نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی

نویسندگان

• سید سینا شمس اسلامی ¹
• سید ولی الله موسوی ²
• سجاد رضائی ³

¹ دانشجوی کارشناسی ارشد روان‌شناسی و آموزش کودکان استثنایی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، دانشگاه گیلان، رشت، ایران.

² دانشیار گروه روان‌شناسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، دانشگاه گیلان، رشت، ایران.

³ استادیار گروه روان‌شناسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، دانشگاه گیلان، رشت، ایران.

چکیده

کم‌توانی ذهنی شاخه‌ای از اختلالات عصبی- تحولی است که نقایص شناختی و ارتباطی موجود در این افراد موجب شبکه اجتماعی محدودتر در مقایسه با جمعیت عمومی می‌شود، از سوی دیگر تغییرات رشدی که در طول سال‌های نوجوانی اتفاق می‌افتد آسیب‌پذیری در برابر تنهایی را در نوجوانان کم‌توان ذهنی افزایش می‌دهد. هدف پژوهش حاضر تبیین تجارب زیستةتنهایی در نوجوانان کم‌توان ذهنی بر اساس رویکرد پدیدارشناسی وجودی بود. طرح این پژوهش از نوع کیفی و به روش هرمنوتیک بوده و داده‌ها از طریق مصاحبه نیمه ساختاریافته با 23 نفر از نوجوانان کم‌توان ذهنی خفیف (هوشبر 50 تا 70) و مرزی (هوشبهر 70 تا 85) مشغول به تحصیل در مدارس استثنایی شهرستان بندرانزلی به دست آمد. تجزیه‌وتحلیل داده‌ها هم‌زمان با جمع‌آوری داده‌ها، به‌صورت دستی و با استفاده از روش دیکلمن انجام شد. در تحلیل داده‌ها چهار مضمون اصلی «تنهایی به‌عنوان تجربةجدایی»، «پیامدهای تنهایی»، «چیستی تنهایی» و «تنهایی به‌عنوان تجربةاساسی زندگی» استخراج شد که هر یک از این مضامین اصلی، از طریق تحلیل چندین زیر مضمون پدیدار گشت. نتایج پژوهش حاضر همسو با مبنای نظری و پژوهش‌های پدیدارشناسی وجودی، دلالت بر درک تنهایی به‌عنوان یک سازةوجودی در نوجوانان کم‌توان ذهنی دارد. این یافته‌ها در کنار سایر شواهد پژوهشی مربوط به موضوع تنهایی وجودی، بینشی عمیق برای متخصصان آموزشی و درمانی فراهم می‌کند که در طرح‌ریزی برنامه‌های آموزشی، خدماتی و درمانی برای نوجوانان کم‌توان ذهنی، درک این افراد نسبت تنهایی وجودی را لحاظ نمایند.

کلیدواژه‌ها

• کم‌توانی ذهنی
• نوجوانی
• تنهایی
• پدیدارشناسی وجودی

عنوان مقاله [English]

Exploration the Concept of Loneliness in Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities Based on the Existential Phenomenological Approach

نویسندگان [English]

• seyyed sina shams eslami ¹
• seyyed valiulla Mousavi ²
• Sajjad Rezaei ³

¹ M.A. in Psychology and Education of Exceptional Children, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

² Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

چکیده [English]

Abstract
Intellectual disability is a type of neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by cognitive and communication impairments that can lead to limited social networks compared to the general population. Additionally, developmental changes during adolescence increase the vulnerability to loneliness in individuals with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of loneliness among adolescents with intellectual disabilities using an existential phenomenological approach. The research design was qualitative and hermeneutic, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 23 adolescents with mild and borderline intellectual disabilities. Data analysis was conducted simultaneously with data collection using the Dickelman method, resulting in four main themes: "Loneliness as an experience of separation," "Consequences of loneliness," "The nature of loneliness" and Loneliness as a fundamental experience of life." Each main theme was further analyzed to identify several subtopics. The results of this study, consistent with existing research on existential phenomenology, suggest that loneliness is an existential structure experienced by adolescents with intellectual disabilities. These findings provide valuable insights for educational and therapeutic professionals in planning programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities, highlighting the importance of addressing their understanding of existential loneliness.
Extended Abstract

