Main Problems of Social Adaptation of Children‘s Home Ex-Inmates

in Vocational School

Irena Leliugiene,Jolanta Kovalenkoviene

Kaunas University of Technology,

Istitute of Educational Studies

Donelaicio Str. 20, Kaunas, Lithuania

Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research, University of Geneva, 13-15 September 2006

Abstract

Children’s Home should perform very important functions, in a child's education, a personality ripening in the family. However, the pedagogues, psychologists declare that the postinstitutional life of the orphans, their social adaptation in the new environment is complicated by various social and psychological factors. Kluyeva, Kozlov (2004) and other authors talk about adolescents in the children’s home as about a risk group, who due to the influence of the socioeducational environment of the institutions in the society experience social isolation.

Ex-inmates of children’s home often choose studies in vocational schools rather then studies in universities. However, the investigations of the social adaptation of those students in the vocational schools, the researches of the problems those students are facing are not sufficient. What are the main factors to influence the nature of their social adaptation in the vocational school? Is the new social environment- vocational school- sympathetic to the positive social adaptation of ex-inmates of children’s home? Are youngsters leaving children’s home being prepared for the self-dependent life in an open society?

Having done the theoretical analysis of the various authors the three major factors (social competence, vocation chose motivation and the environment of the school) influencing the nature of ex-inmates of children’s home social adaptation in the vocational school have been established.

Introduction

A priority role for training and preparation of children to a self-dependent life in an open society is assigned to a family. In Lithuania, however, the amount of families performing no social function in the process of children upbringing has been continuously growing. Education of children that have lost care of parents due to different reasons and are grown at children's home turns into relevant pedagogical, psychological and social problem of the society.

Liobikiene (2004) and other authors stress that life in a big community of children, in a closed institution, develops the child's feelings of individuality, self-respect and safety insufficiently, therefore, it might be planned ahead that these children will require additional programs of social integration. Results of the investigations carried out by Burlingham, Bowlby, Goldfarb, Lowrey (Braslauskiene, 2001) demonstrate that children living at children's home are unable to acquire sufficient social abilities required for successful adaptation to a new environment. Inmates of children's home feel their difference from others and concern about unclear future prospects, therefore their social adaptation to a new environment is impeded by a number of social and psychological factors.

For the time being, education of children that live without parents' care, investigation of the problems of their socialization and social adaptation is especially relevant. Conclusions of investigations carried out by different authors (Braslauskiene (2001), Barkauskaite (1999), Kukauskas (1998), Leliugiene (1997, 2002), Rugevicius, Juknaitė-Kozlova (2002), Smagina, Vodneva (2001), Zablocka (2003), Wigger (2003) and other) allow stating that due to the developed specific social and educational conditions education of children at children's home is not identical to education in family:

  • Family members are interconnected by warm emotional links, natural social relations, whereas there are no such connections between children growing at children's home and pedagogues working therein.
  • At children's home, a need of a child to be attached to a close person is not satisfied.
  • At children's home, individual features and needs of each child are considered insufficiently. Children live in a collective, where everything is shared by a group of inmates.
  • Inmates of children's home fail to perceive the image of the open social environment completely.
  • Inmates of children's home fail to imagine the real daily living needs.
  • Ex-inmates of children's home more often strive to acquire the profession that ensures livelihood and rarely think of studies at higher school.

Thus, inmates of children's home fail to gain sufficient social abilities required for non-conflicting functioning in an open society. The absence of social competence, which is a very important factor in the process of social adaptation, impedes the inmates of children's home and especially the youngsters leaving children's home and starting a self-dependent life to communicate with nearby people in a non-conflicting manner and to integrate into a new environment. According to Kaffeman,Gerulaitis (2001), individuals having acquired insufficient social abilities experience a difficult period of social adaptation at school. This fact leads to different disorders in behavior and character that stipulate various problems of social adaptation to an open society.

