Search

This study investigated how obtaining predicted and actual scores on aptitude tests can provide crucial information regarding personal beliefs about ability. The ACID profile of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (Revised) (WAIS-R) was used to collect the subjective and objective scores of 92 college students with severe scholastic deficits (SSD) and 40 typical college students. The group with SSD reported past severe, continual failure in verbal tasks, but not in performance tasks, whereas the contrast group did not report experiencing severe academic problems. The study hypothesized that in verbal subtests (Arithmetic, Information, and Digit Span), students with SSD would tend to have either veridical estimates or underestimates of ability, whereas the contrast group would tend to overestimate. Second, it was predicted that in the performance subtests (Coding/Digit Symbol), both groups would overestimate. For Arithmetic and Digit Symbol, hypotheses were supported. In Digit Span, the group with SSD underestimated significantly, whereas the contrast group had accurate estimates; this result was in the expected direction. For Information, however, both groups overestimated significantly. Implications of these findings and further research are discussed including using the ACD rather than the ACID profile with adults. (Contains 24 references.) (Author/CR)

This study examined the efficacy beliefs of male and female college students in Southwestern Ontario (Canada) with and without scholastic deficits. A total of 20 men and 20 women without scholastic deficits and 51 men and 41 women with scholastic deficits (such as severe problems in reading, writing, or arithmetic) completed the Self-Estimate Test of Intellectual Functioning and Academic Achievement to measure students' judgements of how well they would perform on the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R). The participants then completed the WRAT-R. No significant gender differences were found between men and women without scholastic deficits in regard to predicted and actual WRAT-R scores. However, gender differences were found between men and women with scholastic deficits, with the men tending to overestimate and the women tending either to underestimate significantly or to provide accurate estimates of their WRAT-R scores. The results suggest that women with scholastic deficits are more vulnerable than men with scholastics deficits and display lower levels of efficacy. (Contains 31 references.) (MDM)

Predicted and actual scores on subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) and the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R) were obtained from 40 normally achieving postsecondary students (NA) and 92 adult students with learning disabilities (LD). LD students had major deficits in reading-related areas. It was hypothesized that, in their perceived deficit areas, students with LD would have different response patterns than NA students; that is, they would tend to have accurate estimates or underestimates of their responses, while NA students would tend to overestimate their performance on various tasks, as predicted by the work of A. Bandura (1989). It was also predicted that in their nonperceived deficit areas, students with LD would tend to have response patterns similar to those of NA students. Repeated measures analysis of variance found significant three-way interactions by group for predicted/actual scores by subtests for the WRAT-R and the WAIS-R. In the Reading subtest of the WRAT-R and in three of the WAIS-R verbal subtests, the first hypothesis was supported unambiguously. Students with LD had accurate predictions, while NA students overestimated significantly. In the Performance section of the WAIS-R, the second hypothesis was also supported. Differences between predicted and actual scores were similar for both groups. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (Contains 2 figures, 3 tables, and 19 references.) (Author/SLD)