Psychosocial Challenges Students with Disabilities Encounter in selected Primary Schools of South West Ethiopia

ABSTRACT: Qualitative study was undertaken to obtain relevant information from students with disabilities in selected schools, their respective teachers and family/caregivers employing purposive and availability sampling techniques. Interview, focus group discussion and outside observation were conducted as major tools of data collection from respondents. Accordingly, the result of this study showed that students with disabilities face a number of psychosocial problems that could vary from home to home depending on the family backgrounds, educational and economic statuses of the care givers. Emotional instability, discrimination, segregation, self-blaming, hiding attempts, depressions at different levels, bad feeling from home, suicidal attempts and parental rejections are common difficulties identified. In conclusion both the family and students with disabilities encountered different levels of psychological and social problems from home, neighboring community and the larger societal settings due to cultural, religious and belief related impacts. Hence, training at different levels for family, teachers and students with disabilities were recommended to minimize the psychosocial difficulties with continuous awareness raising and education on disability matters progressively. KEYWORDS: discrimination; elementary school; psychosocial difficulties; students with disability