Abstract
The paper presents the results of empirical study of parents' attitudes towards their children with special educational needs. The following methods have been used: PARI method (E. Schaefer, R. Bell; adaptation by T. Nescheret), test-questionnaire of parental attitude of A. Varga and V. Stolin; questionnaire 'Analysis of family myth' by A. Nesterova. To clarify and deepen the analysis of research data, two samples of selected participants have been created: a) parents of children with special educational needs and b) parents of children without special educational needs. Two Google forms have been made with appropriate introductory questionnaires and research instructions. The analysis of the results obtained by the methods has revealed the following tendencies in the attitude of parents of children with special educational needs, in comparison with parents of other children: lower level of acceptance; greater concentration on the child and his/her control; a kind of inconsistency in the attitude to their children (simultaneous optimal emotional contact and excessive emotional distance); a sense of self-sacrifice and belief in its necessity. It has been proved, that the usage of different types and forms of art therapy (music, dance-movement, bibliotherapy, fairy tale therapy, phototherapy, film therapy, fine art therapy) helps to correct parents' attitude to their children with special educational needs. In addition, a number of recommendations for the use of art therapy to work with parents of children with special educational needs has been proposed.
Highlights
Attitudes towards children with special educational needs are changing significantly
There is a lack of scientific works and methodological developments aimed at psychological correction of parents' attitude to their children with SEN by means of art therapy
The relevance of this study is due to the following contradictions: the availability of significant methodological tools and practical recommendations for working with children with special educational needs, and a smaller methodological basis for psychological work with their parents; the availability of thorough theoretical work and methodological complexes on working with families raising children with SEN, and the lack of work on the attitude of parents to their children with SEN; the presence of meaningful theoretical and practical developments in art therapy and the lack of proper systematization of knowledge on the use of art therapy in working with the parents’ attitude to their children with special educational needs
Summary
Attitudes towards children with special educational needs are changing significantly Evidence of this is, in particular, the change of unattractive category symbol from 'children with disabilities' (Latin 'weak, sick') to 'children with special educational needs'. In particular, the change of unattractive category symbol from 'children with disabilities' (Latin 'weak, sick') to 'children with special educational needs' Such a change of designation shifts the emphasis from illness to needs. The focus of supporting this category of children increases and begins to include a significant element of psychological work, which should be aimed at both children with special educational needs (hereinafter referred to as SEN) and their parents (Ionescu, Cordun, Carlo, 2021). There is a lack of scientific works and methodological developments aimed at psychological correction of parents' attitude to their children with SEN by means of art therapy. The relevance of this study is due to the following contradictions: the availability of significant methodological tools and practical recommendations for working with children with special educational needs, and a smaller methodological basis for psychological work with their parents; the availability of thorough theoretical work and methodological complexes on working with families raising children with SEN, and the lack of work on the attitude of parents to their children with SEN; the presence of meaningful theoretical and practical developments in art therapy and the lack of proper systematization of knowledge on the use of art therapy in working with the parents’ attitude to their children with special educational needs
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