The Role of the Parents as Significant Others Research Report with the Use of the Questionnaires My Father and My Mother

The article contains presentation of research tools construed by the author and an analysis of material gathered with their use. The discussed tools are: Perceived Social Support Questionnaire My Mother (KPWS-M) and Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (KPWS-O) making it possible to study the intensity and range of social support obtained by young people from the closest significant others, the father and the mother. The results of the research done in a group of young people experiencing school failure and in the control group of young people who achieve school success prove that there is a statistically significant difference between the groups as far as perception of parental control, social support and „school” support on the side of the parents is concerned. The results may have important practical pedagogical implications: in work with pupils experiencing school failure one should not only revalidate or improve the pupil's performance in the cognitive sphere, but also take care of bringing back or consolidating proper relations between the pupil and significant others, first of all his parents