Metacognitive and Affective Factors of College Students with and without Learning Disabilities.

Metacognitive and attitudinal factors in the academic performance of college students with and without disabilities were assessed and compared. GPA, metacognitive knowledge and practice, resiliency, self-efficacy, locus of control, and need for achievement were examined. Similarities as well as notable differences were found between the LD (N=27) and non-LD (N=28) groups in perceptions and approaches to academic tasks. The LD group indicated a higher level of initiative than the non-LD group, which may be one of the factors helping contribute to their achievement. While the resiliency factor of initiative was higher for the LD group, self-efficacy in regard to coursework was significantly lower than that of the non-LD group. Even though by measures of aptitude and GPA the students with LD were not significantly different from their peers without LD, many indicated self-doubt about not being able to perform as well in academic coursework as their non-LD cohorts. The term learning disability (LD) encompasses a relatively broad group of learning difficulties, involving a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes presumed to be related to a central nervous system dysfunction. The disorder creates problems in speaking, listening, writing, reading, and/or mathematics, and manifests in a severe discrepancy between apparent potential for learning and level of achievement (Lerner, 2000). It is estimated that more than 5% of school-age children have a learning disability and that their disability accounts for roughly half of the total number of students identified by public schools as needing special education (Hallahan & Kaufman, 1997). Students with learning disabilities frequently experience a multitude of difficulties throughout their academic careers. They often face limitations in strategic knowledge and self-monitoring that can lead to academic difficulties (Allsopp, Minskoff, & Bott, 2005; Lerner, 2000). In addition, they typically encounter problems in motivation, attributions, self-esteem, and affective responses that can further impair academic difficulties (Borkowski, Carr, Pellinger, & Pressley, 1990; Borkowski, Johnston, & Reid, 1987; Borkowski & Murthukrisha, 1992). Beyond academic challenges, students with LD may find themselves dealing with the shortcomings of the system, including access to services to postsecondary services, documentation requirements, and transition support from secondary to postsecondary (Gregg, 2007). Borkowski and his colleagues (Borkowski et al., 1990; Day & Borkowski, 1987) proposed an integrated model of achievement that included executive functioning. Executive functioning focused on two distinct dimensions: metacognition and affective factors. In this model metacognition encompasses selfknowledge of learning strategies and the ability to use this knowledge in an efficient and effective manner. Ongoing self-regulation and monitoring of metacognitive strategies is necessary for this component to be effective. Closely aligned with the metacognitive is the affective component. Increased feelings of selfefficacy reinforce self-regulation and the use of cognitive strategies, which in turn strengthen self-esteem, motivation, and also lead to attributing success and failures to their own efforts. Through bi-directional relationship between metacognitive and affective factors strategic knowledge becomes related to self-efficacy (Borkowski, 1992; Borkowski et al., 1990).