Review Article_Specific Learning Disability Assessment and Interpretation: NIMHANS SLD Battery and Beyond

To diagnose Specific Learning Disability (SLD) in India, only 'NIMHANS Specific Learning Disability Battery (NSB)' is accepted for assessment and certification of disability. Earlier editions of the NSB used 'functioning at three standards below the current class of the child' to arrive at a diagnosis of SLD, and was simple to administer and interpret. Given these, majority of psychologists used it in their routine assessments, and in most of the cases, it was relatively easy to diagnose SLD with this battery. A major limitation faced when using the NSB was that it had test items only till the 7th grade. In the updated NSB, there are test items till the 10th grade, which is definitely a big upgrade. However, as the battery is relatively concise and does not clearly describe the nuances of assessment and interpretation in marginal and complex scenarios, some young psychologists and research scholars might find it difficult to diagnose SLD. Some of these scenarios are, when the child shows problems in academics but does not exactly fulfil the NSB criteria; when the child is having problems with second language instead of the first language; when the child is from an international curriculum; when the child is studying in a class higher than grade 10; when comprehension appears to be impaired; and/or the issue of whether or not to have so many subtypes of SLD. This article highlights some of these issues, discusses and attempts to provide possible solutions with respect to assessment and interpretation.