Specifics of the Praxeological Component of the Social and Living Skills of Senior Preschool Children with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Results of theoretical and experimental study of the praxeological component of the social and living skills of preschool children with cerebral palsy are represented. For the purpose of determination of the state of formation of the praxeological component of the social and living skills of preschool children with cerebral palsy (CP) a series of researches have been performed. Set 1 of researches according to experimental methodology of Individual Labor Assignments by G. Uruntaeva (Children were offered to do 18 individual labor assignments, which were classified according to types of labor); Set 2 of researches of Series 1 was carried out with help of diagnostic game tasks, wherein manipulation boards were used, special didactic aids. Experiment covered 128 children of preschool age. Preliminary examination and analysis of questions concerning formation of the social and living skills by preschool children with CP, data collection with methods of questionnaire survey and interview, analysis and generalization of data concerning number of children with different forms of CP enabled to engage 89 children with different forms of CP (with preserved intelligence) to experiment. Of them 46 children are 5-6 years old, 43 children are 6-7 years old with diagnosis “infantile cerebral palsy” (medium and light form of severity). As well summative experiment covered 39 children with typical development (20 children of 5-6 years and 19 children of 6-7 years). Criteria for engagement into experiment were lack of mental retardation, progressive degenerative and hereditary diseases, consequences of traumatic brain injuries and neuroinfections and cramps indications in anamnesis less than within 3 years. Statistical analysis to find links according to skills groups was made with use of Statistica v.6.1 application (Statsoft Inc., USA). All quantitative parameters were verified for distribution normality with application of Kolmogorov-Smirnov criterion. Influence of age factor on the state of development of orientation, instrumental, organizational-and-regulatory social and living skills was studied. In order to compare two independent quantitative data Student’s t-test was applied. As well calculation and Pearson's r correlation coefficient were applied to determine the direct and inverse relation between the state of social-and-living skills formation and children’s age; dynamics coefficient (Kd) was calculated to determinate the rate of change in levels of development according to age and deviation coefficient (Тvd) was calculated to to determine absolute value of the skills development level.