Referring to research works of foreign authors, Leliugiene (1997) provides the most frequently observed symptoms (aggression, reticence, maladjustment, character peculiarities determined by negative emotions, absence of will) of behavior and character disorders leading to the reasons of problems of social – psychological adaptation to a new environment experienced by ex-inmates of children's home:

  • Aggression showing inability to agree in harmony with surrounding people and manifesting itself by roughness, selfishness, revengefulness, inclination to conflict, disregard of conventional morals, falsehood, disrespectful behavior.
  • Reticence showing inability to place confidence in others and manifesting itself by distrust in peers and especially in adults as well as by shrinking into oneself.
  • Maladjustment manifesting itself by inability to get into full-fledged interpersonal relations, maintain and develop them, assume responsibility for one's actions, also displaying itself by lack of self-confidence.
  • Character peculiarities determined by negative emotions manifesting themselves by inability to act adequately: inconsistency, sudden huff, indifference, various fears.
  • Absence of will manifesting itself by inability to resist negative influence, addictions.

Second factor having influence upon social adaptation of students at school implies inner peculiarities of school, i.e. social microclimate. According toStuopyte, Leliugiene (2000), Hopkins, West, Ainscow (1998), school of nowadays being the main institution in the training process of the students attending it may influence those students both positively and negatively. At vocational school, i.e. specialized social environment, wherein socialization of an individual goes on, a new stage of social adaptation starts the success whereof is influenced by certain factors: personal peculiarities (social competence) of learners, study environment (inner peculiarities of school) and motives for profession selection. In the opinion of Jovaisa (1981), Trimakas (Vismantiene (1999)) clear and solid perception of the professional mission and profession selection determine even and non-complicated social adaptation of a young person to a scholastic institution where the profession is acquired.

In order to check the theoretical attitudes of different authors on the non-preparation of inmates of children's home to a self-dependent life and complicated social adaptation whereof to new environment, i.e. in order to establish the reality of the problem an research was carried out.

Research was performed 2005 in Kaunas. Questionnaire interrogation has been performed for the interrogation of pedagogues. The data of this interrogation was processed by SPSS program, by applying descriptive statistics and factor analysis methods. Half structuralized interview has been performed for the interrogation of the students (ex-inmates of the children’s home: who acquired secondary education and are seeking for professional qualification in the vocational school). The information received during the interview was analyzed using qualitative content analysis method.

The aim of research is to emphasize main problems of social adaptation of children’s home ex-inmates in vocational school.

The problem questions are:

  • Are youngsters, leaving children’s home, prepared for the self-dependent life in an open society?
  • What are the main factors to influence the social adaptation of children’s home ex-inmates in the vocational school?
  • Is new social environment - vocational school - positive to the real social adaptation of ex-inmates of children’s home?

Discussion of Rezults

Analysis of the results of the survey carried out with the help of the questionnaire allows proposing that 80.9% of pedagogues accepted the statement "Social Adaptation of Children's Home Ex-Inmates in Vocational School is Complicated" (seeTable 1). According to pedagogues, this fact is influenced by insufficient social competence of these students.

Table 1. Opinion of Pedagogues on Social Adaptation of Children's Home Ex-Inmates in Vocational School

Statement / % / N / Average
M / Mo / SD
YES / I'm not sure / NO
Social adaptation of children's home ex-inmates in vocational school is complicated / 80.9% / 0.0% / 19.1% / 47 / 2.87 / 3 / 1.30

Social Competence of Children's Home Ex-Inmates.Students have been provided 17 generalized questions related to certain subcategories (motivated activity (learning aspect), self-dependence, responsibility, resistance to negative influence, recognition of one's own mistakes, perception of one's own feelings and needs, having future prospects, self-confidence, trust in others, active participation in school life) denoting particular social abilities.

Motivated activity (learning aspect).Negative attitude of respondents is represented by the following phrases: "I go under compulsion", "I'm doing moderately", "I run away from lessons", "I tire of studying". According to 75.1% of pedagogues, these students lack inner learning motivation: at lessons, they do the tasks assigned to them blankly, they miss lessons without a serious reason.

