The accuracy of academic self-evaluations in adolescents with learning disabilities

The purpose of this study was to document the degree of overestimation of academic skills among students with learning disabilities (LD) and to evaluate the role of reference group and metacognitive awareness in such overestimation. High school students with (n = 52) and without (n = 49) LD in Grades 9 through 12 completed a self-concept scale and a survey requiring them to rate their own academic skills in 17 specific skill areas. Students were further asked to predict their performance on two academic tasks prior to actually performing the tasks. The students' mothers or fathers, their English teachers or academic advisors, and (in the case of the students with LD) their special education case managers also completed the skill rating inventory and predicted student performance on the two tests. Despite reporting significantly lower academic self-concepts, students with LD overestimated their academic skills relative to the ratings of others and to their actual test performance. Such overestimation was less pronounced among the students without LD. All participants reported using similar reference groups in making their judgments. Analyses of item-by-item accuracy judgments from the two tests revealed evidence of group differences in metacognitive awareness that may be related to the overestimation. These findings have implications for realistic goal setting and effective self-advocacy.