INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN PRESCHOOLERS: MENTAL HEALTH DETERMINANTS DURING THE PRENATAL, NATAL AND POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT STAGES

Abstract

Introduction. A person’s mental health is a successful performance of a mental function, the result of which is a productive activity, establishing relationships with other people and an ability to adapt to change and cope with adverse life circumstances. Particularly acute is the issue of the potential negative impact of impaired development on the mental health and social functioning of children with mental and physical disabilities. Purpose. The purpose of the paper was to identify correlations between the mental health indicators of mentally retarded preschoolers and the specifics of the prenatal, natal and postnatal stages of their development. Methodology. Analysis of special medical, psychological and pedagogical literature; comparison and systematization of research material to determine the mental health indicators of preschoolers of mild and moderate degrees of mental retardation; mathematical methods of statistics. Results and Discussion. These studies show that the events of the prenatal/natal period have a significant impact on the further life of the child. It is a clear fact that close interaction between the mother and the unborn child is confirmed (the child learns to perceive the world together with the mother). However, for the relatively harmonious mental health and social functioning of a child with mental retardation, the mother’s behavior after the birth of the child is of paramount importance. This study does not reveal the entire specifics of mental health indicators of MRP, because the article presents the results of a study covering senior preschool age. School-age children were left out of consideration. Conclusions. The obtained results confirm the conditionality of mental retardation by negative factors of prenatal, natal and postnatal stages of development. It is important to correctly diagnose the existing manifestations of mental health disorders exactly at the preschool age, in order to implement appropriate measures for correction and development

Keywords

• mental health
• preschool age
• mental retardation
• psychophysical development disorders
• determinants