Introduction

Intellectual disabilities (ID) are a type of neurodevelopmental disorder that can result in deficits in cognitive and communication abilities. This can lead to a more limited social network compared to the general population, as described in the study by Gilmore and Cuskelly (2014).
Loneliness can be experienced in three ways: social, emotional, and existential. Existential loneliness is defined as a feeling of emptiness, sadness, and unbearable longing that makes a person feel alone even when they have emotional bonds and social relationships. Additionally, it involves a sense of a deep disconnection between oneself and others, including their own existence, as explained in the work by Sand and Strang (2006).
Experiencing and “being in the world” are essential aspects to understanding human existence. Hopkin and Drummond (2022) have shown that loneliness plays a significant role in understanding the lived experiences of adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Participating in society does not guarantee meaningful interaction or engagement for individuals with ID, which can increase the likelihood of experiencing loneliness. The present study uses an existential phenomenological approach to investigate how the concept of loneliness is explained in the lived experiences of adolescents with intellectual disabilities. The main research question is to understand how the concept of loneliness is experienced by individuals with ID from their perspective.

Literature Review

Tipton et al. (2013) compared 103 adolescents with and without intellectual disability and concluded that adolescents with ID experience less intimacy in their friendships than their peers with normal development, which is one of the consequences of feeling lonely. In a systematic review of the prevalence of loneliness in people with ID, Alexandra et al. (2018) found an average prevalence of loneliness of 44.74%, indicating that loneliness is a common experience in people with intellectual disability.

Methodology

This study utilized a qualitative and hermeneutic phenomenology design to investigate the experiences of adolescents with mild (IQ: 50-70) and borderline (IQ: 70-85) intellectual disabilities in schools located in Anzali City. A purposive sampling method was used to select 23 participants, consisting of both genders and ranging from 16 to 22 years old. Of the participants, five had borderline intellectual disability and 18 had mild intellectual disability. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted individually and face-to-face in a separate room from the classroom. The interviews focused on the participants' experiences and feelings of loneliness, as well as the reasons underlying their experiences. Diekelmann's (1992) method was used for data analysis, and to ensure the reliability of the research data, the five criteria of Lincoln and Guba (1990) were utilized.
The data were analyzed at three levels, beginning with semantic statements that were key points extracted from the text of interviews. These points were more frequent in interviews and included dialogue. Sub-themes were extracted in the second level to integrate the propositions so that each sub-theme included multiple propositions with the same meaning. In the third level, themes related to propositions and semantic units were raised in accordance with the theoretical approach of existential phenomenology.

Results

The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the experiences of loneliness among adolescents with ID based on the existential phenomenology approach. The main themes and sub-themes obtained align with previous research on existential phenomenology and loneliness (Garnow et al., 2022; Sjöberg et al., 2018; Larsson et al., 2017), highlighting the understanding of loneliness as an existential construct in adolescents with ID.
Most participants reported feeling hesitant to share their experiences of deep loneliness with close individuals, preferring instead to speak with experts or strangers in this field. Participants discussed the actions of others that contributed to their feelings of loneliness, followed by messages of loneliness. They described verbal abuse and being ignored by others as risk factors for loneliness, which also featured prominently in the interviews.
Conclusion
The sub-themes identified from the interviews suggest that social support and rejection from friends are significant factors contributing to loneliness among adolescents with ID. Additionally, creating a safe environment in everyday situations can play a crucial role in how these adolescents perceive loneliness. Despite experiencing existential concerns, such as a lack of meaning in life, which is crucial for consolidating their identity, they are hesitant to share their thoughts with others due to fear of rejection, which results in avoidance while simultaneously desiring to share their innermost thoughts with others.
Acknowledgments
The proposal for this research received approval from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee at the University of Guilan (IR.GUILAN.REC.1401.061).

کلیدواژه‌ها [English]

• Intellectual Disability
• Adolescence
• Loneliness
• Existential Phenomenological