EVALUATING THE CONGRUENCE AMONG METHODS OF READING-DISABILITY IDENTIFICATION

Diagnostic procedures used to identify reading disabilities must meet acceptable psychometric standards and produce groups of subjects who p ossess known characteristics of the disorder. The issue addressed in t his study is whether there are significant differences in the numbers of children identified as reading disabled according to an achievement cut-off method and a regression method of discrepancy analysis. These approaches then are compared to clinic diagnosis and other criteria. The achievement cut-off approach identified a significantly higher num ber of subjects as reading disabled than did the other methods. This a pproach also resulted in significant reading-disabled/nondisabled grou p differences that were not seen when groups were formed using the reg ression method. The achievement cut-off approach had a lower level of agreement with clinic diagnosis than did the regression method and met fewer of the evaluative criteria than did the regression method. Use of the achievement cut-off approach resulted in the apparent overident ification of reading disabilities in the current sample, thus this app roach cannot be recommended for use without more supportive research.