Determinants of the family physical fitness youth with selected disabilities

The subject of this thesis was the physical fitness of youth with mild intellectual disability, and youth with hearing impairment. The aim of the research was to determine the family factors that affect the results of physical fitness. In the research work, particular attention was paid to: family factors, family structure, educational methods, application of rewards and punishments, parenting style, and socioeconomic status of the family. The practical purpose of this research was to develop practical guidelines for parents to stimulate their children to a higher level of physical fitness development.

Psychoeducational programs in psychiatry – possibilities and limitations of their application

Psychoeducation is currently used in many areas of life, including psychiatry. It is difficult to imagine the modern process of treating people with mental disorders without the use of psychoeducation as a necessary, permanent element of this process, in addition to pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Psychoeducational programs are used primarily in the treatment of people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and those suffering from bipolar affective disorder (BPAD). These programs are not only directed to the patient, but they are also addressed to their family members and friends. The article presents the possibilities of using selected psychoeducational programs, including the PEGASUS program, the Barcelona Psychoeducation Program and the Krakow Program for People with BPAD, as well as limitations of their application. The goals of these programs, their structure and effectiveness were also presented.

Development of language skills and conditions for psychosocial development of children and youth in multilingual families

This paper serves as a contribution to the debate on the author’s studies concerning the correlation between the development of linguistic competence and the conditions for the psychosocial development of children and youth in multilingual families. The following deliberations present the point of view of a neurological speech therapist and concerns language difficulties, which are prevalent in multilingual people. This paper was based on the author’s own studies and patient observations. The objective was to show that the linguistic and psychosocial development of people in bi- and multilingual families is different and carries additional risks. The following considerations lead to the final conclusion that being a citizen of the world and immersion in many cultures can be a beautiful adventure for a young person; in which they should be supported by family, teacher and multilingual speech therapist.

(Un)seen difference, i.e. regarding the image of persons with physical disabilities in selected feature films

The paper presents the results of a qualitative research on a topic of the film imagery of people with physical disabilities. Selected feature films were analysed on the basis of specific questions regarding femininity, masculinity and sexuality of persons with physical disabilities. Additionally, the research was also based on three imagery stages: the early-exploitation, the super-cripple and normality. The main result of the analysis is to settle two discourses: the main and the alternative. Despite the social changes, most popular representations are stereotypical, presenting disability as a total category and are shown from the masculine perspective. The most important presentation within the alternative discourse must include disability as a transparent, unseen difference.

Selective mutism and shyness. Differential diagnosis and strategies supporting child development

The article deals with the problem of differential diagnosis of extreme reticence or selective speech in a child, categorised as selective mutism and shyness. Selective mutism is an increasingly recognized disorder among preschool and school children. It manifests itself functionally in the sphere of speech and communication, but in relation to the anxiety factor. As an anxiety disorder, it is categorised in the latest medical classifications ICD-11 and DSM-5, and therefore, primarily psychological or psychiatric therapeutic intervention could be expected. The specificity of the pathomechanism of selective mutism, however, requires interdisciplinary activities, with a room for a speech therapist, a special pedagogue (e.g. at a public school as a supporting teacher), any other pedagogue working with the child (educator, teacher of integrated classes, subject teacher), other specialists (therapist pedagogue, physiotherapist), as well as the parents. The speech therapist may play a special role in the diagnosis of mutism in the conditions of inclusive education, as he will probably be the first specialist who will receive a child who is not speaking or very taciturn at a public school. In the article, the diagnosis of selective mutism is associated with the differential diagnosis of shyness, which may not be treated as a disorder, but only a certain personality trait, but with incompetent pedagogical support in everyday educational practice it can lead to more serious difficulties, including logophobia and mutism. The diagnosis of mutism requires specialised therapeutic measures, but with the awareness of the differences in the situations of a shy child and a child with mutism, it is worth learning some supportive strategies that are useful in both cases.

The psychological and philosophical typology of personality by René Le Senne as the foundation of personal and existential pedagogy by Janusz Tarnowski

The analysis included the reception of René Le Senne’s theory of personality by psychology and pedagogy of the second half of the 20th century. The work reveals the extraordinary topicality of the typology in modern times, with still the observed lack of cooperation between psychologists and educators dealing with pedagogical axiology, the theory of upbringing and education. The typology survived thanks to the treatises of an outstanding scientist – Professor Janusz Tarnowski, whose dissertations in the field of personal-existential pedagogy of dialogue are reconstructed in this work and supplemented with philosophical interpretation by Tadeusz Gadacz in order to understand why the Le Senne’s typology is absent from social sciences and humanities as the basis for modern upbringing and self-education.

Secondary speech therapy prophylaxis aimed at children with low birth weight – a part of research

In the paper, the results of the study of secondary speech therapy prophylaxis aimed at children with low birth weight (preterm babies and babies born at term but with intrauterine growth retardation). The study group consisted of 187 children with a birth weight below 2500 g. Low birth weight is one of the risk factors for various developmental disorders, including disorders of the development of language communication. That is why early identification of the first symptoms of language acquisition (speech development) disorders is so important. The aim of the undertaken research was to analyse the activities in the field of secondary speech therapy prophylaxis, covering this risk group.

What is communication? Investigations with kindergarten children

Matthew Lipman’s P4C (Philosophy for Children) method, which in Poland took the names: philosophising with children, philosophical investigations with children, workshops in philosophy, workshop classes in philosophy, workshops on philosophical research, is based on a discussion in which children are the active participants and creators of the classes. In the course of the investigations, one can observe children’s communication behaviour in the dialogue, the level of language and communication skills, the specificity of the child’s thinking and the ability to negotiate or interpret meanings in a peer group. The conducted research on communication shows that for five- and six-year-old children ‘communication’ is primarily about building relationships and reciprocity of linguistic actions.

Communication of adults with moderate in-tellectual disability in the process of auton-omisation – preliminary considerations.

The aim of this paper is to look into communication in adults with moderate intellectual disability in the process of their autonomisation. This matter has been investigated to shed some light on how people with intellectual disabilities communicate in their social realities in the context of their autonomy and independence. The paper presents a preliminary research using the interpretative paradigm. To deliver the intended goal, the author has used the problem-centered interview.

The use of the mirror in speech therapy

The article begins the description of the history of a mirror: its origin, creation and use. Then the characteristics of the mirror as a typical element of the speech therapy room equipment were made. The article discusses the issue of its use in the opinion of speech therapists. Speech disorders specialists note that it should be used first of all for people with articulation disorders and less for people with mutism.