The Critical Nature of Reader Identity and Its Relationships with Literacy Engagement, Motivation and Efficacy

Abstract

Adolescents with disabilities often struggle with successes in high school due to reading comprehension difficulties. Reading achievement is impacted by many factors including motivations for reading, reading efficacy and reader identity. Motivation for reading has been well researched among typically-developing, elementary and middle school children (Guthrie & Humenick, 2004; Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000; Wang & Guthrie, 2004; Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997). However, less is known about the reading motivation of adolescents, particularly high school students with high-incidence disabilities. Additionally, not much is understood about the reading efficacy and reader identities of these adolescents. In order to develop evidence-based practices to assist struggling adolescents with disabilities, more information is needed concerning these impacting factors. In this study, survey data regarding the reading motivations, reading efficacy, reader identity and reading engagement was gathered from tenth grade students with Learning Disabilities and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and typically-developing peers. Correlational analyses and hierarchical multiple linear regressions were conducted among the four independent variables. Of the four independent variables, only reader identity was found to significantly predict reading engagement, although reading efficacy approached significant levels.