Academic Achievement of Children with Intellectual Disability in Relation to Their Problem Behaviour

Abstract

The academic achievement of children with intellectual disability is shaped not only by their cognitive capacity but also by behavioural and emotional factors that influence learning. Among these, problem behaviour—whether the externalising behaviour of aggression and hyperactivity or the internalising behaviour of withdrawal and anxiety—is recognised as a significant obstacle to learning in this population. The present study examined the academic achievement and problem behaviour of children with intellectual disability and analysed the relationship between the two. A descriptive and correlational survey design was adopted, and data were gathered for 120 children with mild and moderate intellectual disability through teacher-assessed achievement records and a standardised problem-behaviour rating completed by teachers and parents. The findings show that the children attained limited academic achievement and exhibited a notable level of problem behaviour, with externalising behaviour somewhat more prevalent than internalising behaviour. Problem behaviour was significantly and negatively correlated with academic achievement, and children with higher problem behaviour achieved significantly less than those with lower problem behaviour. The study concludes that the management of problem behaviour is integral to improving the academic achievement of children with intellectual disability, and it offers recommendations for teachers, schools, and families.