The Epidemiological Distribution of CNS Dysfunction.

The paper comments on an article about the epidemiological distribution of central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. It argues against the use of Bender-Gestalt measure as the statistical basis of the empirical findings in the article. It expresses concern that the rates of CNS dysfunction in Afro-Americans as generated by the study are almost certain to be used in racist polemics and legal briefs. The paper has the potential of doing further disservice to investigators in the area of racial studies, particularly in the sociobiopsychologic factors of behavioral dysfunction in children, and tends to strengthen the deeply felt and considered opinion of many Afro-Americans in the country that scientific studies on race tend to do them more harm than good and that they should be discontinued.