| 21 university students with learning disabilities (LD) and 21 university students without LD matched on age, gender, and grade point average (gpa), were compared on their motivational and attributional characteristics for achievement, as measured by the Achievement and Motivation Profile (AMP, 1996) and the Strategy and Attribution Questionnaire (SAQ, 1995). Students with LD's success expectations (SAQ SE) were as high as for students without LD, and the two groups did not differ on their self-reported achievement and task completion, motivation, clarity of their goals, and planning and organization work habits (AMP ACH, MOT, GOAL, and PLAN). Thus, the prediction that, because they must overcome their learning difficulties, university students with LD would score higher on the AMP Achievement Motivation cluster, was not confirmed. Also contrary to an initial prediction of no difference, students with LD were significantly less mastery-oriented (SAQ MO) as compared to students without LD. Students with LD were also found to exhibit more sadness (AMP HAP) and to be more inwardly oriented (AMP EXT). Relationships among achievement motivation, attributional styles and academic performance (gpa) were also investigated. The results are discussed in relation to individuals with LD's characteristics for achievement. Methodological considerations pertaining to the current observations are also addressed. |