Self-perceptions, motivation, and adjustment in children with learning disabilities: a multiple group comparison...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Special Education

Background:

• Understanding the self-perceptions and motivational orientations of children with learning disabilities (LD) is crucial for effective educational interventions.
• Previous research has often used varied control groups, potentially impacting findings related to students with LD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare self-perceptions, motivational orientations, and classroom adjustment among children with LD, matched-IQ non-LD, randomly selected non-LD, and low achieving children.
• To investigate discrepancies between self-ratings and teacher ratings for children with LD.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 148 elementary-age children, with 37 in each of four groups: LD, matched-IQ non-LD, randomly selected non-LD, and low achieving.
• Data collection included domain-specific self-concept, control perception, and motivation measures, alongside teacher ratings of motivation, competence, and classroom behavior.

Main Results:

• Children with LD reported lower perceived cognitive competence and academic self-regulation compared to nondisabled peers, but were similar to low achieving children.
• Students with LD were more likely to attribute academic outcomes to external powerful others.
• Teacher ratings of children with LD showed greater divergence from comparison groups than self-ratings.

Conclusions:

• The findings underscore the importance of using carefully selected control groups (matched-IQ and low achieving) in research concerning children with LD.
• Discrepancies between self and teacher perceptions suggest complex factors influencing the classroom adjustment of students with LD.
• Further exploration of environmental factors and self-perceptions is needed to understand and support the adjustment of students with LD.