TEACHERS AWARENESS AND USE OF PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL OF FCT-ABUJA, NIGERIA
Ndubuisi Sylvester Iroham Nneka Stellamaris Iroham
Abstract
This paper surveyed teachers awareness and use of psychosocial services and support for students with disabilities in secondary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council of Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The sample for the study was 52 teachers from two secondary schools in Gwagwalada selected using convenience sampling technique. The study measured the opinion and awareness level of teachers on various categories of students with disabilities that could be found in a regular school. Also, the level of teachers’ knowledge of psychosocial domains on skills and knowledge, emotional, social wellbeing were assessed using the researchers developed and validated questionnaire. The data collected were analysed using frequency table and percentage to answer the research questions, and chi-square goodness of fit test to test the null hypothesis. The results obtained showed that there was no significant difference in the level of teachers’ knowledge of psychosocial domains of skills and knowledge, emotional, social wellbeing and their willingness to use psychosocial intervention for students with disabilities in the regular school. Finally, the paper recommended that teachers training should emphasize the different categories of disabilities in students and how to deal with the psychological/emotional traumas associated with each in order to effectively handle students with disabilities in regular secondary schools in Nigeria.