ACQUISITION OF HYGIENE NORMS FOR STUDENTS WITH MENTAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM “CATERING SERVICES”

Abstract

People with mental disorders can learn basic professional skills and be employed in jobs that do not require academic knowledge, provided they receive education and support tailored to their abilities. Young individuals with mental disorders often lack knowledge and skills related to everyday life, as the skills typically acquired independently need to be specifically taught to them. One of the most critical skills is maintaining personal hygiene, as deficiencies in this area affect various aspects of life.
This research aimed to study the peculiarities of hygiene norm compliance skills among students with mental disorders and analyse the interaction between teachers and students in learning these hygiene norms.
In the course of the research, an analysis of relevant scientific literature and normative documents was carried out, as well as a group of students in the "X" school, which implements special education programs, was observed and a semi-structured interview was conducted with a vocational education teacher. As a result of the research, it was concluded that there is a close connection between all the skills to be learned in observing hygiene norms, that is, if one of the skills is not learned at a sufficient level, it causes problems in other aspects as well. It was concluded that the main reason for the lack of hygiene norm compliance skills is found in the family, as well as when the student is in an environment that is not suitable for him/her. The learning process of students with mental disorders requires an individual approach and multiple repetition of tasks. A positive atmosphere and the active activity of students during lessons have a beneficial effect on the development of hygiene skills. Integrating transversal skills into the learning process provides an opportunity to reduce the developmental characteristics of students with mental disorders, which is another reason for poor hygiene compliance skills.