Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of self-assessed dimensions of learned helplessness in a Polish sample of junior high school students. To qualify the students for the learning-disabled (LD) and the nonlearning-disabled (NLD) groups, the teachers’ ratings of the students’ learning disabilities (LDs) and comorbid disorders symptoms severity were used. The subjects were compared with respect to the three areas of learned helplessness: (a) contingency, (b) cognition, and (c) behavior. The T-tests analysis yielded that the students of LD group reported higher levels of learned helplessness in each of the three dimensions compared to the NLD group. In addition, the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) effects of gender and group on the levels of learned helplessness were examined. Study limitations and the implications for teaching practice were also presented.
Highlights
Learned helplessness (LH), a multidimensional occurrence that concerns animal and human behavior, has made a drastic change to the field of psychology and to other sciences
The crucial conclusion that could be drawn from this research suggests that those both female and male students, who based on teachers’ ratings were struggling with learning disabilities (LDs) and academic failure, perceived themselves as more learned helpless compared to the NLD group
This fact matters in relation to the results obtained by Palmer et al (1982), who proved that students identified as LD compared to those unidentified could be judged as more learned helpless by teachers
Summary
Learned helplessness (LH), a multidimensional occurrence that concerns animal and human behavior, has made a drastic change to the field of psychology and to other sciences. LH may be seen from several perspectives, including psychological, medical, sociological, educational, and pedagogical. It can be associated with depression and anxiety disorders, academic failure, school achievement, learning disabilities (LDs) along with comorbid disorders and motivation (Burdern & Burdett, 2005; Weems & Silverman, 2006). Psychologists often focus on the application of motivation, attribution, and personality theories to the practice of education (Sędek, 1995; Vispoel & Austin, 1995; Weiner, 1980). Philosophers are most likely to put the emphasis on human impotence or powerlessness, which is the bond allowing for merging personal and spiritual helplessness with a collective, universal one in the face of the power of time passing (Gajdzica, 2007)
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