Affective Influences on Learning Disabled Adolescents

This study investigated: (a) differences between learning disabled and normally achieving adolescents regarding academic self-concept and academic expectations; (b) teacher perception of and academic expectation for learning disabled and normally achieving adolescents; (c) parent academic expectations for learning disabled and normally achieving adolescents; and (d) parental stress. Results indicated that learning disabled adolescents had substantially lower academic self-concepts and academic expectations than normally achieving adolescents. Similarly, teachers had negative perceptions of and low academic expectations for learning disabled adolescents. Finally, parents of learning disabled adolescents had lower academic expectations for their children than did parents of normally achieving adolescents for theirs. Reported stress levels, however, did not differentiate between parents of learning disabled and normally achieving adolescents. The research and the practical implications of the results are discussed.