MOTIVATION AND SELF-REGULATION - A COMPARISON OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

The purpose of this study was io investigate the motivational characte ristics of 3 groups of adolescents: students with learning disabilitie s (LD), students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD), and stu dents with average achievement (AA). Three questionnaires, the Motivat ion Orientation seals, the Purposes of School scale, and the Motivated Strategies for Learning questionnaire were administered to junior hig h and middle school students with LD and EBD, and to an age-matched gr oup of students with AA. These self-report measures were administered to students in small groups in one session of approximately 35 to 40 m inutes. Significant differences on the Motivation Orientation scale we re detected among the groups. Differences on the Purposes of School sc ale approached but did not reach significance. Students with LD appear ed to be more alienated and oriented to avoiding work than students wi th AA or students with EBD. Students with EBD reported significantly m ore feelings of test anxiety than did students with LD or AA. Gender d ifferences emerged. with females reporting more support for self-sacri fice, community spirit, and persistence, whereas mole students reporte d more feelings of alienation. implications for future research and cl assroom practice are discussed.