Considering that learning problems are a vulnerability factor throughout child development, mainly when other adversities are present, this research investigated the association between past conditions and present adjustment in adolescents who have attended a child guidance clinic because of their learning difficulties. The adolescents and their mothers were interviewed and data related to past life conditions were taken from their files. We assessed 41 adolescents of both sexes, with an age mean of 13,8 years. Of those, two groups were constituted. The first had nine adolescents referred to mental health services because of severe adjustment problems. The second, ten adolescents with minimal adjustment difficulties. The comparison between groups showed more personal and familiar negative past conditions among adolescents with poorer present adjustment. These results point to the need for psychological follow-up of children presenting learning problems associated with other vulnerability conditions.
Learning disability; socio-emotional adjustment
