Past, present and future of children with learning disabilities in the parental representation

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the time perspective of the image of the child in the parental representation. The author presents the results of a comparative analysis of the data of three groups of parents, who have children with learning disabilities, enrolled in a special school, enrolled in a primary school, realizing inclusive approach, and normative development children, enrolled in a general educational primary school. Using the questionnaire and the unfinished sentences, designed taking into account the time perspective and positive/negative inducers, we obtained the data, allowed us to compare the parental representation about the past, present and future of schoolchildren with learning disabilities, who enrolled in different educational systems - special education and inclusive education. The data allowed to say that the time perspective (from a distant future to an open present) narrowed with an increasing the severity of the disability. The most desirable feature of the child's personality (as for present and future as well) for parents is his independence, nevertheless adults are not ready to provide opportunities for its formation, strictly controlling the behavior of the child and symbiotic living his life. Taking into account the realization of inclusive approach, the presented material allows to design the content of psychological assistance aimed at the individual personal development of the child, harmonization of parent-child interaction, as well as to build a constructive relationship between teachers and parents.