Selfperceived quality of life and future's expectations of youth with disabilities

Kvaliteta života je kompleksni konstrukt koji uključuje višedimenzionalni pristup u istraživanju kroz procjenu i subjektivnih i objektivnih faktora te u suvremenom društvu ponovno jače dolazi u fokus ne samo od strane istraživačke zajednice, nego i u okviru kreiranja i implementacije javnih politika koje se usmjeravaju na kreiranje konkurentnih gradova, promoviranja održivog razvoja te unapređenja kvalitete života građana (Marans, Stimson, 2011, prema Mohit, 2013). Mladi u tranzicijskom periodu intenzivno promišljaju o svojem sutra, postavljaju buduće ciljeve i očekivanja te se u literaturi navodi da su očekivanja od budućnosti mladih u korelaciji s njihovom kvalitetom života (Erylmaz, 2011, prema Beal i sur. 2016). Mladi s teškoćama u razvoju mogu imati viša očekivanja od budućnosti koja mogu biti realistična i nerealistična dok neki mogu biti vrlo neodlučni pa se često govori o visokoj individualiziranosti u prirodi iskustava i pogleda mladih s teškoćama (Lewis i sur., 2007). U ovom istraživanju percepcije kvalitete života i očekivanja od budućnosti mladih s teškoćama u razvoju i mladih bez teškoća u razvoju te percepcije razrednika prema njihovoj budućnosti korišteni su sljedeći mjerni instrumenti: Upitnik kvalitete života za osobe s intelektualnim teškoćama (Cummins, 1997), Indeks osobne kvalitete života za osobe s intelektualnim teškoćama (Cummins, Lau, 2005), upitnik Očekivanja od budućnosti (Ajduković, Kulenović, 1993, prema Urbanc, 1999) i upitnik Kako ja procjenjujem svoju budućnost (Urbanc, 1999). Uzorak istraživanja čini 218 mladih u završnim razredima srednjoškolskog obrazovanja te 218 razrednika mladih. Mladi su prema obliku školovanja i vrsti obrazovnog programa podijeljeni u tri podskupine: mladi s teškoćama u razvoju koji se prema posebnom obrazovnom programu školuju u posebnim uvjetima, mladi s teškoćama u razvoju koji se prema posebnom obrazovnom programu školuju u redovitim uvjetima te mladi bez teškoća u razvoju koji se prema redovitom obrazovnom programu školuju u redovitim uvjetima. Dobiveni rezultati su statistički obrađeni tehnikama inferencijalne statistike kao i multivarijantnim tehnikama te pokazuju da su pojedine objektivne komponente percipirane kvalitete života (sigurnost, emocije i zdravlje; društvena uključenost, materijalno blagostanje i produktivnost) statistički značajno različite kod mladih s teškoćama u razvoju i mladih bez teškoća u razvoju. Svi mladi imaju više procjene subjektivne kvalitete života. Mladi iz redovite škole bez teškoća u razvoju imaju značajno niža očekivanja te manji strah od budućnosti u odnosu na mlade iz redovite škole s teškoćama u razvoju. Utvrđene su statistički značajne razlike u očekivanju od budućnosti mladih i njihovih razrednika dok razrednici mladih s teškoćama u razvoju iz redovite škole od njihove budućnosti očekuju značajno više nego razrednici mladih iz posebne škole. Također su značajno povezane pojedine komponente percipirane kvalitete života s očekivanjem od budućnosti kod mladih s teškoćama u razvoju kao i kod mladih bez teškoća u razvoju. Dobiveni rezultati daju jasniji uvid u osobne procjene mladih s teškoćama i mladih bez teškoća u razvoju u svezi kvalitete njihovog života i očekivanja od budućnosti kao i procjenu njihovih razrednika te ukazuju na potrebu sustavnijeg i kontinuiranog praćenja mladih u tranzicijskom periodu prijelaza u svijet odraslih s naglaskom na mlade s teškoćama u razvoju kako bi se unaprijedila nacionalna politika prema mladima s teškoćama u razvoju te pružila primjerena podrška od strane sustava u koje su mladi uključeni.The quality of life is a complexed construct that requires a multidimensional research approach including the assessment both subjective and objective factors. In the modern day it is put back in the focus not only by the research community but also by the policy makers trying to implement policies directed to urban planning, sustainable development and the enhancement of the quality of life of the people (Marans, Stimson, 2011, in Mohit, 2013). Youth, while being in the transition period are intensively thinking about the future, and are setting future goals and expectations. Previous literature suggests that future expectations in the youth is positively correlated with the quality of their life (Erylmaz, 2011, in Beal et al., 2016). Youth with disabilities can either have high expectations from the future that may or may not be realistic or they may be unsure of the future. Therefore, expectations from the future in youth with disabilities are often described as highly individualistic in their nature (Lewis et al., 2007). In this research on the quality of life perception and expectations from the future in youth with and without disabilities and their homeroom teachers perception of their future, the following assessment tools were used: Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale Intellectual/Cognitive Disability (Cummins, 1997), Personal Wellbeing Index-Intellectual disability (Cummins, Lau, 2005), Future’s Expectation (Ajduković, Kulenović, 1993, in Urbanc, 1999) and How Do I Evaluate My Own Future (Urbanc, 1999). The sample consisted of 218 young people attending final high school classes and 218 teachers. According to the type of education and the educational program the students were receiving, the sample was grouped into three groups: youth with disabilities receiving special education program in special schools, youth with disabilities receiving special education program in regular schools, and youth without any disabilities attending regular schools. Results, analyzed using inferential statistics and multivariate techniques show that certain objective components of self perceived quality of life (safety, emotions and health, community, material well-being and productivity) significantly differ in youth with and without disabilities. All young people have higher self perceived subjective quality of life. Youth without disabilities who attend regular schools had significantly lower future’s expectations and were less afraid of the future in comparison to their peers with disabilities in regular schools. Significant difference was also found between youth and their homeroom teachers while homeroom teachers who teach youth with disabilities from regular schools have significantly higher expectations from the future for their students in comparison to their colleagues from special schools. The significant associations were reported between specific components of self-perceived quality of life and future’s expectations in youth with and without disabilities. These results give additional clarification to the knowledge of self-perception of the quality of life and expectations from the future in youth with and without disabilities and their homeroom teachers future’s expectations for them. These findings point to the need for systematic and continuous monitoring of the youth in the period of their transition to the adulthood with a special emphasis on youth with disabilities in order to create more advanced national policies for them and give adequate support at the system level