A Concept Analysis of Learning Disability Based on Research Articles Published in India

This study employs a model of concept analysis (Walker & Avant, 2005) with cases to determine the critical attributes that define learning disability. Purposive sampling technique was used to identify a source list of 30 online or offline research articles on the topic of learning disabilities as published by authors of Indian origin across 26 indexed national and international journals in 2014–15. Results show: (a) the term ‘learning disability’ is preferred (N: 22/30; 73.33%) to its counterpart with ‘specific’ prefixed to it; (b) Almost half of the research articles give no operational definition (N: 14/30; 46.67%), do not explain its meaning (N: 11/30; 36.66%) or enunciate its features (N: 9/30; 30.00%); (c) Many articles give no citation, references, and do not use formal standardized psychometrically valid tools to screen or identify the targeted samples of study; (d) Available conceptual definitions of ‘learning disability’ show minimal agreement on the preferred nomenclature, inclusion and exclusion criteria, official definitions, use of diagnostic criteria, in their understanding of course, consequences or prognosis about the condition. The findings are discussed in the light of perils involved in continuing to research on this complex problem in the absence of at least a country wide agreed upon official definition of learning disability.