Psychosocial Factors Influencing Learning Difficulties Among Individuals with Special Needs

Abstract

This study examined the influence of psychosocial factors on learning difficulties among adolescents with special needs. A cross-sectional survey design was utilized. One hundred and twenty adolescents comprising 56.7% males were purposively selected among students at a facility for special needs individuals in Ilorin, Nigeria. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire containing perceived stigma of intellectual disability scale, social support questionnaire and Colorado learning difficulties questionnaire. Only individuals who voluntarily consented to participate were included in the study. Data were subjected to statistical analysis utilizing the SPSS v20. There was no significant gender difference on learning difficulties among individuals with special needs (t (118) =. 138, p>.05). Individuals with high perceived stigma reported significant higher learning difficulties compared to their peers with low perceived stigma (t (118) = 15.70; p˂.05). There was a significant influence of type of disability on learning difficulty (F (2, 117) =9.152, p< .01); individuals with intellectual impairment exhibited more learning difficulty compared with those with visual impairment (8.09) and those with hearing impairment (11.62). The study recommends that government should reinforce law that protect individuals living with disability and enhance their learning in schools. It is also important that sufficient support services are made available for these students to reinforce their motivation for school learning.

Keywords

• disability
• learning difficulty
• psychosocial factors
• social support
• stigma