Comparisons of Self-Efficacy, Mood, Effort, and Hope Between Students with Learning Disabilities and Their Non-LD-Matched Peers

Abstract

The goals of this study were to compare self-perceptions of self-efficacy, mood, effort, and hope between 123 adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) and a group of 123 Non-LD peers, who were matched for their level of academic performance and gender, and to explore the relations between measures of self-perception and achievement. The results showed that students with LD reported lower academic self-efficacy and lower social self-efficacy. They also rated their mood as more negative and reported lower levels of hope and less investment of effort in their academic work. At the same time, no significant differences were found for emotional self-efficacy in comparison to the Non-LD peer group. In addition, among students with LD who were successful in their studies, a subgroup continued to report low levels of hope. The results demonstrated that even when the academic performance of students with LD is similar to their Non-LD peers, their specific and global self-perceptions continue to reflect their distress. It is not clear if these results represent past difficulties, day-to-day struggles, and/or future worries. Resilience models are proposed and research limitations are specified.Requests for reprints should be sent to Timothy Lackaye, Hunter College,

Academic Optimism, Hope and Zest for Work as Predictors of Teacher Self-efficacy and Perceived Success

“…A positive relationship between self-efficacy and hope has been identified in previous literature (Bryant & Cvengors, 2004;Kumarakulasingam, 2002;Lackaye, Margalit, Ziv, & Ziman, 2006;Robinson & Snipes, 2009;Sarı, 2011); similarly, this study confirms this positive relationship. Consistency between the findings of this research and those of previous studies is observed, as the higher teachers' hope levels are, the higher selfefficacy levels can develop.…”

“…Several studies investigated the same variables as in this research. The literature also disclosed a relationship between efficacy and academic optimism (Akhtar, Ghayas, & Adil, 2013;Chemers, Watson, & May, 2000;Hulbert & Morrison, 2006;McGuigan & Hoy, 2006;Robinson & Snipes, 2009), efficacy and hope (Bryant & Cvengors, 2004;Kumarakulasingam, 2002;Lackaye, Margalit, Ziv, & Ziman, 2006;Robinson & Snipes, 2009;Sarı, 2011), as well as optimism and hope (Amy, Peterson, Tice, Bolling, & Koenig, 2004;Bryant & Cvengros, 2004;Peleg, Barag, Harel, Rochberg, & Hoofien, 2009;Robinson & Snipes, 2009;Shorey, Little, Snyder, Kluck, & Robitschek, 2007;Steinberg, 2007).…”

Attachment Styles and Self-Efficacy in Blind and Non-blind Female High School Students

“…Lackay, Margalit, Ziv, and Ziman (2006) reported that students with learning disabilities and disorders compared with their normal counterparts have lower social self-efficacy, although the two groups were not significantly different regarding emotional self-efficacy. Disabled people need more care and attention in their lifetime (Reichman et al, 2008).…”

The effects of transition intervention on students with mild disabilities.

“…While Self-efficacy centers on how the person judges confidence in his/her abilities to execute goals, self concept provides perceived evaluation of self-worth. Self-efficacy beliefs are more closely related to academic achievement than self-concept (Lackaye, Margalit, Ziv, & Ziman, 2006;Marsh & Hau, 2004;Pajares & Schunk;Pietsch, Walker & Chapman, 2003).…”