Psychosocial Challenges Students with Disabilities Encounter in selected Primary Schools of South West Ethiopia

Year 2018, Volume: 9 Issue: 4, 38 - 51, 22.12.2018

Getachew Abeshu Disassa Tsehay Baissa Into

Abstract

The study assess the psychosocial difficulties students with disabilities faces in selected Elementary Schools of South Western Ethiopia emanating from home and environment that might have long lasting effect in life time. Qualitative study was undertaken to get information from students with disabilities, their respective teachers and family/caregivers employing purposive and availability sampling techniques. Interview, focus group discussion and observation were tools of data collection from respondents. Accordingly, the result of this study shows that students with disabilities face a number of psychosocial problems which are different from home to home depending on the family backgrounds, educational and economic statuses of the caregivers. It was revealed that emotional instability, discrimination, segregation, self blaming, hiding attempts, depressions of different levels, bad feeling from home, suicidal attempts and parental rejections are the prominent ones raised by respondents. Conclusions drawn revealed that both the caregivers and the students with disabilities face different levels of psychological and social problems from home, neighboring community and the larger societal settings due to cultural, religious and belief related impacts. Hence, training of family, teachers and students with disabilities were recommended as to minimize the psychosocial difficulties and attitudinal changes towards disability

Keywords

Difficulties, disability, elementary school, psychosocial

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