The role of determinants of causal attribution as a predictors of coping of youth with mild intellectual disabilities in difficult school situations in relationships with peers - in the light of a case study

Paweł Kurtek

Uniwersytet Jana Kochanowskiego w Kielcach, Katedra Psychologii
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2149-6175


Abstract

Effective coping with peers in school stressful situations requires adequate social insight. The limited information processing capabilities of people with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) may weaken the process of causal attribution, especially in the context of social stressful situations. As a consequence, the causal factor is most often located in the subject's negative dispositions. The aim of this study is to verify the regulatory role of the determinants of the causal attribution process at students with mild intellectual disabilities within the concept of Kelley's cube. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, case studies were analyzed. Interviews with 12 students with mild ID aged 18-24 showed that low distinctiveness of the subject's negative behavior, combined with low consensus and commonness of this behavior, favors locating the causal factor in the opponent’s traits. However, the low consistency of a peer's negative behavior and the commonness of a given behavior in the group favors the situational attribution. A summary and discussion of the results and an indication of the limitations of the conducted research concludes this study.


Keywords:

causal attribution, mild intellectual disability, coping in social stressful situations


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Published
2024-12-20

Cited by

Kurtek, P. (2024). The role of determinants of causal attribution as a predictors of coping of youth with mild intellectual disabilities in difficult school situations in relationships with peers - in the light of a case study. The Review of Psychology, 67(3), 71–88. https://doi.org/10.31648/przegldpsychologiczny.10090

Paweł Kurtek 
Uniwersytet Jana Kochanowskiego w Kielcach, Katedra Psychologii
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2149-6175