University Research: Adolescent Coping and Learning Disabilities

This research report investigates the coping styles and strategies employed by adolescent students, with a specific focus on comparing those with and without learning disabilities. The study aimed to determine if differences exist in coping mechanisms and whether interventions might be needed for students who rely on passive strategies. The research utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods, including the Adolescent Coping Scale, and involved interviews with teachers and coordinators from secondary schools. The findings revealed that many students, particularly those aged 12-13 and 14-15, with and without learning disabilities, frequently utilized unproductive coping styles, such as ignoring problems. The study also found higher self-blame among students with learning disabilities. The conclusion emphasizes the need for educators and caregivers to develop skills that enable students with learning disabilities to adopt more adaptive coping strategies and highlights the importance of providing sufficient resources for effective interventions.

Running Head: RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
Research in Education
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Focus and Purpose of Study
The primary intention of the work is to find out all coping styles and strategies which
an adolescent student makes use of, that is, adolescent students who are faced with learning
abilities and also adolescent students in general. The research aims on uncovering whether
any sort of intervention might be required for students who opt for the use of passive coping
styles and strategies instead of opting for constructive ways by which to deal with their
problems. The risky tendency of adolescent students who have learning disabilities
particularly, to make use of a passive coping style to handle their problems is something that
has been highlighted quite well throughout this particular work of research.
Research Hypothesis Questions Guiding the Study
Some of the key research questions that this particular research study is seen to be based on
are as follows –
Are there any similarities at all between coping strategies as well as styles which are used by
the adolescent students who have high learning disabilities and adolescent students in
general?
The major research hypothesis which was put to the test during this particular research study
is the premise that there are not likely to be any differences at all between coping styles and
strategies which are utilized by adolescent students in general with those that are made use of
on the part of adolescent students that are faced with different types of learning disabilities. A
key instrument that was put to use in order to arrive at the results of this particular research
study is the Adolescent Coping Scale.

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Methods of Doing the Research
Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were made use of in order to carry out this
research study. The sample was chosen in a quick and efficient manner with four important
secondary and co-educational schools being chosen for the research. Efforts were made to
ensure an equal representation from all economic backgrounds. For this purpose, the schools
that were selected for the study were those that were attended by students of high economic
backgrounds, medium economic backgrounds and low-income backgrounds respectively.
Once the schools were chosen, the key participants in the research were identified. The
special needs teachers in each and every one of these schools were identified and selected to
take part in interviews, in order to arrive at results concerning the adolescent students with
learning disabilities. Apart from the special needs teachers, other interested teachers at these
co-educational schools and the coordinators of the project were selected for taking part in the
interview process. To go ahead and select the participants of the research study is not
something that was difficult at all as the personnel at these schools were mostly known to the
researchers. The crucial instrument that was made use of for the purpose of conducting the
research is alluded to as Adolescent Coping Scale. This is in essence a survey method which
has been designed in a way that it includes the language as well as the vocabulary of as many
as six hundred students. Such a survey method is one that not only has an empirical base but
a theoretical base as well. Every effort was also made on the part of the researchers to do the
work in as ethical a manner as possible. Only those who were willing to be questioned for the
research study were approached on the part of the investigators for the same. Those who did
not profess any willingness to get involved in this research were kept out of the study
completely.
It is important to remember that a partial assessment or a full assessment was made by the
researchers only at the initial two schools out of the four schools which had been selected for

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the study while just a one third assessment happened to be conducted by researchers at the
remaining two schools. Special efforts were made at the time of interviewing the students
with learning disabilities by reading out the survey questions to them loudly and clearly, so
that they were in a position to answer these questions in turn, in the most transparent manner.
Findings of the Research Study and Discussion
What the findings of the research clearly reveal is that majority of the adolescent
students with or without learning disabilities who are in the age group between twelve years
and thirteen years made use and intensive use at that, of coping strategies and styles which
are entirely unproductive in nature. Many of these adolescent students are seen to ignore the
problems that they are faced with altogether rather than taking all the constructive steps that
are needed in order to resolve the issue. The same can be said for adolescent students who are
in the age group of fourteen to fifteen years. These students are also seen to ignore their
problems for the most part instead of taking the initiatives and methods that can otherwise go
a long way to come to terms with their problems. Even the non-productive strategies that the
students were seen to make use of, were those that appeared to be completely insignificant in
nature. Most of the students who were included in the study were seen to make very limited
use, if any of productive coping strategies such as thinking in a positive light or working very
hard in order to overcome problems. However if the strategies adopted by the adolescent
students are compared, it can be said that most of the students preferred thinking positive
over working hard. One of the most interesting finds that is associated with this particular
research study is that self blame was detected to be far higher among adolescent students with
learning disabilities as opposed to adolescent students that are not faced with learning
disabilities.

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Conclusion
One of the most important conclusions of the research study is that adolescent
students who are faced with different types of learning disabilities or who have a lot of
difficulty comprehending what is being taught in class, tend to make use of non productive
passive coping strategies in order to deal with their problems. Adaptive coping is quite
evident among those out of the students with learning disabilities who are successful in
overcoming their problems. Primary care givers and educators need to focus their energies
and their efforts on developing skills so that adolescent students faced with learning
disabilities are able to overcome their problems in the best possible way. Numerical and
literacy skills in particular are those that need to be developed well enough and a sufficient
amount of resources or funding needs to be made available in order for interventions to be
carried out in a successful manner.

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References
Firth, Nola, Daryl Greaves, and Erica Frydenberg. "Coping styles and strategies: A
comparison of adolescent students with and without learning disabilities." Journal of learning
disabilities 43, no. 1 (2010): 77-85.