Perceptions of control of students with and without cognitive disabilities

Research in the educational and psychological literature has linked adaptive perceptions of control to positive adult outcomes like better employment, higher quality of life, and increased independence. In recent years these findings have been extended to people with mental retardation. Research with this population has suggested that they tend to be more externally oriented than peers without disabilities or peers with other types of disabilities. This research, however, has not provided direct comparisons between people with mental retardation and other populations. The present study compared the perceptions of control of 431 students (227 boys, 204 girls) ages 10-20 years (M = 14.3) with mental retardation (n = 94), learning disabilities (n = 159), or no disabilities (n = 178). Analysis confirmed that students with mental retardation scored significantly more externally on measures of locus of control and attributions of academic success and failure than their peers with learning disabilities or without disabilities. The discussion focuses on implications for these students.