A1 Journal article (refereed)
Examining the effects of special education support on students’ affective and motivational outcomes : an analysis using propensity score matching (2024)

Sivola, J., Närhi, V., Tolvanen, A., Virtanen, T., & Savolainen, H. (2024). Examining the effects of special education support on students’ affective and motivational outcomes : an analysis using propensity score matching. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 39(1), 127-142. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2023.2195073

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Sivola, Jukka; Närhi, Vesa; Tolvanen, Asko; Virtanen, Tuomo; Savolainen, Hannu

Journal or series: European Journal of Special Needs Education

ISSN: 0885-6257

eISSN: 1469-591X

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 30/03/2023

Volume: 39

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 127-142

Publisher: Routledge

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2023.2195073

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/89261

Abstract

The outcomes of studies on the effectiveness of special education (SE) remain unclear. There are only a few studies on the effects of SE that have used advanced methodology to minimise the influence of potential selection bias. This study examined the plausible effects of SE on students’ affective and motivational outcomes using a quasi-experimental method of propensity score matching with longitudinal data within the context of the Finnish multi-tiered support system. The participants of this study were fifth- and sixth-grade students from 30 primary schools who took part in a larger study of school inclusion in Eastern Finland (ISKE). Data from 553 students included information from questionnaires on students’ emotional engagement with school, self-concepts, and goal orientations from themselves, academic achievement from their teachers, and socioeconomic status from their parents. We examined the effects of receiving SE service by following students from fifth and sixth grade using three different regression models in ANCOVA. Results revealed not only the influence of selection bias on outcomes but also that when comparing matched groups of students, SE did not have effects on students’ affective or motivational outcomes.

Keywords: special education (teaching); three-tiered support (education); efficacy; school children; study performance; committing oneself; goal orientation

Free keywords: special education; effects; emotional engagement; self-concepts; goal orientations; propensity score matching

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2023

JUFO rating: 2