Controllability Attributions for Academic Performance and the Perceived Scholastic Competence,Global Self-Worth and Achievement of Children with Dyslexia.
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online November, 2001
Controllability Attributions for Academic Performance and the Perceived Scholastic Competence,Global Self-Worth and Achievement of Children with Dyslexia.
This study was designed to investigate the relationship between controllability attributions for academic performance and the self-perceptions of children with severe and persistent reading difficulties (dyslexia) and classmates without learning difficulties. The participants were 20 children with dyslexia and 20 children with no identified learning difficulties aged 8-11 years in mainstream classes. Selfperceptions were measured using Harter's (1985) Self-Perception Profile for Children. Attributions for academic performance were assessed and classified as controllable or uncontrollable. Children identified as dyslexic using a modern working definition were found to have significantly lower perceived scholastic competence than their normally achieving peers, but their global self-worth was not significantly lower. In these respects the results of this study closely paralleled the results of previous research which employed IQ-achievement discrepancy definitions of dyslexia. Children with uncontrollable attributions had significantly lower perceived scholastic competence than children with controllable attributions, even when actual reading attainment was taken into account. The relationship between controllability attributions for academic performance and perceived scholastic competence was found to be similar for children with dyslexia and their normally achieving classmates. It is suggested that intervention focused on the these variables in mainstream classrooms may benefit both pupils with dyslexia and their normally achieving peers.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Ames, C. and Archer, J. (1988) 'Achievement Goals in the Classroom: Pupils' Learning Strategies and Motivational Processes', Journal of Educational Psychology80: 260-267.
2.
Baer, G. C. , Clever, A. and Proctor, W. A. (1991) 'Self-Perceptions of Nonhandicapped Children and Children with Learning Disabilities in Integrated Classes', Journal of Special Education24: 409-426.
3.
Baker, J. M. and Zigmond, N. (1990) 'Are Regular Education Classes Equipped to Accommodate Students with Learning Disabilities?'Exceptional Children56: 515-528.
4.
Black, F. (1974) 'Self-Concept as Related to Achievement and Age in LD Children', Child Development45: 1137-1140.
5.
Boetsch, E. A. , Green, P. A. and Pennington, B. F. (1996) 'Psychosocial Correlates of Dyslexia Across the Life Span'Development and Psychopathology8: 539-562.
6.
Borkowski, J. G. , Weyhing, R. S. and Carr, M. (1988) 'Effects of Attributional Retraining on Strategy-Based Reading Comprehension in Learning-Disabled Students', Journal of Eduactional Psychology80: 46-53.
7.
British Psychological Society (BPS) (1999) Dyslexia, Literacy and Psychological Assessment. Leicester: British Psychological Society.
8.
Burden, R. (1999) 'Children's Self-Perceptions', in N.L. Frederickson and R.J. Cameron (eds) Psychology in Education Portfolio. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.
9.
Butler, R. and Marinov-Glassman, D. (1994) 'The Effects of Educational Placement and Grade Level on the Self-Perceptions of Low Achievers and Students with Learning Disabilities', Journal of Learning Disabilities27: 325-334.
10.
Cadieux, A. (1996) 'Relationship between Self-Concept and Classroom Behaviour among Learning and Non-Learning Disabled Students in Regular Classes', Perceptual and Motor Skills82: 1043-1050.
11.
Carr, M. , Borkowski, J. G. and Maxwell, S. E. (1991) 'Motivational Components of Underachievement', Developmental Psychology27: 108-118.
12.
Casey, R. , Levy, S. E., Brown, K. and Brooks-Gunn, J. (1992) 'Impaired Emotional Health in Children with Mild Reading Disability', Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrics13: 256-260.
13.
Chapman, J. W. (1988) 'Cognitive-Motivational Characteristics and Academic Achievement of Learning Disabled Children: A Longitudinal Study', Journal of Educational Psychology80: 357-365.
14.
Chapman, J. W and Boersma, F.J. (1979) 'Learning Disabilities, Locus of Control and Mother Attitudes', Journal of Educational Psychology71: 250-258.
15.
Elliott, C.D. (1997) British Ability Scales II. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.
16.
Gersons-Wolfensberger, D.C.M. and Ruijssenaars, W.A.J.J.M. (1997) 'Definition and Treatment of Dyslexia: A Report by the Committee on Dyslexia of the Health Council of the Netherlands', Journal ofLearning Disabilities30: 209-213.
17.
Gresham, F.M. and MacMillan, D.L. (1997) 'Social Competence and Affective Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities', Review of Educational Research67: 377-415.
18.
Grigorenko, E.L. (2001) 'Developmental Dyslexia: An Update on Genes, Brains and Environments', Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry42: 91-125.
