AN INVESTIGATION OF EFFECT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME ON NEEDS, ANXIETY AND SOCIAL SUPPORT LEVELS OF THEIR MOTHERS

Authors

  • Pelin Piştav Akmeşe Assoc. Prof. Dr., Department of Audiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey orcid.org/0000-0001-8269-3899
  • Necla Işıkdoğan Uğurlu Asst. Prof. Dr., Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey orcid.org/0000-0002-1795-0470
  • Nilay Kayhan Assoc. Prof. Dr., Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey orcid.org/0000-0002-0937-8013

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v9i3.4925

Keywords:

anxiety, communication function classification system, Down Syndrome, needs of mothers, social support

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect of communication skills of children with Down Syndrome on their mother’s perceptions of needs, anxiety, and social support. The quantitative research method was used in the study, which was performed in the descriptive survey model. 71 mothers who have children between 4-16 years of age, diagnosed with Down Syndrome participated. The research data were collected using Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), Family Needs Survey (FNS), Questionnaire on Resources and Stress for Families with Chronically or Handicapped Members (QRS), and Social Support Scale (SSS). There was a positive significant relationship between CFCS and financial needs and QRS 2 and there was a negative significant relationship with social support. A negative significant relationship was found between QRS 3 and social support.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Pelin Piştav Akmeşe, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Department of Audiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey orcid.org/0000-0001-8269-3899
    of  Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in 1997. She did her first master's degree at Ankara University Department of Child Development in 2004, her second master at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Department of Otorhinolaryngology Field of Audiology and Speech Disorders in 2008, and completed her doctorate in Ankara University Faculty of Education Department of Special Education. She worked as a faculty member in Ege University Faculty of Education Department of Special Education between 2014-2021. She received the title of associate professor in the field of Special Education Speech Disabled People and Their Education in 2018. The research subjects of the author who has still been working in Ege University Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Audiology include language and narration development, assessment and intervention in language and speech disorders, diagnosis, assessment, and intervention in children with hearing loss, sign language in the early period, primary education, and higher education.
  • Necla Işıkdoğan Uğurlu, Asst. Prof. Dr., Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey orcid.org/0000-0002-1795-0470

    Asst. Prof. Dr. Necla Işıkdoğan Uğurlu completed her master's and doctoral studies at Ankara University, Department of Special Education. In her master's thesis, she studied reading and reading comprehension with children with intellectual disabilities. In her doctoral thesis, she worked on the morpho-syntactic awareness skills of hearing-impaired students. Currently, he is a professor at Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Department of Special Education. He continues to work as a faculty member. Within the research areas; special education, intellectual disability, hearing impairment, inclusive education.

  • Nilay Kayhan, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey orcid.org/0000-0002-0937-8013

    Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nilay Kayhan graduated from the University of Çukurova in 2003 and had the second highest average grade in her department. Kayhan graduated in June 2003 and enrolled in the postgraduate program in the Basic Education Department of Social Sciences Institute of the University of Çukurova as the top-scoring student in September Individual differences, techniques for acquainting with students, teaching methods and techniques, communication skills, measurement and evaluation in education, qualitative research, multiple intelligence practices, and scientific research methods and graduated in 2008 after submitting her dissertation analyzing the relationship between the levels of acceptance of new primary education programs among form teachers and their professional satisfaction. Kayhan enrolled in the doctoral program of Special Education Department of the Education Sciences Institute of the University of Ankara in 2008. Kayhan was employed by the Education Faculty of the University of Aksaray as a research assistant in 2009 and worked for the Pre-School Education department until 2014 and served as a unit coordinator for the inclusive education of higher education students with different needs.  She worked as a lecturer in the Special Education Department of the Education Faculty of the University of Eastern Mediterranean from 2014 through 2016  and received a doctoral degree with her study entitled “Effect on effective teaching skills of form teachers in inclusive settings of the lecturing observer model among unified teaching approaches” which she completed in consultation with Prof. Gönül Akçamete, Ph.D. in 2016. Kayhan’s dissertation aimed at improving teachers’ effective teaching and planning skills, and teaching implementation and evaluation skills in order to support their social and academic involvement while enhancing the quality of education provided by individuals with special needs and with different linguistic skills and cultures and spreading integration practices in our country and she is currently working as a lecturer for the Special Education Department of the Education Faculty of Ege University.

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2023-07-05

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