Subgroups of Attributional Profiles in Students with Learning Difficulties and Their Relation to Self–Concept and Academic Goals

Abstract

The aim of this article was fourfold: first, to determine whether there are significant differences between students with (N= 173) and without learning disabilities (LD; N= 172) in the dimensions of self-concept, causal attributions, and academic goals. Second, to determine whether students with LD present a uniform attributional profile or whether there are subgroups of attributional profiles among students with LD. Third, to explore differences between these profiles on the dimensions of self-concept, academic goals, perception of competence-incompetence, persistence when faced with failure, peer relationships, and academic achievement. Fourth, to determine whether there are significant differences in the dimensions of self-concept and academic goals between NLD students and the different LD subgroups. The results indicate the existence of two very distinct attributional profiles in students with LD (Helplessness Profile and Adaptive Profile). The implications of these data with regard to theory and research, as well as educational practice, are discussed.Current theory and research indicate that self-concept, adaptive causal attributions, and motivation (along with strategic knowledge) are crucial for effective metacognitive processing Pintrich, 2000). However, after more than 30 years of research on the motivational and affective sphere of students with learning disabilities (LD), and its relation to school learning, instead of a unified panorama, we find an enormous quantity of contradictory results (Gresham & MacMillan, 1997). Although one could infer from most of the studies that students with LD, compared to their peers without LD (NLD), have a more negative self-concept, less motivation to learn, and a maladaptive attributional profile, the data provided by more recent investigations suggest that not all students with LD have the same profile. In the following paragraphs, we describe the scope of the discrepancy in the results of past research and provide a rationale for the present study. Causal AttributionsThe attributional theory proposed by Bernard Weiner ex-plains motivation as a function of an individual's perceptions of the causes of previous successes and failures (Weiner, 2000). A large part of the research performed within this paradigm in the field of special education indicates that students with LD feel threatened by failure and usually attribute their successes to external variables such as luck, others' help, etc., and their failures to the lack of ability (more than to insufficient effort). Thus, an important portion of the research carried out to date has concluded that children or adolescents with LD tend to manifest a maladaptive attributional style, low achievement expectations, low persistence at school tasks, and low academic self-concept (Kirk & Gallagher, 1986;Montgomery, 1994;Núñez, González-Pumariega, & González-Pienda, 1995). In turn, these attitudes reduce student motivation and generate negative feelings about their academic work and about themselves. With time, this...

Anxiety, Depression, and Coping Skills Among Mexican School Children

“…In their study, Nuñez et al (2005) obtained data showing that students with LD are not homogeneous with respect to their attributions for academic successes and failures, as some students reported an adaptive profile and some a helplessness profile. Sideridis et al (2006) explored how motivation, emotions, and psychopathology play a pivotal role in explaining the achievement tendencies of students with LD.…”

Are we exacerbating students’ learning disabilities? An investigation of preservice teachers’ attributions of the educational outcomes of students with learning disabilities

“…This reduces their self-esteem, decreases their motivation, creates future expectations of failure, and develops a learned helplessness (Cemalcilar, Canbeyli, & Sunar, 2003;Waheeda & Grainger, 2002). Similarly, Nunez, Gonzalez-Pienda, Gonzalez-Pumariega, Roces, Alvarez, Gonzalez, Cabanach, Valle, and Rodriguez (2005) suggest that children with LD hold a 'maladaptive attributional style', which involves low ability achievement expectations, low persistence at school tasks, and low academic self-esteem (Gans, Kenny, & Ghany, 2003;Nunez et al, 2005;Stone & May, 2002). When persistence at school tasks, self-efficacy, and expectations drop, a student might feel a sense of helplessness.…”

Intellectual Disabilities and Neglectful Parenting: Preliminary Findings on the Role of Cognition in Parenting Risk

“…Their exposure to negative evaluation by others (stigma) and greater likelihood of experiencing “social defeat” across their lives (Jahoda & Markova, 2004; Reis & Benson, 1984) are said to lead them to monitor their social behavior more actively in adulthood and to make negative appraisals (i.e., seeing others as negatively evaluating them and having negative intent, including their own children). In addition, children with learning problems have a tendency to be helpless in their attributions for their performance (Nunez et al, 2005). This may be carried into adulthood, leading to withdrawal under stress, and negative self evaluations.…”