The effects of combining peer tutoring and attribution training on students' perceived self-competence

Students with learning disabilities and students at risk for referral for special education assessment served as tutors for younger children in a peer tutoring program. During weekly training sessions, the tutors in one condition were trained to respond to tutees' in one condition were trained to respond to tutees' correct responses with statements attributing their success to ability and effort and to incorrect responses with strategy suggestions. In a second condition, students were trained to respond to correct responses with general feedback statements, and to incorrect responses with strategy suggestions. Analyses were conducted for both tutors and tutees on measures of competence, attributions, and social comparisons. Results indicated that students in the attribution-plus-strategy training became more positive in their self-perceptions than students in the strategy-only condition.