Perceptions of Competence and Control and the Use of Coping Strategies by Children with Disabilities

Abstract

This study examined the interaction between children's self-perceptions of competence, perceptions of control, and the use of effective coping strategies. Fifty-six children in grades 2–6, who were identified as either physically impaired (PI), learning disabled (LD), or regular education (RE) students, participated. Children completed paper-and-pencil tasks tapping their knowledge of handicaps and their perceptions of competence and control. The children's general education teachers, special education teachers, and parents completed questionnaires rating each child's coping skills. Results revealed different patterns among groups of children. Subjects were then divided into three groups, children with highly effective coping skills ( n=16), those with less successful coping skills ( n=17), and those in the middle ( n=23). All groups contained PI, LD, and RE students. Comparisons between successful copers and the children with least successful coping skills indicated that the former perceived themselves as competent and made few attributions to unknown sources of control. Results suggest that children representing a range of intelligence levels and educational handicaps can learn to adapt successfully.