Abstract In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of a self‐advocacy training program in enhancing self‐confidence and assertiveness among female high school students aged 13 to 17 years with learning disabilities in Tehran. A quasi‐experimental design employing a pre‐test–post‐test control group format was utilized. A total of 21 participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental group ( n = 10) or the control group ( n = 11). Data were collected using the Coopersmith Self‐Esteem Inventory (1967) and the Gambrill‐Richey Assertion Inventory (1975). The intervention consisted of ten virtual training sessions, each lasting 60 min, delivered exclusively to the experimental group. Analysis of the data using multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA and ANCOVA) indicated that participation in the self‐advocacy training program resulted in statistically significant improvements in both self‐confidence and assertiveness among students in the experimental group ( p < 0.05). These findings underscore the potential value of integrating structured self‐advocacy training into educational curricula designed for students with learning disabilities.
Abstract Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) refers to persistent difficulties attending school associated with significant emotional distress. Autistic pupils appear to experience EBSA at elevated rates, yet little research has examined how these difficulties develop over time. This study explored the developmental trajectory of EBSA through qualitative analysis of specialist educational consultation transcripts relating to 30 autistic pupils aged 10–14 attending mainstream schools in the United Kingdom, all of whom had sustained attendance difficulties. Thematic analysis identified a recurring developmental pattern. Early stages were characterised by masked distress and sustained efforts to cope with demanding school environments. Over time, cumulative pressures including sensory overload, social challenges and anxiety contributed to escalating distress. Attendance difficulties were often initially interpreted behaviourally, delaying supportive responses. Findings highlight the importance of recognising masked distress and addressing environmental stressors early to prevent escalating school participation difficulties.
Abstract Little is known about the social networks of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in specialist school settings—schools designed to support specific educational needs. Most literature on the social connections of children with SEND suggests that they have fewer friendships and are more involved in bullying situations, but these data are usually collected from mainstream school settings, where children with SEND are the minority. To better understand the social connections of pupils with SEND in specialist school settings, we conducted a social network study in this educational context. Specifically, this research studied whole‐school social networks in three special schools with differing specialisms: (1) social, emotional and mental health; (2) cognition and learning; and (3) autism. Positive peer networks (friends and play companions) and negative peer networks (bullying and victimisation) largely mirrored the social networks of mainstream schools, although there was less student hierarchy. However, we also identified important differences between the special school types, such as fewer connections overall in the social, emotional and mental health school. We offer novel insights for practitioners into the social networks of children with SEND. Our methodology confirms the feasibility of social network analysis in the special school context, opening avenues for future longitudinal research.
Abstract In Sweden, an underexplored educational practice involves pupils being placed outside the classroom to receive individual instruction while remaining formally enrolled in a regular class. Although widely used, this form of provision has received limited research attention. Drawing on a care‐ethical perspective, this study examines how 16 upper primary schoolteachers and special educators describe and reason about such arrangements. The analysis focuses on how the purpose of the instruction is understood and how its implications for pupils' relationships with classmates and teachers are articulated. The findings indicate a contrast between short‐term, knowledge‐oriented forms of instruction and more prolonged forms of separation motivated by social concerns. While the former were generally described as purposeful and limited in scope, the latter were associated with ambivalence and ethical unease. Across participants' accounts, decisions to remove pupils from the classroom were often shaped by efforts to avoid situations perceived as socially difficult. The findings suggest that individual instruction outside the classroom may function not only as a pedagogical support measure but also as a relational risk‐management strategy . While often framed as care, prolonged separation may reproduce social vulnerability by protecting pupils from participation itself.
