THE PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN WITH TURNER SYNDROME

Turner syndrome (TS) is a condition that affects 1 in 2,500 females du e to a loss of some X chromosome material. It is characterized by a nu mber of common physical features, including short stature, sexual infa ntilism, and infertility, as well as by specific learning and behavior problems. This article compares abilities, achievement, behavior, and self-esteem in 67 children with TS and 27 nonaffected controls. Resul ts indicate selective impairments in visuospatial and memory areas and significant underachievement in arithmetic, particularly numerical ab ility, mental calculation, geometry, and reasoning. Learning problems, a major concern for parents, were not being satisfactorily addressed at school. Poor social competence and increased behavior problems, par ticularly in the area of hyperactivity, were also noted. Although self -esteem was only marginally lower, issues related to poor peer relatio ns were most problematic.