Academic goals in blind and partially sighted students: a differential analysis and goal profiles

Abstract

The present work was based on goal orientation theory, that represent the reasons to perform a task and the criteria to evaluate it. However, few studies have explored goal orientations in students with visual impairment. The objective of this study was to determine whether the goals pursued by blind students different from those of partially sighted students. Participants comprised 171 students, from different stages of the education system (from Primary Education to University Education) with ages between 8 and 27 years old, of which 109 were blind, and 62 partial visual impairment, which respond to an adaptation of the Achievement Goal Tendencies Questionnaire. The results indicate that students with total visual impairment have lower average scores on social reinforcement goals, not in contrast to learning goals, achievement goals and performance goals, where no significant differences were found. Three different goal orientation profiles were obtained. The first stands out for obtaining high scores in learning goals; the subjects of the second group are defined by obtaining high scores in learning goals, social reinforcement goals and  performance goals; and the subjects of the third group are characterized by their low scores on learning goal, social reinforcement goals and achievement goals. The results of the discriminant analyses show that there are differences in these profiles depending on the degree of visual disability and that the achievement goals do not have discriminating power. These findings have educational implications as regards motivation.