An investigation of mnemonic generalization training including attribution retraining with learning-disabled adolescents
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to provide mnemonic strategy generalization training that incorporated attributional retraining with 56 sixth through eighth grade learning disabled (LD) students. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three individually administered treatment conditions: mnemonic generalization training, mnemonic generalization training combined with attribution retraining, and a directed rehearsal comparison. This design allowed comparison of LD subjects' performance across experimental conditions on recall of information in each of three phases: training, prompted transfer, and unprompted transfer. Subjects were taught varied content during each experimental phase. The first phase (Day 1) emphasized training of the condition-specific strategy with experimenter provided pictures. The second phase (Days 2-3) was a guided practice prompted transfer phase. Phase three (testing Days 4 and 5) occurred at one-day and two-week delay intervals to assess unprompted generalization. Three dependent variables were collected and analyzed for each day of the investigation: (a) production tests, (b) identification tests, and (c) strategy reports. In addition, the one-day delayed task was followed by a backward retrieval test. Additional measures that followed the two-week delayed task were: backward retrieval, cumulative delayed test and a postintervention attribution assessment. Strategy report information was categorized and analyzed relative to levels of strategies employed. Data were analyzed with Analyses of Variance and appropriate post hoc comparisons. Significant differences were found favoring the mnemonic conditions on prompted transfer Days 2 and 3, and identification measures of the two-week delayed unprompted transfer task. Additional significant differences were found on (a) types and proportions of strategies employed each day of the investigation, and (b) frequencies of trained strategies reported on each delayed task. No significant differences were found on: one-day delayed transfer measures, the two-week delayed production measure, the cumulative delayed production measure, and attribution measures. No significant differences were found between the mnemonic conditions.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Mastropieri, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Special education
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