Positive bias in maintenance of self-worth among children with LD. Learning Disability Quarterly

Abstract. Despite their significant academic deficits, children with learning dis-abilities (LD) often maintain favorable feelings of general self-worth. This study ex-amined whether a positive bias in the evaluation of academic work is associated with such feelings. The Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPP-C; Harter, 1985b) was administered to a sample of 84 third graders (42 with LD, 42 normally achieving). During individual interviews a subset of these children explained why they felt they were doing well or poorly. Responses to the interview and to the indi-vidual items of the SPP-C showed that most children with LD and normally achiev-ing (NA) children perceived themselves as doing well academically, based largely on feedback on their performance in the classroom. Results support Renick and Har-ter's (1988) argument that children with LD recognize their specific skill deficits (e.g., forgetfulness and trouble figuring out problems), but do not perceive them-selves as being any less smart than their NA peers. Overall, findings indicate the importance of perceived teacher feedback in maintaining positive feelings of self-worth among children with LD. Children with learning disabilities (LD) often exhibit both academic and behavioral problems (Gresham & Reschly, 1986). Perhaps it is under-standable, then, that children with learning dis-abilities have been found to hold poor self-per-ceptions in these two areas (Bear, Clever, &amp