The family-focused early intervention programme: Evaluation of parental stress and depression

The present study aims to assess the parental outcomes of an early intervention programme, designed to enhance the development of children zero to four years old with developmental disabilities through parental training. The parents of children with developmental disabilities who participated in the study (mothers, n = 29; fathers, n = 28) attended an early intervention programme lasting eight months in the Turkish city of Ankara. Two dimensions of parental outcomes were stress and depression levels, which were assessed on a pre-test and post-test basis using the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress-F (QRS-F) and the Beck Depression Inventory). The findings demonstrated no significant change in mothers' stress scores while fathers' stress scores decreased on a subdimension of the QRS-F named 'child's characteristics'. Additionally, it is found that the depression levels of both parents decreased after the implementation of the programme. Implications are drawn from the findings for future research on parental stress, depression and for the development of the family-focused early intervention practices. © 2006 Taylor ; Francis

Comparison of the self-concepts, social skills, problem behaviors, and loneliness levels of students with special needs in inclusive classrooms

This study examines whether the self-concepts, social skills, problem behaviors, and loneliness levels of students with special educational needs (SEN) in inclusive elementary classrooms differ from those of students without special educational needs (non-SEN). This study also aimed to identify the roles of self-concept, social skills, and problem behaviors in predicting the loneliness levels of SEN students. The study group comprised 272 students (4th and 5th graders) attending inclusive elementary classrooms. A total of 140 were SEN and 132 were non-SEN students. The Social Skills and the Problem Behaviors Scales of the Social Skills Rating System-Teacher Form (SSRS-TF), the Children’s Loneliness Scale (CLS), and the Piers–Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS) were used as data collection tools. The findings showed that the self-concepts, social skills, problem behaviors, and loneliness levels of the SEN students were significantly different than those of the non-SEN students. It was also found that self-concept and social skills were significant predictors of the loneliness levels of SEN students. The findings were discussed regarding the related literature and the inclusive practices in Turkey. © 2015 EDAM