Children with learning difficulties. Their self-concept, well-being, and perception of school

• Main Author: Ragnarsdóttir, Guðrún Björg
• Other Authors: Anna-Lind Pétursdóttir og Zuilma Gabríela Sigurðardóttir, Faculty of Health Promotion, Sport and Leisure Studies (UI), Deild heilsueflingar, íþrótta og tómstunda (HÍ), School of Education (UI), Menntavísindasvið (HÍ), University of Iceland, Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Iceland, School of Education, Faculty of Health Promotion, Sport and Leisure Studies 2023
• Subjects: Self-concept; Well-being; Learning difficulties; Special education; Námserfiðleikar; Sjálfsmynd (sálfræði); Líðan; Sérkennsla; Iceland
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/4491

Background Previous research has shown that learning difficulties usually negatively impact the well-being and self-concept of children in primary school. This is the first Icelandic long-term study to examine the well-being of children with learning difficulties and the development of their self-concept and school perception as they progress from primary to middle school. Aim The main objective of this long-term study was to gain deeper understanding of school-related well-being of children with learning difficulties in Iceland, and the development of their self-concept and school perception during the shift from primary to middle school. The school-related well-being of children with and without learning difficulties was assessed through parental reports. The self-concept of students was assessed repeatedly with questionnaires over a period of four years, from Grade 4 to Grade 8. Over the same period, a comparable group of five children with learning difficulties were interviewed about their schooling, challenges, and coping strategies to get a deeper insight and understanding of their school perception and learning experiences from Grade 4 to Grade 6. Three academic articles have been written and some published focusing on answering research questions relating to: a) parents' assessment of the well-being of Icelandic primary school students with and without learning difficulties, b) a comparison of the development of self-concept of Icelandic primary school students with and without learning difficulties, and c) an examination of the perception of school of five Icelandic primary school students with learning difficulties, what they considered to affect their learning and well-being. The participants’ responses were also examined in terms of whether their attitudes changed during the research period. Method Research collaboration was established with four schools in the capital area of Iceland. Data were collected from autumn 2014 to spring 2017 using quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants were ...