Internalizing forms of problem behavior in school-age children with mild intellectual disability

• Main Authors: Brojčin Branislav, Glumbić Nenad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Univerzitet u Beogradu - Fakultet za specijalnu edukaciju i rehabilitaciju 2012-01-01
• Series: Specijalna Edukacija i Rehabilitacija
• Subjects: intellectual disability; internalizing problem behavior
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1452-7367/2012/1452-73671201003B.pdf
• ISSN: 1452-7367; 2406-1328

Mood disorders are very frequent affective symptoms often found in children with disabilities. Even the nonclinical depression or depressive mood in children are characterized by social withdrawal and decline in self-confidence, anger or auto-destructive behavior, as well as decrease in academic achievement. The objective of this research is to determine the prevalence of elevated expression of internalizing behavior in children with mild intellectual disability and to perceive elevated expression association of this form of problem behavior with chronological age, gender, IQ, speech comprehension and speech production of the participants. Subscale used to assess level of internalizing types of problem behavior, which is part of the teacher's Problem Behavior Rating Scale, of the Social Skills Rating System was applied on 120 participants with mild intellectual disability, aged from 8 to 16. Increased level of internalizing problem behavior is found in 25% of the participants, whereas statistically significant correlation is detected only between this variable and IQ. The results obtained in this study indicate the necessity for children and youth with intellectual disability who have elevated level of problem internalization to be identified, for the purpose of undertaking proper measures to eliminate or alleviate those problems. Development of preventive programs directed to reinforce the skills, necessary for resolving emotional and social problems is advised as well.