Klaipėdos universitetas

The scientific article analyses the subjectively perceived quality of life of adult patients with mental and behavioural disorders, and its relationship to the certification of day care institutions according to the EQUASS quality implementation system and the links with health services provided to adults with disabilities. The aim of the research is to investigate the correlations between the subjectively perceived quality of life of patients with mental and behavioural disorders and the health services provided. The article presents a research study involving 13 respondents (seven men and six women) with mental and behavioural disorders. Qualitative research with the in-depth interview method was applied. The respondents ranged in age from 20 to 48 years (the mean age was 32), all of them had attended the day care centre for from one to 20 years (the average attendance was 7.5 years). The research data were processed using narrative analysis. The research results revealed that adults with mental and behavioural disorders perceive the health system integratively. The essential triangulation that influences the assessment of their subjectively good quality of life was identified: the characteristics of the person himself/herself, the efficiency of services provided, and the professionalism of the employee. It was also found that for respondents receiving inpatient services for ten years or more, the subjectively perceived quality of life is related to social participation in the community. It was also identified that adults with mental disabilities still face stigmatisation; therefore, it is necessary to legally ensure the context of their social participation and valorisation. The research revealed that medical and social services for patients with mental and behavioural disorders require closeness: a person after in-patient treatment and receiving additional psychosocial rehabilitation services focuses on the valorisation of his/her role in society and social participation.

This article offers an analysis of soft skills acquisition in children through animal training programmes within the framework of a two-year Erasmus+ project. The article overviews important aspects of shaping and introducing new approaches towards the acquisition of soft skills in children through animal training programmes. In this context, children participated in research in three countries (Lithuania, Belgium and Bulgaria), in three animal-assisted educational programmes: dolphin-assisted therapy, hippotherapy, and canine therapy. The results of the narrative analysis show a significant improvement in the skills of children, improving the quality of their relationships with themselves, with others, with animals, and with the environment. This reaffirms that exposing students to authentic, hands-on experience can significantly enhance their cognitive, social and emotional development. Moreover, the article shows that the process also increased the soft skills of teachers and of external actors involved in the process, reinforcing the importance of an open schooling approach as a way of improving all society. The article contributes to empirical evidence to support the integration of experiential learning into the pedagogical realm.

Jūratė Sučylaitė. Prieš srovę. Psichikos sveikata ir vertybės šiuolaikiniame pasaulyje. 2021. Klaipėdos universiteto leidykla

The very first scientific data gathered in exploratory research of canine therapy in Lithuania is presented in the article. One case qualitative study is presented. Qualitative one case study was applied using different research methods: narrative and content analyses. Narrative analysis was used to analyze data gathered from educators, psychologist and mother of the child after each canine therapy session. Narrative interpretation was applied for canine therapy observation report, when each five minutes the changes of child were described. Report of canine therapy observation divulged that sessions were important for child’s greater social development, verbal expression and cognitive development. Scale of emotional evaluation showed that canine therapy sessions have great importance in developing positive emotions.

The article analyses the independence of children with mental and behavioural disorders, and the importance of its development and background, which creates the preconditions for a better quality of life. Psychomotor development and building up the independence of children with disabilities basically predetermine better conditions for the child’s integration into the community, the reduction of stress and dependence on family members, and better harmony in the family. The child’s psychomotor development covers major areas of child development: gross motor skills, fine motor skills, cognition, perception of language, verbal expression, self-regulation, and social and emotional development. But in terms of mental and behavioural disorders, the formation of skills proceeds in a more complex way. This disorder often manifests itself together with sensory problems: too high/low response, high stress felt, anxiety, and detachment from specific activities/measures, which may result in the delayed formation of independence skills. The development of the independence of a child with a disability is very important when individually selecting a suitable environment and factors that increase the motivation to learn, seek and interiorise newly acquired skills. These skills predetermine the possibilities for a person with a disability to feel independent in their daily activities in the future. Engagement in social interaction is an inevitable and important element of a high-quality daily life. Children with a disability face increased difficulties in their daily routines. Children with poorer social skills undergo social exclusion, and experience more difficulties in perceiving the feelings of other people, recognising and expressing emotions, complying with regulations and norms, and respecting themselves and others.

