| Abstract [eng] |
In comprehensive schools of Lithuania, while educating children with special needs, unfavourable relations develop between all members of education process: children, their parents and educators. The problem is a big gap in fulfilment of special educational needs in primary and secondary forms. The teenagers with special educational needs (SEN) are analyzed rarely due to the features of their age stage, nevertheless it is necessary as well as for other age groups of children with special educational needs. The problem, analyzed in this work, is different approach to problems and reasons by educators and pupils. So, the comparison and analysis of collected data will enable to broaden the horizon of teenagers with SEN in the area of psychosocial adaptation. The object of the research is psychosocial environment, features of behaviour, relation to peers of teenagers with SEN. The aim is to discover psychosocial adaptation factors of teenagers with SEN. Respondents 12-15 year old teenagers with SEN from three municipalities of Lithuania: Vilnius, Šakiai and Molėtai comprehensive schools that participated in the research. The information about them was gathered from four sources. The teenagers with SEN themselves were the first source of information (N=41), second was their parents (N=33), third – educators (N=21) and fourth – classmates of teenagers with SEN (N=411). Teenagers with special educational needs in group under analysis were pupils, that study in comprehensive school under modified and adapted programs. The analyzed students with SEN have minor and medium special educational needs (specific learning disabilities dominate amongst disorders). Teenagers, that have major developmental disorders, leading to stable and significant difficulties of learning or disabilities, did not take part in the research. The methods of research Mental health of the teenagers with SEN was analyzed using all three versions of Goodman’s Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ V11-16) for the teenagers with SEN, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ M 4-16) for educators, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ T 4-16) for parents of the teenagers with SEN. The information about the after school activities, that allowed evaluating occupancy after school and the ways of spending leisure time, provided the teenagers with SEN by filling the forms. Aiming to determine the teenager’s identity status the method of sociometry was applied. The educators of teenagers with SEN reported about progress, attendance and discipline of pupils. Results The research showed, that the teenagers with SEN, evaluating their emotional and behaviour difficulties, indicate hyperactivity and relations with peers as the most problematic range. Parents underline the problems of hyperactivity, behaviour and relation with peers. Educators indicate all five analyzed ranges: emotional, behaviour problems, hyperactivity, problems with peers and sociability as problematic. The sociometry research showed that identity status of most teenagers with SEN is lower than class average identity status. Those children belong to “Outcasts” (29 %), “Isolated” (15 %) and “Accepted” (34 %) groups. 22 % of pupils, that belong to “Leaders” and “Popular” groups have higher identity status than class average. Progress of the teenagers with SEN, despite good attendance is very low, averages range from 4.0 to 6.6. The after school time is poor as about 70 % of pupils say, that they spend their leisure time on computer games, listening music and watching TV. Only 39 % respondents participate in additional education. Almost 60 % of teenagers with special needs spend only 1 hour per day on their home works. |
