The entry of students into middle school constitutes a life transition that involves adaptive challenges at the psychological, academic and social levels. The provision of autonomy support and avoidance of controlling tactics by parents can be effective resources to help the students through this transition. The purpose of the present study was…

Reports on a study of self-concept among 424 Greek elementary students classified as normal achievers, low achievers, and those with learning difficulties. Finds that special education students rated themselves lower than their normally achieving and low achieving peers on academic self-concept. (CFR)

Responses of forty-eight elementary and middle-school learning disabled and 48 normally achieving students to the Perceived Competence Scale for Children were compared. Although LD children rated their cognitive and physical abilities more negatively than nondisabled peers, they were not more likely to express general dissatisfaction with self or…

The self-perceptions of 86 learning disabled students in grades 3 through 8 were investigated using the Perceived Competence Scale for Children of S. Harter (1982). Results indicate that social comparison processes are important in the formation of learning disabled students' perceived academic competence. (SLD)

Self-perceived competence was assessed for 60 8- 13-year-old children, grouped by learning disability and behavior disorder. Subjects included 15 controls and 3 groups of 15 learning-disabled children each ("normals," externalizers, and mixed symptomatology). Cognitive and social self-concept are as strongly related to behavioral factors…