Positive orientation has become widely recognized in many scientific fields during the last decade. Possible nature of positive orientation in social work could be derived from positive psychology. However this topic is just starting to be discussed and researched in Lithuania and other European countries. In this article the authors represent complementary social work approaches that are proved as effective in a contradiction to most applied and dominant in practice nowadays problem-oriented model of social work. Therefore, the aim of the article is to overview social work practices as a ground for starting modeling Positive Social Work (PSW). Literature analysis was employed to ground different approaches of social work and set the basis for possible Positive Social Work beginning.

The situation of families in children disability situation is very complex affected by many factors and their integral interaction. The families often feel balancing between the reveal and ideal discourse of reality, between life before and after disability fact. Therefore, researches constantly face a methodological challenge transferring families’ life into the scientific research. According to Smith (2010, p. 33), a researcher is always at least one-step is distinct from the picture that (s)he needs to draw. Potentially method is very helpful to reveal family life as reality, however we have to be creative in applying a method, because the method is not a collection of neither a learned nor repeated procedures that was done by another masters. Research of family in disability situation is perceived as sensitive therefore in this variable process social reality is created in a “sense of family”. The article introduces analysis of different epistemological approaches towards qualitative research in social sciences and in particular in the field for families of children with disabilities.

The article analyses theoretical development of positive social work approach via highlighted strengths of client. The professional social work compounds analysis of problematic relationships of individuals, families and communities, seek for social change and orientation towards maintenance of quality of life. Strength – oriented model is essential for its application towards vulnerable groups in pluralistic context of social work methods. It is discussed in the article that despite critics towards strength-oriented model, positive approach is fundamental basis for effective communication. Negative expectations, questions, and problem-based attitude impacts client’s attitude towards self, the same it changes attitude of social network towards the client, and it affects behavior and relationships. In such a case the relationships of social worker and client to be not mentioned by distance, control and different possibilities is hardly expected. This understanding gap will be much more noticeable if social worker empowers his knowledge to name and solve the problem. Therefore, social worker influences passiveness of client. The article discusses that strength-oriented social work model does not mean fulfilling all the dreams and wishes of client as well as any willingness of client is best for this client. The most essential aspects discussed in the article is seen via close collaboration of social worker and client as well as tight both-sided interaction. Positive social work is approached towards analysis of concrete choices of client instead of accentuation of disorder.

The aim of the research is to evaluate the change in the psychomotor reactions of six and seven-year-old children when applying physical therapy. The research involved children at the age of six and seven years. It aimed at evaluating both the change in the speed of the psychomotor reactions of these children’s free upper limbs to light while applying physical therapy, and the change in the speed of the psychomotor reactions of free upper limbs to sound while applying physical therapy. The research sample consisted of 270 children. Methods. The research data was collected by employing a method of testing using a reactiometer. The surveyed were divided into two research groups, which underwent different programmes in physical therapy exercises twice a week for the duration of six weeks. Group 1 underwent a physical therapy exercise programme comprising introductory, main and final parts (warm-up exercises, exercises developing coordination, and relaxation exercises); Group 2 also underwent a physical therapy programme comprising introductory, main and final parts (warm-up exercises, exercises developing the coordination, and exercises developing the psychomotor reactions to light and sound as well as relaxation exercises). The research data (testing) was collected before starting applying the physical therapy programme, and six weeks later. Results. The research results revealed that the results between the groups differed. The average reaction time was shorter in Group 2, which means that the tasks were completed faster. In Group 1, the shortest reaction time was 283 ms, and the longest was 650 ms. In Group 2, the shortest reaction time was 284 ms, and the longest was 456 ms. Conclusions. When applying physical therapy jointly with purposive exercises that develop the speed of psychomotor reactions, results can be achieved over the shortest period of time substantiated in scientific papers, i.e. six weeks.