The purpose of this empirical study is to explore the prevalence and impact of stigmatization and stereotype threat on mathematics performance among public high school students (grades 9-12) with specific learning disabilities. Using a combination of self-report measures and experimental study, the following questions will be addressed: 1) To what degree are high school students with specific learning disabilities conscious of stigma related to their learning disability in the context of mathematics education?, 2) Is greater stigma consciousness associated with poorer performance in mathematics among high school students with specific learning disabilities?, and 3) Do high school students with specific learning disabilities experience stereotype threat that interferes with performance in mathematics? The severity of learning disability will be controlled in all analyses, and tests of moderation will be employed to explore potentially compounding effects of having a math specific learning disability, being a girl or minority student, or coming from a school where stigma levels around learning disability are high.
The proposed work contributes to Intellectual Merit through advancing potentially transformative knowledge and understanding about the experiences of students with learning disabilities in the context of high school mathematics. The research has the potential to inform and open new avenues of research in the area of stigmatization and stereotype threat for people with disabilities.
In regards to Broader Impacts, the findings from this project will significantly inform understanding of the achievement gaps in math of underrepresented groups, and specifically students with learning disabilities, including women and minorities within this population. Understanding the cognitive and affective experiences of individuals with learning disabilities may facilitate the future development of interventions to remedy the current negative outcomes of students with learning disabilities in mathematics.