Self-dependence. Respondents of the interview appeared to have no sufficient skills in housework, handling of different household matters and this lack of skills cause them great discomfort: "It is very difficult to be self-dependent", "Also, it is very difficult to do the cooking and to tidy up". The students have emphasized that the main problem implies the purposeful distribution of the budget: "It is rather difficult with money", "I fail to calculate my money". In the opinion of hostel masters, the aforementioned problems are obvious whilst observing life of the students at hostel.

Responsibility. Ability to feel responsibility for one's own actions and deeds is a prerequisite for non-conflicting communication with nearby people. In the statements provided by a part of the respondents, efforts to control their behavior are observed: "Most often I can be responsible for my actions", "I try to change". In the statements of other respondents, an opposite attitude may be envisaged: "More often I'm irresponsible", "I don't think what I do or say".

Resistance to negative influence.Rather often, in order to move with other members of the group, youngsters surrender themselves to the influence of friends. And this influence not always is positive. Respondents are liable to smoke, drink with friends as they "want to adapt to the 'gang'", "there is no way to be different". According to a part of the respondents, "worse friends stick more", they "like to misconduct", even a tendency to repeat bad actions due to particular satisfaction is felt: "You've done something, liked it and want to do it again". They feel no personal responsibility as "others also do the same".

Almost a half (46.8%) of the surveyed pedagogues supposes that inability to resist negative influence is one the factors demonstrating the inclination of these youngsters to destructive behavior.

Recognition of one's ownmistakes. Nearly all the respondents of the interview state that they perceive when they act right and when they act wrong, but avoid acknowledging it openly: "I get it but don't say to others", "I don’t say it aloud, although I understand". Besides, certain personal qualities of the respondents stood out: reticence, lack of self-confidence and distrust in others, inclination to shrink into oneself.

Perception of one's own feelings and needs. General opinion of the respondents demonstrates that while growing at children's home they have failed to learn how to combine their wishes and needs; ex-inmates state to be wobblers, encountering difficulties when they need to decide what they want and what they really need: "Very often I'm not sure what I want", "I choose what I want but not the thing that is necessary", "I'm unstable".

Having future prospects. Braslauskienė (2001) referring to Kyler states that children growing at children's home, i.e. in a closed environment, have no possibilities to perceive the image of the open life completely, therefore, they encounter many difficulties in planning their future. Most respondents have neither future plans, nor targeted goals. They do not think what they will do after graduating from vocational school ("I don't think about future") as "everything may turn on its head".

Self-confidence, as Baršauskienė, Janulevičiūtė (1999) state, is one of the guarantees of good relations with surrounding people. However, only the statements of a half of the students represent a more positive attitude towards oneself ("I'm sort of self-reliant. How to live otherwise?").

Trust in others. Opinions expressed by the students demonstrate that they distrust in adults (teachers of vocational school), however, they communicate more freely and openly with group mates: "I don't trust in teachers very much", "Sometimes I confide to friends."

According to pedagogues, lack of self-confidence and distrust in others manifesting itself by different symptoms demonstrate reticence of the youngsters having grown at children's home (see Table 2).

Table 2.Expression of Reticent Behavior of Children's Home Ex-Inmates

Factor
Symptoms of reticence / Distrust in others / Lack of self-confidence
Distrusts in others / 0,88 / -0,13
Unwilling to confide to others / 0,86 / 0,06
Sensitive / 0,75 / 0,00
Stressed / 0,67 / 0,19
Feels cheap among others / 0,63 / 0,56
Silent / 0,05 / 0,79
Shy / -0,11 / 0,77
Frightful / 0,08 / 0,63
Fails to maintain his/her opinion / 0,51 / 0,57
Dissociates from others / 0,38 / 0,56
Dislikes group activity / 0,20 / 0,47
Emotional / -0,24 / 0,37
Average acceptance of factor statements, % / 60,2% / 42,7%

Active participation in school life. Dissociation from joint school activity is typical of the interview respondents: "I don’t like", "I don't want and won’t go at all", "I'm not taking part", "I don't dare". Hence, the youngsters do no feel to be the full-fledged members of the community responsible for the events taking place at school.

