Factors associated with maladjustment in educationally subnormal children.

Abstract

Summary. This article discusses the findings of the second stage of an enquiry into the incidence, nature and aetiology of maladjustment among children in special schools for the educationally subnormal in South Wales. An intensive study was made of the thirty ‘most maladjusted’ E.S.N. children in the larger sample studied in the first stage, as well as of a control group of the thirty ‘best adjusted’ E.S.N. children, matched with the maladjusted children for age, sex and school.Significantly more of the maladjusted children (i) showed some physical weakness or defect, (ii) were subjected to adverse psychological pressures and unsatisfactory discipline at home, related to parental instability, and (iii) had had interrupted or incomplete relationships with their parents. There was little difference between the two groups in respect of the incidence of adverse congenital factors, difficulties in early development and poor material conditions at home. Significantly fewer of the maladjusted children had a positive relationship with their father. Maladjustment was, in many cases, associated with a lack of progress in the basic subjects at the special school.Maladjustment of the ‘withdrawn’ type tended to be associated with physical deficiency in the child and positive but weak parental discipline; aggressive behaviour was often linked with insecurity at home and hostile parental attitudes.These findings emphasize the need for comprehensive guidance services for the parents of educationally subnormal children.