This study aimed to identify the incidence of emotional and behavioral problems, as well as the types of behavior problems associated to academic performance. For such purpose, Rutter's Child Behavior Scale-A2 and Rutter's B Scale were applied to students of first and second years of elementary school, aged 6 to 10 years and divided into two groups of 20 children each: a Low Academic Performance group (LAP) and a High Academic Performance group (HAP). The results evidenced that most of children in LAP group, unlike those in HAP group, reached scores indicative of the existence of emotional/behavioral problems, and that the incidence of the majority of the behavior-specific problems was always higher in LAP group. These findings highlight that behavioral problems represent a strong risk condition for learning problems and that working with children with learning disabilities should also take into account features related to behavior.
learning disabilities; behavior problems; risk factors; low academic performance
