The Impact of Academic Self-Efficacy and Perceived Stigma on the Performance of Students With Learning Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of perceived stigma in the relationship between academic self-efficacy and academic performance among college students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD. Seventy-four college-aged participants with diagnosed learning disability or ADHD completed a perceived stigma scale adapted for the current study from May and Stone’s (2010) perceived learning disabilities stigma scale followed by Zimmerman and Kitsantas’ (2007) Self-efficacy For Learning Abridged Form (SELF-A ). Results indicated that there was no relationship between perceived stigma and academic performance. However, self-efficacy was positively correlated with academic performance. Results also indicated that Caucasian, non-Hispanic students reported the highest levels of academic self-efficacy whereas Hispanic students reported the lowest levels. Furthermore, students with learning disability alone reported the highest cumulative GPAs, while those with learning disability and comorbid ADHD reported the lowest. Implications of this study point to the importance of understanding the role of perceived stigma and self-efficacy on the academic performance of students with learning disability and ADHD. This information can benefit researchers, educators, and counselors as they strive to understand possible limitations of students with learning disability/ADHD and devise strategies to support them both academically and psychologically.