Academic self-concept in elementary learning disabled children: Study with the student's perception of ability scale

Abstract

Academic self-concept as measured by the Student's Perception of Ability Scale (SPAS) was compared for 81 learning disabled (LD) and 81 normally-achieving control children in grades three to six. The results show that LD children hold significantly more negative self-perceptions of ability in reading, spelling, and arithmetic than do the control children. Further, these negative school subject-related attitudes in the LD children had generalized to lower self-perceptions of ability in general, to expressions of less confidence in school, and more negative attitudes toward school. No grade level or sex effects were observed. It was concluded that the SPAS is able to discriminate between normally-achieving children and those experiencing problems in school, and, accordingly, that the SPAS has good external validity. The results were discussed in terms of using the SPAS for evaluating affective components of remediation, and for identifying high-risk elementary school children. Continuing external validity studies being undertaken by the authors also were noted.