Relation of attributional beliefs to memory strategy use in children and adolescents with mental retardation.

Abstract

Attributional beliefs of African American 11- and 17-year-old students with mental retardation were assessed with an open-ended interview and the Students' Perception of Control Questionnaire. Results from the questionnaire indicated that strategy ratings were intercorrelated as were capacity ratings. Yet, the constructs of strategy and capacity were differentiated by both age groups. Beliefs in the importance of internal strategies were positively related to recall and strategy use, and beliefs in the importance of external strategies were negatively related to memory strategy use and recall. Findings suggest that attributional beliefs vary among students with mental retardation and have the potential to either energize or inhibit achievement-related behavior.