Empowerment and Academic performance in compulsory Secondary Education Students with and Without Disability

Introduction: Knowledge about the influence of empowerment on academic performance in students with disabilities is essential to the educational success of this group. The objective of this study was to analyze the level of empowerment and its influence on academic performance in university students based on whether they have disabilities or not. An analysis by gender and age was also carried out. Method: Of the 693 students who participated, 67 had some disability and 626 had no disability. The study used the questionnaire drawn up by Rogers, Chamberlin, Ellison and Crean (1997), designed to measure the level of empowerment using 5 factors (Self-esteem / Self-efficacy; Power / Impotence; Autonomy; Optimism / Control over the future; Appropriate anger). The questionnaire is made up of 28 items with Likert response items rated from 0 to 3 (0 = strongly disagree, to 3 = strongly agree). Results: The analysis shows less empowerment among young people with disabilities, especially in younger students and girls. Likewise, the level of academic performance was lower in younger students with disabilities. There were no statistically significant differences in academic performance according to sex. Finally, a positive relationship between academic achievement and empowerment was found. A positive relationship was also found between academic performance and young students without disabilities. Discussion. The results show the importance of enhancing empowerment in young students with disabilities to ensure that they have the skills needed for an appropriate adjustment and academic success.