Abstract:

A significant part of modern studies of coping focuses on identifying the features of the coping strategies shown by people with disabilities and by other persons with disabilities. Typically, the articles on coping strategies of people with disabilities are centered around two topics. The first commonly studied topic is the prevailing coping strategies used by the people with disabilities. The other topic is which of the found strategies are the most productive ones and which are the counterproductive ones.

In particular, it was found that people with disabilities using productive coping strategies (planning their decisions, using self-control etc.) have a significantly higher level of resilience.

Ambivalent results were obtained in comparative studies of coping strategies of persons whose disability developed in childhood and of people with acquired disability. Some studies prove that the coping strategies of these two groups have few differences, whereas other studies show that people with acquired disability tend to use unproductive coping strategies more.

There are very few comparative studies focusing on the coping strategies of students with disabilities and of healthy students.

In the empirical part of our research we aimed to prove the two following hypotheses:
1. Coping strategies cannot be evaluated as positive or negative ones if viewed isolated.
2. The coping strategies of students with disabilities and of healthy students are not basically different.

The study involved 60 students of Bunin Yelets State University, aged 17 to 29. Out of the total 60, 30 participants had different types of disability and the other 30 were healthy. The study was conducted anonymously, in accordance with the Psychologist’s ethical code and the law on the non-disclosure of a study participants’ personal data.

The study confirmed both hypotheses. The principal difference between the students with disabilities and healthy students lies in the fact that the first group forms conscious attitudes towards finding coping strategies for making and carrying out their life plans earlier in life. As for compensatory, destructive and other coping strategies referred to as unproductive ones, they are found in both groups. Under certain conditions, these mechanisms help both groups of students to reveal their personality and to achieve positive academic results.

Keywords:

Inclusive education, coping strategies, the identity of a disabled person, evaluation of the effectiveness of coping startups.