A Question of Calibration: A Review of the Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Students with Learning Disabilities

This article reviews the literature on the self-efficacy beliefs of students with learning disabilities (LD). Motivational and metacognitive difficulties of students with LD are briefly discussed, followed by a synopsis of Bandura's self-efficacy theory, with special attention to the issue of calibration. From the literature search, 22 studies met the criteria of (a) using a measure of self-efficacy, and (b) including a sample of students identified as having learning disabilities. The resulting body of literature is summarized and analyzed in terms of the nature of the sample, the performance task or domain, the self-efficacy measure used, the research question and outcomes, and the accuracy of calibration between perceived self-efficacy and task outcome. The results from this review suggest that in specific contexts — in the writing performance of students with specific writing difficulties, in particular — students appear to optimistically miscalibrate their self-efficacy. Methodological problems found in some of the research, such as “conceptual blurring,” are discussed. Finally, implications for practice are considered, and suggestions are made for future research.