Comprehension Self-Efficacy Following a Narrative Structure Intervention
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Psychology
Minor
English
2nd Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
2nd Student Major
Pyschology
Institution
University of Kentucky
KY House District #
6
KY Senate District #
6
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Elizabeth Lorch
Department
Psychology
Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) includes inappropriate levels of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity. Children with ADHD encounter reading comprehension problems more often than their peers. Although medications prescribed for ADHD can improve attention during school, they do not address deficits in higher-order functioning. Children with ADHD often experience academic failure, which may influence self-efficacy, or belief of their ability to succeed academically. They tend to rate themselves higher than their peers in self-efficacy, but they are quicker to give up when faced with difficult situations. We examined the change in self-efficacy following participation in one of three interventions: a Narrative Structure (NS) intervention targeting specific comprehension problems exhibited by children with ADHD, a Reciprocal Teaching (RT) intervention focusing on comprehension strategies effective for all struggling readers, and a Social Problem-Solving (PS) intervention to teach pro-social behaviors and emotional self-regulation. Participants were 64 third and fourth grade children who were at risk for ADHD and judged by their teachers to have narrative comprehension deficits. All were randomly assigned to participate in one intervention. Pre-test and post-test measures included ratings of self-efficacy related to each intervention topic. Participants in all interventions answered “I can do it by myself” to comprehension-related statements (NS subscale) at an increased rate from pre-test to post-test and the increase was greatest for participants in a comprehension skills intervention (NS and RT). The NS group showed the largest increase for NS subscale ratings from pre-test (M = 59.63, SD = 26.78) to post-test (M = 75.15, SD = 24.44), and RT participants’ NS subscale ratings also increased from pre-test (M = 55.71, SD = 24.70) to post-test (M = 70.95, SD = 25.85). The PS group showed the smallest NS subscale increase from pre-test (M = 51.95, SD = 18.36) to post-test (M = 58.44, SD = 22.55).
Comprehension Self-Efficacy Following a Narrative Structure Intervention
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) includes inappropriate levels of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity. Children with ADHD encounter reading comprehension problems more often than their peers. Although medications prescribed for ADHD can improve attention during school, they do not address deficits in higher-order functioning. Children with ADHD often experience academic failure, which may influence self-efficacy, or belief of their ability to succeed academically. They tend to rate themselves higher than their peers in self-efficacy, but they are quicker to give up when faced with difficult situations. We examined the change in self-efficacy following participation in one of three interventions: a Narrative Structure (NS) intervention targeting specific comprehension problems exhibited by children with ADHD, a Reciprocal Teaching (RT) intervention focusing on comprehension strategies effective for all struggling readers, and a Social Problem-Solving (PS) intervention to teach pro-social behaviors and emotional self-regulation. Participants were 64 third and fourth grade children who were at risk for ADHD and judged by their teachers to have narrative comprehension deficits. All were randomly assigned to participate in one intervention. Pre-test and post-test measures included ratings of self-efficacy related to each intervention topic. Participants in all interventions answered “I can do it by myself” to comprehension-related statements (NS subscale) at an increased rate from pre-test to post-test and the increase was greatest for participants in a comprehension skills intervention (NS and RT). The NS group showed the largest increase for NS subscale ratings from pre-test (M = 59.63, SD = 26.78) to post-test (M = 75.15, SD = 24.44), and RT participants’ NS subscale ratings also increased from pre-test (M = 55.71, SD = 24.70) to post-test (M = 70.95, SD = 25.85). The PS group showed the smallest NS subscale increase from pre-test (M = 51.95, SD = 18.36) to post-test (M = 58.44, SD = 22.55).