Characteristics, across categories, of 198 students previously identified as educable mentally retarded, learning disabled, and emotionally disturbed were analyzed in order to validate their relevance in distinguishing among the three groups of children. The characteristics selected for study were grouped into three areas: (a) cognitive (including IQ, reading underachievement, and subtest scatter on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children), (b) affective (rated on statistically interrelated patterns of behavior labeled "conduct disorder," "personality problem," and "immaturity-inadequacy"), and (c) demographic (socioeconomic status). The results of the study showed wide separation on two discriminant functions and revealed the significance of certain measures in classifying exceptional children. IQ, underachievement in reading, test-score scatter, conduct disorder, and the personality-problem measure correctly classified 81.8% of the population. Although the widely used variables correctly classify (for labeling purposes) a large percentage of children, the question of educational relevance remains unanswered.
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