A comparison of the socio-economic properties of families with children with behavioural disorders and those without the said disorders

Abstract

The author presents some aspects of the structure of families with children with behavioural disordrs and those where this is not the case and gives a comparison of the socio-economic features of these families. The starting point of the research project was the hypotheis that the socio-economic status of the family has a significant influence on the behaviour of children, that is that the adaptibility of the child to the social context depends on die nature of the family group. Here one has in mind the stability of family relationships and the types of family connections (love, gentleness, authority), the place of the family within society and the culture of the family. This is the reason that the author examines in details the connection between behavioural disorders in children and the state of the family. The article presents those forms of familial structure and familial relationships which directly influence the socialization of the child using the methods of analysing pedagogical documentation and sampling. The results of the investigation confirmed the hypotheis that better social adaptation takes place with children in families with a higher socio-economic siatus and better conditions within the family circle as these pertain to the material conditions of the family, the educational level of the parents, the interest parents show for the child’s school success and their access to bringing up their children in respect of the lines of communication between parents and children. On the basis of the findings gathered during the investigation, the author concludes that there is a close connection between the status of the family and behavioural disorders in children.