Upon summarizing it may be stated that in terms of the quantitative attitude, social competence of children's home ex-inmates is insufficient. Respondents acquired no ability to act reasonably (in the learning aspect), i.e. they failed to train inner learning motivation, and further learning of these youngsters was determined by external motives.Over the years spent at children's home, they failed to acquire abilities required for a full-fledged self-dependent life.A half of the surveyed students feel no responsibility for their actions and deeds, they fail to resist negative impact, feel difficulties in recognizing their mistakes.They are not able to go deep into oneself, to perceive one's feelings and needs, they are not self-confident and feel even stronger distrust in others.All this determines inability, disinclination of these students for communication and have influence on dissociation from the different activity taking place at school.Results of the interview allow stating that children's home ex-inmates are not stimulated to plan their future and professional career.This opinion is shared by 73% of the pedagogues having participated in the survey.

School Microclimate. This category has been analyzed by the following three aspects: interpersonal relations with surrounding people at school, particularity of learning, inner peculiarities of school.

Interpersonal relations with surrounding people at school. Statements of the interview respondents reflect the efforts of the majority to develop constructive interpersonal relations. "I try to see all but not always it goes well", "I do my best to agree upon", "I try to be a friend to all". Although, a need to revenge and disinclination for concession that complicate communication is also envisaged and felt: "If they tussle, I also do so; if they fight, I also fight", "I'll wait for an opportunity and will try to settle accounts with them", "revengeful". Efforts to avoid conflicts with pedagogue, however, are observed: "I try to make no quarrels with teachers", "I make no conflicts with teachers". It should be noted that communication of these students with teachers is impeded by the factors related to insufficient learning motivation of youngsters and, as respondents affirm, to disinclination of some teachers to understand and know their students: "Sometimes it seems, that they do not understand me", "Certain (teachers) dislike some things".

The overwhelming majority of pedagogues (75.1%) considered the communication skills of children's home ex-inmates to be insufficient. Pedagogues accentuated the following negative character features typical of the students and demonstrating that the required social skills are undeveloped (see Figure 1).

Fig. 1 Ways of Behavior Typical of Children's Home Ex-Inmates and Demonstrating Their Social Incompetence

A considerable part (26.1%) of pedagogues has pointed out another factor determining the problems experienced by these students while communicating with other members of the school community and implying the striving for exceptional attention. This striving is shown by disinclination for obedience to the order applied at school, by requiring privileges and giving prominence to personal problems, by disrespectful behavior with regard to others and by a wish to be a "negative" leader.

Particularity of learning. All the interview respondents experience learning difficulties due to learning particularity at vocational school ("It's more difficult to study here", "Subjects are difficult"). It has been noticed that the students have no skills of self-dependent learning and are not used to stricter evaluation of knowledge.

Inner peculiarities of school. All students have emphasized that at vocational school they feel safe and nobody discerns them: "I've found friends at school", "I like school", "Nobody discerns us. Treat us as others, just in the same way", "Environment is acceptable, people are also good". Thus, the needs of these students such as to be safe, equivalently accepted and respected as well as the need to belong to some group are satisfied at school.

Profession Selection Motives. Results of the survey demonstrate that in the process of profession selection by children's home ex-inmates the greatest attention is paid to "usefulness" of the profession, frequently considering neither health condition of the future students nor their hobbies or attraction to one or another activity. To the profession selection of many students, the great influence was made by the educator's advice to choose a marketable profession. "I'll have no problems with work and meal, I'll be able to do the cooking. These were the words said by the educator", "I had no idea what I want to study", "Educator told". It should be noted that a half of the respondents stated that they are unconscious of the future work particularity. "I have no idea what my work will be like".