The views aimed at the stability of socialization are analyzed, paying attention to the peculiarities of psychophysical development of students with intellectual disabilities, which leads to a weakening of socialization. Difficulty in socialization depends on the presence of a navigator of mispersonal communication, unformed needs in such communication, inadequacy of self-esteem, negative perception of other people. It is noted that the effectiveness of primary socialization of students with intellectual disabilities affects the formation of its components: socio-psychological adaptation and empathy. In this regard, the research of scientists on the essence of socio-psychological adaptation and empathy is taken into account. It is pointed out that the process of socialization includes not only adaptation, but also maladaptation. It is stressed on the role of empathy as a component of socio-psychological adaptation and its impact on the formation of socialization of students with intellectual disabilities in the future with works of art, since the components of empathy are sympathy and compassion. Adolescents with intellectual disabilities perceive the information better during the Ukrainian literature lessons, where they work with fiction literature. It has been substantiated, that works of fiction, studied by students at the lessons of the Ukrainian literature serve as particularly important means of teaching, correction and socialization of students with intellectual disabilities. Fiction is the only art form promoting the development of visual thinking. While studying at the lessons of the Ukrainian literature on fiction texts, students with intellectual disabilities intellectual develop thinking, connected speech, overcome communicative phobia, master social competencies, become socialized. The expediency of using interactive teaching methods for the formation of social skills in students with intellectual disabilities in the process of working with works of art during the Ukrainian literature lessons, in particular: discussion, ethical conversation, role play; such methods as «microphone», «chain of thoughts», «unfinished sentence». While working with works of art during the Ukrainian literature lessons, adolescents with intellectual disabilities learn basic morals through interactive teaching methods, learn to disseminate information, emotions, thoughts about the read and the environment learn to evaluate behavior and teach people who pay attention to other problems. The lessons create appropriate conditions for optimizing the socialization of students with intellectual disabilities and social maladaptation, which threaten to subordinate adolescents to the content and meaning of the artists with whom they work.