Formation of the motivational component of psychological readiness to study in middle school in schoolchildren with mental retardation

Introduction. The period of transition from elementary school to the basic stage of education is one of the most difficult and has some specific features in schoolchildren with mental retardation (MR) compared to those with normal mental development (NMD). The complete formation of the motivational component of psychological readiness to study in middle school in schoolchildren with MR should be regarded as one of the essential prerequisites for the successful course of this period, as well as for schoolchildren’s socialization and integration into the inclusive educational space at all subsequent education stages. The present study aims to experimentally investigate the efficiency of the formation of the motivational component of psychological readiness to study in middle school in schoolchildren with MR in the process of providing psychological support. Materials and methods. The study involved 302 younger adolescents who studied in 4 general education classes; 86 children out of 302 had MR. The motivational component as a systemic concept was investigated by the method of diagnostics of study motivation and emotional attitude toward studying in middle and senior school (developed by Spielberg, modified by A.D. Andreeva); conversation with schoolchildren «The 5th grade is ahead»; and the mathematical statistics method «Pearson's χ2 criterion». Results. The results of the summative experiment exposed differences in the formation level of the motivational component of psychological readiness to study in middle school and each of its components (cognitive activity, level of anger, level of anxiety, and structure of motivation for studying) of younger adolescents with MR and their peers with NMD, which were statistically significant (the most pronounced differences were noted in the level of anger: χ2emp. = 85.75; p ≤ 0.05), confirming that the examined components of motivational readiness for studying in the 5th grade in schoolchildren with MR were formed insufficiently. At the stage of the control experiment, statistically reliable positive shifts in the level of anger, anxiety, and study motivation of younger adolescents with MR were noted. The following results deserve special attention: KEYWORDS • the presence of reliable positive dynamics in the level of anger formation (the most pronounced «negative» component in the motivational readiness of schoolchildren with MR compared to their peers with NMD), χ2emp. = 7,454; р ≤ 0.05; • the presence of «high» and «above average» levels of study motivation in schoolchildren with MR at the control stage of the experiment, absent in the summative stage of the study, which was confirmed statistically (χ2emp. = 38.9; p ≤ 0.05); • the presence of more pronounced positive dynamics in the levels of anger, anxiety, and study motivation in younger adolescents with MR who attended the classes of an educational psychologist during the summer camp. Conclusion. Motivational readiness to study in the 5th grade in schoolchildren with MR is not sufficiently formed for their successful socialization and integration into an inclusive educational space. The work of an educational psychologist with pupils with MR in the stage of transition from primary to middle school aimed at forming motivational readiness for studying contributed to positive dynamics in the development of most of its components: the level of anger, the level of anxiety, and study motivation.