Section outline

  • Topic: Clinical Social Work with learning disabled children and adolescents.

    A.     The definition of learning disabilities- the assumption of central nervous system dysfunction.               

    B.    Psychological processes associated with learning disabilities.

    C.    The impact of trauma on cognitive development.

    D.    Difficulties in reading, writing, mathematics, executive functioning and attention.

    E.    Non-verbal Learning Disability, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and Asperger’s Syndrome

    F.     The role of school social workers- consultant, clinician, and ombudsman

    G.    Treatment issues with learning disabled youth.

    Readings:

    Required:

    -Dane, E. (1990) Painful Passages- Working with Children with Learning Disabilities.  NASW Press.  Chapters 1 and 2.

    -Palombo, Joseph, (2002) The therapeutic process with children with learning disorders. Psychoanalytic Social Work, 8:3-4, 143-168.

    Recommended:

    Bromfield, R. (2007) Chapter 14.

    Palumbo, J. (2011) Executive function conditions and self-deficits in Heller, N.R. and Gitterman, A. Mental Health and Social Problems: A social work perspective. Routledge, Chapter 13, pp. 282-312.