19.
Grolnick, W.S. , and Ryan, R.M. (1990) 'Self-Perceptions, Motivation and Adjustment in Children with Learning Disabilities: A Multiple Group Comparison Study', Journal of Learning Disabilities23: 177-184.
20.
Halmhuber, N.L. and Paris, S.G. (1993) 'Perceptions of Competence and Control and the Use of Coping Strategies by Children with Disabilities', Learning Disabilities Quarterly16: 93-111.
21.
Harter, S. (1982) 'The Perceived Competence Scale for Children', Child Development53: 87-97.
22.
Harter, S. (1985) Manual for the Self-Perception Profile for Children. Denver, CO: University of Denver.
23.
Harter, S. , Whitesell, N.R. and Junkin, L.J. (1998) 'Similarities and Differences in Domain Specific and Global Self-Evaluations of Learning-Disabled, Behaviourally Disordered, and Normally Achieving Adolescents', American Educational Research Journal35: 653-680.
24.
Jacobsen, B. , Lowery, P. and DuCette, J. (1986) 'Attribution of Learning Disabled Children', Journal of Educational Psychology78: 59-64.
25.
Kistner. J. , Haskett, M., White, K. and Robbins, F. (1987) 'Perceived Competence and Self-Worth of LD and Normally Achieving Students', Learning Disability Quarterly10: 37-44.
26.
Kistner. J. A. , Osbourne, M. and LeVerrier, L. (1988) 'Causal Attributions of Learning Disabled Children: Developmental Patterns and Relation to Academic Progress', Journal of Educational Psychology80: 82-89.
27.
Kloomok, S. and Cosden, M (1994) 'Self-Concept in Children with Learning Disabilities: The Relationship Between Global Self-Concept, Academic 'Discounting', Non-Academic Self-Concept, and Perceived Social Support', Learning Disabilities Quarterly17: 140-153.
28.
Kunnen, S. (1993) 'Attributions and Perceived Control over School Failure in Handicapped and Non-handicapped Children', International Journal of Behavioural Development16: 113-125.
29.
Lincoln, A. and Chazan, S. (1979) 'Perceived Competence and Intrinsic Motivation in Learning Disability Children', Journal of Clinical and Child Psychology8: 213-216.
30.
Madge, S. , Affleck, J. and Lowenbraun, S (1990) 'Social Effects of Integrated Classrooms and Resource RoomfRegular Class Placements on Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities', Journal of Learning Disabilities23: 439-445.
31.
Piers, E. and Harris, D. (1969) The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. Nashville, TN: Counselor Recordings and Tests.
32.
Renick, M. J. and Harter, S. (1989) 'Impact of Social Comparisons on the Developing Self-Perceptions of Learning Disabled Students', Journal of Educational Psychology81: 631-638.
33.
Rosenthal, J. (1973) 'Self-Esteem in Dyslexic Children', Academic Therapy9: 27-33.
34.
Shaywitz, S.E. , Shaywitz, B.A., Fletcher, J.M. and Escobar, M.D. (1990) 'Prevalence of Reading Disability in Boys and Girls: Results of the Connecticut Longitudinal Study', Journal of the American Medical Association264: 998-1002.
35.
Share, D.L. (1996) 'Word Recognition and Spelling Processes in Specific Reading Disabled and Garden-variety Poor Readers', Dyslexia2: 167-174.
36.
Siegel, L. S. (1992) 'An Evaluation of the Discrepancy Definition of Dyslexia', Journal of Learning Disabilities25: 616-629.
37.
Stanovich, K.E. (1996) 'Towards a More Inclusive Definition of Dyslexia', Dyslexia2: 154-166.
38.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) (1994) The Salamanca Statement and Framework forAction on Special Needs Education. Paris: UNESCO.
39.
Vaughn, S. , Elbaum, B. E. and Schumm, J. S. (1996) 'The Effects of Inclusion on the Social Functioning of Students with Learning Disabilities', Journal of Learning Disabilities29: 598-508.
40.
Velluntino, F.R. , Scanlon, D.M. and Lyon, R. (2000) 'IQ Scores Do Not Differentiate Between Difficult to Remediate and Readily Remediated Poor Readers: More Evidence Against the IQ-achievement Discrepancy Definition of Reading Disability', Journal of Learning Disabilities33: 223-238.
41.
Weiner, B. (1985) 'An Attributional Theory of Achievement Motivation and Emotion', Psychological Review92: 548-573.
42.
Wiest, D.J. , Wong, E.H. and Kriel, D.A. (1998) 'Predictors of Global Self-Worth and Academic Performance Among Regular Education, Learning Disabled and Continuation High School Students', Adolescence33: 601-618.
