Page No 35-48
Deepa Francis M
St Thomas College (Autonomous), Thrissur
Academic pressure is common among children in Asian countries, especially in India’s
competitive academic environment. This pressure can be even more challenging for
children with Learning Disability (LD). In this context, the study aimed to develop an
intervention programme to enhance the academic self-esteem of children with LD, as
it is associated with better mental health and academic performance. A sample of 68
participants were recruited for the intervention. NIMHANS Index for Specific Learning
Disabilities was used to identify children with LD. The possibility of intellectual disability
was eliminated by measuring general intelligence with Raven’s standard progressive
matrices. The academic self-esteem of the participants was measured in three phases
of the intervention (Pretest, post-test, and Delayed post-test). Fourteen activities were
included in the intervention for a span of 40 alternative working days (45-minute
sessions). Results of repeated measures ANOVA indicate that scores of scholiastic
efficacy, family acceptance, friends’ acceptance, physical acceptance. The study
highlights the importance of including such training in the curriculum of children with
LD to increase academic self-esteem and thereby academic performance and mental
health.