Current Edition : April, 2004

The Concept of Self in Physically Challenged Institutionalized Children

Neeru Sharma (Reader),
Sumati Vaid (Research Scholar) and Zerry Jamwal

PG Department of Home Science
University of Jammu
5/4/04Jammu and Kashmir

Introduction

Physical disability in itself may not be as bad physical experience as the social one, especially in those cases where the handicap is visible. It is only recently that the 'Disability' has been termed as a 'Challenge', impediment for an individual. The bias against disability is revealed in the terminologies locally used for referring to these individuals, which are often derogatory and limiting. Such individuals grow up with a very negative self-image resulting in low motivation and aspiration. They grow up they 'cannot do' where as when the disability is oftered as a 'challenge' their outlook towards life changes. But the modern attitude and outlook is still not prevalent and thus these children still have a tough challenge to face.

The past decades, has seen a greater emphasis on the study of self-concept for understanding and predicting the many facets of human behavior. Self-concept is one of the most dominating factors influencing the individual's behavior; on the other hand life experience too affect the self-concept. Physical disability also affects the self-concept. Successes and other pleasurable events in life lead to the enhancement of self-concept while failure, frustration and other denigrating experiences tend to lower the concept of one self. Self-concept is considered to be the most significant factor in human life as everyone is continuously striving towards self-actualization, self-realization and self-enhancement, and is constantly wishing to avoid self-condemnation and self-lowering experience.

The foundations of the self-concept are laid during the early months when the infant begins to delineate himself form the environment through exploration and experience. As he goes out of the home, he learns about the worlds around him and later hears stories from books, radio and television of what children like him are doing. Any, if not all, of these experiences are less assessable to the handicapped child and it is almost, always found that a handicapped child's development is slower, to a greater or lesser extent, then that of a normal child, even though the handicapped child is of normal intelligence. Being given a name and being addressed by it is a basic part of the development of a concept of oneself.

Methodology

The present research was conducted to study the concept of self in physically challenged institutionalized children (5-13 years) situated in Udhayawala in Jammu (J&K State) was selected for the study as it is the only institution meant for the welfare of the physically handicapped children. Children from different parts of the state reside in the institution to attain education so that they can become self-reliant and self-independent.

Sample Size:

The sample consists of 10 institutionalized physically challenged children. During the selection of sample the investigator wanted to include home-based sample too but those identified during door to door were wells into their adulthood.

Sampling Techniques

Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample. As they were all residentially based in the institution and home based sample could not be obtained even after door-to-door survey it was decided to purposively select the residential school and draw the sample.

Criteria for Sample Selection

For selecting the sample following criteria were taken into consideration:
Institutionalization
Only those children were selected who resided in the institution for physically challenged children. This was so because home based sample was difficult to obtain formulating them. Age Group
Children should be in the age group of 5-13 years.

Tools Used For Collecting The Data:

Interview Schedule and Swatva Bodh Parikshan (BSP) -1988 (A test of self-concept) By GP Sherry, RP Verma and PK Goswami were used for data collection.

Data Collection

Permission from the head of the institution was taken in order to visit the institution. For rapport building (establishing), the investigator visited to the institution for many times. The investigator interacted with children and their care takers in the institution. The purpose and features of the study were explained to them. Mean while informal observations were recorded.

Data Collection

Initially rapport was established and participatory approach was used to collect the information from the institution about physically challenged children. The requisite data was collected with the help of tools, which were employed during field work. They were assured that the information and data will not be disclosed and will only be used for research purpose. They were requested to fill the tests individually in front of the investigators and asked to complete the tests as quickly as possible to avoid any alterations to their immediate responses.

Data Analysis

Both qualitative analysis and statistical measures were used.

Results and Discussion

Results reveal that the median age of the respondents were in the age group of 11-15 years and were studied in the 3rd class. Median educational qualification of the father was illiterate and median occupation of the father was farmer. Results show that all the mothers were illiterate and were housewife. All the children belong to the nuclear families. The median ordinal position of the children was 2ndand median onset of disability was in the age group of 3-5 years. Median age at joining the institution was in the age group of 3-6 years. All the children received treatment before joining the institution. Median visits made by parents in the institution weekly whereas children visits at home yearly.

Table 1 shows that in the case of health and physique the mean percentage of these children was 37%, which show that these children had poor concept of health due to that all children are physically handicapped. The mean percentage of the children in academic status was 51%, which indicates average academic status. The emotional tendencies (64%) and temperamental qualities (62%) were average among the children, which indicated that these children have abilities to control their emotions. The mean percentage of the intellectual abilities of the children was 56%, which means that these children have average intellectual abilities.

The mean percentage of habits and behavior of the children comes under the category of 50% - 75% i.e. 56%, this indicated that children possess average habits and behaviors and the mean percentage of the children in mental health is 54% showed that the children have average mental health status. In the category of socio-economic status, the mean percentage of the children in socio-economic status is 52%, which falls under the category of 50% - 75%, indicated that these children have average socio-economic status.

All the children perceive themselves low in health and physique. They have average academic, emotional and temperamental status. The results also revealed that the children's intellectual as well as socio-economic status was average. Overall results indicated that the raw score of majority of these children falls in the category of 21% -26% which indicates poor self-concept So it is clear that all these children have poor self-concept.

Discussion

Self-concept is considered to be the most significant factor in human life as everyone is continuously striving towards self-actualization, self-realization and self-enhancement, and is constantly wishing to avoid self-condemnation and self-lowering experience. Previous study conducted by Joiner, Lovett, Linda and Win (1989) that there is a positive relationship between assertive behavior and degree of acceptance of disability among person's disabilities. The present study reveals that the children's physique and health status was very poor and the academic status was average.

Daraned and Muller (1993) describes that positiveness of optimism and self-esteem remains fairly stable across grades in the areas of physical maturity and poor relationship showed fairly decline in academic success and school adaptiveness only. In the field of emotional tendency of the children, they had average emotional and intellectual status. They try to control their emotions but some times due to their inferiority complex they did not control over themselves. Fitchen, Adler, Agam and Severson (1991) includes that in everyday social encounters, the physical disabled individuals, thoughts and feelings were more negative. It was also seen in the present study that the mental health too affected by the poor physique like studies conducted by Varni and James (1996) indicated that the affect of perceived physical appearance on psychological adjustment distress in mediated by general self-esteem.

Implications of the Present Research

1. There is an absence of physical activity that the children enjoyed. There are many activities these children can be involved in games, sports and creative activities. This will help in channelizing their energies, development of positive self-concept, self-worth and self-esteem.
2. Although the institution provides vocational training like knitting, tailoring and music but it is not sufficient in today's world to earn his or her living so institute should go in for computer education, technical education and provide more avenues to children. Community can help by giving free seats to these students in courses related to the above. This will motivate these students to go in for higher education, as they belong to low-income families.

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