The Specifics of the Functioning of Emotional Intelligence of Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of the article. Modern special psychology and pedagogy in Ukraine are aimed not only at preserving the acquired experience, but at transforming the acquired knowledge in order to create conditions for the realization of personality with intellectual disabilities today. The research in technologies of correction-compensatory work with persons with peculiarities of psychophysical development is becoming increasingly relevant. The relevance of the study of aspects of emotional intelligence of persons with intellectual disabilities is conditioned by the solution of the urgent need to develop effective technologies for the development of personality with special educational needs at different age stages of its formation. Methods. The complexity, lack of research and ambiguity of the phenomenon of the concept of «emotional intelligence» in adolescents with intellectual disabilities led to the choice of research method – modeling. Specific research methods, including psychodiagnostic methods, have also been used to solve problems and ensure the validity of propositions and conclusions. One of the components of emotional intelligence of adolescents with intellectual disabilities – emotional – was studied. The method «Testing the ability to recognize emotions based on pantomime masks of the human face» (adaptation of M. Lebedeva), the method «Determination of the ability to differentiate emotional states» (according by V. Matveev), conversations, observations were used in the article. The results of the research. In the course of psychodiagnostic, the attention was focused on determining the state of formation of the emotional component and the levels of representation of its indicators. These are important qualitative characteristics such as recognition, differentiation and verbalization of emotions. It was found that the emotional component in adolescents with mental disabilities is characterized by an average level of formation. This indicates that adolescents are capable of partial understanding, analysis, and comparison of emotional states with their own experience (3–4 states); partial identifying, measuring, verbalization of emotions (4–5 basic emotions) and their psycholinguistic description. Conclusions. In the course of the research an attempt was made to establish the specifics of the functioning of emotional intelligence of a teenager with mental development disorders through the selection of key components in order to further influence the formation of the personality of the studied category of adolescents. In particular, one of the components of the presented model of emotional intelligence was studied and the results of the study of one of the components were considered, in particular, the emotional component in the structure of emotional intelligence of adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Identified components, their research (emotional and other components), establishing indicators of their formation and establishing levels of emotional intelligence are the basis for further development of effective psychological support for adolescents with intellectual disabilities.