development linked encompassing learning process, language skills and memory could be monitored (Myers, 2004). Cross-culture psychology is also involved in defining the behavior as well as mental processes. It displays the behavior of an individual in culturally different atmosphere, as culture tend to alter psychology. Physiological conditions such as psychopathology, nervousness and hopelessness could be associated with mental processes in different culture and language, the individual's temperament and adjusting behavior paves the way for the survival under odd situations (Gielen, 2008). The most imperative characteristic of learning disability is behaviour predisposition and disposition is unconscious motives, childhood experiences, conflicts, developmental issues, nurture that defines nature of the child and hence the individual. All these factors together are responsible for a congenial development as well as intellectual and paramount mental process which is highly imperative to have a peaceful, progressive and motivating atmosphere for the learning and to overcome learning disabilities. Summary In the present scenario where competition is hard-hitting and individuals are chip in a career race, an approach is desired where judgmental move toward attitude could be worked well. One has to be critical in displaying cognitive behavior towards enhanced memory power, quick and appropriate decision making temperament, organization of educational program to boost learning power. Darwin's theory is applicable in this aspect too "Survival of the fittest". Various parameters are observed in individuals with learning disabilities encompassing- fear, environmental and emotional sensitivities, emotional directives, adjustment resistance to change. All these parameters are imperative in defining as well as refining learning disabilities. As learning disability is the neurological predicament it is imperative to understand learning disabilities from the psychological, cognitive as well as behaviour aspects. The most imperative characteristic of neurological process and behavior predisposition is unconscious motives, childhood experiences, conflicts, developmental issues, nurture that defines nature of the individual. All these factors together are responsible for a congenial development as well as intellectual and paramount mental process as well as learning abilities. If learning disabilities are recognized in the childhood appropriate guidance can be given to overcome the fear and emotional trauma. Such children must be treated with utmost psychological care. It is highly imperative to have a peaceful, progressive and motivating atmosphere for the absolute development of learning and to overcome the learning disabilities. References Brody, L. E.& Mills, C. J. (1997). Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities: A review of the issues. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30(3), 382-296. Cooper, S.A., Smiley, E., Jackson, A., Finlayson, J., Allan, L., Mantry, D., Morrison, J. (2009). Adults with intellectual disabilities: prevalence, incidence and remission of aggressive behavior and related factors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 53(3), 217-232. Davis, T.E., Nida, R.E., Zlomke, K.R., &Nebel-Schwalm, M.S. (2009). Health-related quality of life in college undergraduates with learning disabilities: the mediational roles of anxiety and sadness. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 31(3), 228-234. Gerber. P.J., Ginsberg, R., Reiff, H.B. (1992). Identifying alterable patterns in employment success for highly successful adults with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 25 (8), 475-487. Gerber, P. J., and Reiff, H., eds. (1994). Learning Disabilities In Adulthood: Persisting Problems And Evolving Issues: Stoneham, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann Gerber, P. J. (1998). Trials and tribulations of a teacher with learning disabilities through his first two years of employment. In R. J. Anderson, C. E. Keller, & J. M. 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