Specifities of externalizing problems in children and Adolescents with different levels of Intellectual disabilities

Ispoljavanje eksternalizovanih problema značajno utiče na kvalitet života dece i adolescenata sa intelektualnom ometenošću (IO). Rezultati dosadašnjih istraživanja o faktorima koji utiču na pojavu i održavanje eksternalizovanih problema nisu saglasni. Cilj ovog rada je utvrđivanje razlika u ispoljavanju eksternalizovanih problema kod dece i adolescenata sa različitom težinom IO. Primenom ASEBA TRF/6–18, prikupljeni su podaci za 375 dečaka i devojčica sa lakom, umerenom i teškom IO, uzrasta od 6 do 18 godina. Najvažniji rezultati istraživanja su: nivo agresivnog ponašanja raste, a nivo kršenja pravila ponašanja opada sa porastom težine IO; postoje statistički značajne polne razlike kod ispitanika sa lakom i umerenom IO; statistički značajne uzrasne razlike postoje samo kod ispitanika sa umerenom IO. Zaključak ovog istraživanja je da učestalost i obrasci ispoljavanja eksternalizovanih problema variraju u zavisnosti od težine IO. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju na potrebu za primenom drugačijih pristupa u prevenciji i tretmanu eksternalizovanih problema dece i adolescenata sa lakom, umerenom i teškom IO.Manifestation of externalizing problem behaviors has significant influence on the quality of life of the children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID). The results on previous research on factors that influence the occurrence and maintenance of externalizing problems are still inconclusive. The objective of this paper is to determine possible differences in externalizing problems’ manifestations in respect of different levels of intellectual disabilities in children and adolescents. The ASEBA TRF/6–18 was applied in the sample of 375 boys and girls with mild, moderate and severe ID, aged from 6 to 18. The most important research results are: the level of aggressive behavior increases and the level of rule-breaking behavior decreasis with increasing severity of ID; there are significant sex differences in the participants with mild and moderate intellectual disability, while the significant age differences were found only in the participants with moderate intellectual disability. The conclusion of this study is that the frequency and the forms of externalizing behavior problems vary depending on the severity of ID. The results indicate the need for different approaches in the prevention and treatment of externalizing problems in children and adolescents with mild, moderate and severe ID