CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Of all the problems associated with Mental Retardation, depression is the most serious
problem which is due to a number of factors including social disintegration, isolation,
ignorance and negligence from both the significant other and the insignificant other,
thereby affecting the depressed in their academic performance. Thus with extensive
elaborations, this proposal is seeking to identify the effects of depression among school-
going children with mental retardation. This chapter will therefore give the background
to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives that this study
hopes to achieve, significance of the study, delimitations as well as limitations to the
study and the conceptual frameworks.

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

A lack of understanding of depression and the failure to recognize and treat this
condition poses so many challenges such as frequent absenteeism in almost all aspect
of life activities especially academic activities were social relationships are most
prevalent. According to Davis and Palladino (2005: 525), depression is a “mood
disorder characterized by sadness, feelings of guilt, changes in sleep, appetite and
motor behavior and sometimes thoughts of suicide”. In other words, depression is a
psychological problem that is sometimes referred to as the “common cold” of emotional
disturbances because it is experienced by many people. Authentically, studies indicate
that one in four females with mental retardation thus those who attend school and one
in eight males with mental retardation in the United States can expect to experience a
major depression throughout their life (Passer et al, 2003).

On the basis of facts, depression not only affects one’s emotions but can also affect the
way one think, behaves and how one function physically. A common everyday language
expression to describe the condition could be that of “falling into a black hole”.
Depression as an ambiguous concept can mean different things; the word depression
however conveys a normal everyday emotional reaction and expresses itself as feelings
of unhappiness, sadness and frustration. As an ill entity, depression can be most severe
and even life threatening and in severe cases it can lead to suicide (Davis and
Palladino, 2004).

Been on the increase among school-going children with mental retardation, depression
threats to add another impediment to many countries including Zambia’s educational
development effort particularly in its effort to create equality and inclusion in the
educational setting in that there is inadequate or rather quitting of school among these
individuals hence they pertain to indulge in the social disability acts (Reiss and Benson,
1984). Although some people in the day-to-day societies feel that the problem of
depression is insignificant and is been overblown, it is stated that worldwide 47% of
school going children with severe or profound mental retardation who learn at an
inclusive school are mainly depressed and with the continuation of these, many learning
institutions face a major crisis as the mentally retarded are often driven by depression
which leads to lack of concentration in a classroom learning environment and most
often tend to drop out of school (Ratchic, 1963).

In addition, 17-23% school-going children with mental retardation who are depressed
often describe themselves in unflattering terms such as inferior and unattractive (Davis
and Palladino, 525). They do not see themselves as capable of completing intellectually
demanding tasks. This negative self evaluation extends to their views of the world and
the future. They torture themselves with guilt over what they see as past failures and
inadequacies, and the future holds no promise of any improvement (Clouston, 1883).
This sense of worthlessness and hopelessness makes them vulnerable to thoughts of
suicide. The essence of depression is captured in the following quotation: “I am now the
most miserable child living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human
family, there would not be one cheerful face on earth. Whether I shall ever be better, I
cannot tell; I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible. I must die or
be better” (Oats, 1977). It is more accurate to state that depression holds a dreadful
effect and so a stop to it must be rendered.

Basically, teachers who work with the mentally retarded students need to have
abundant confidence, self control and self direction. Sometimes, patience and
perseverance bring success in reducing depression levels in these children. The
education of the mentally retarded should be taken as a problem to be solved, the
teachers must develop a scientific attitude in dealing with depression and if some
methods don’t work they should try out other methods (Goldstein, 1962). The teachers
should keep themselves physically and mentally fit, otherwise they are likely to develop
a habit of fault finding or become over critical towards the children.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The overall research problem addressed in this study is that despite many remedies of
care in the special education area thus filled in by the multidisciplinary team such as the
special education teachers, councilors, and psychologists, little has been done to
analyze and reduce the effects of depression among school going children with mental
retardation. This is a serious problem that ought to be addressed particularly when put
into consideration that there is an increase of depressive behaviors among the mentally
challenged and therefore an urgent need for effective activities encompassing both
academic and community participatory programmes. Depression is also documented as
one of the most common reasons for frequent absenteeism at school among these
individuals in learning institutions, with about 2 in 6 children leaving school each week
as a result of frustration, anxiety, poor coping mechanism and poor communication
skills (McCall, 2006). Nevertheless, the effects of depression on school retention and
performance have hardly been analyzed. If the issue of depression among school going
children with mental retardation is not faced with seriousness it deserves and its
increase raises more, opportunities that would have otherwise been available for them
to advance academically will become a shattered dream. This in the long run will make
it difficult for the mentally retarded to cope in almost all aspects of life. Therefore, the
effects of depression that are faced by students with mental retardation ought to be
sought as well as suggesting to the relevant school management system to try and
reduce some of these effects

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to identify the effects of depression among school going
children with mental retardation thus laying out how they live with it as far as their needs
are concerned. In addition the study is seeking to identify measures that could aid in the
reduction of the effects.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To identify the effects of depression among school going children with mental
retardation.
2. To find appropriate strategies that would help reduce depression among school
going children with mental retardation.

STUDY QUESTIONS

1. What are the effects of depression faced by students with mental retardation?
2. What are the appropriate strategies that would help to reduce depression among
students with mental retardation?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

At the time when the empowerment of persons with disabilities is taking a central stage
both at global and national levels, and when the effects of depression among pupils with
mental retardation is still unresolved, any study that addresses such a problem would
be of great importance to students of special education and the community at large. It is
hoped therefore, that the findings of this study may contribute to the general body of
knowledge on the effects of depression among the mentally retarded and the measures
used to address such factors. In addition, the findings can contribute to the aspect of
social integration in communities and can influence educational practices relating to
persons with mental retardation hence contributing to life conditions of students with
mental retardation and other disabilities.

DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study will target Namununga School, Chiwiledi School and Chainama Mental
Institute of which are all located in Lusaka district. The target group will be teachers of
seven to ninth graders, the school’s multidisciplinary team, staff from the mental institute
and the mild mental retards as well as their parents. The reason to target these schools
and groups is that it is easy to locate the participants on the ground that the researcher
has developed a close interactive relationship with them. In addition, the three schools
represent different academic and social aspects or rather behaviors of students with
mental retardation hence leading to a well articulated understanding on the effects of
depression among students with mental retardation.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Among the many obstacles or rather limitations that are likely to be faced by the
researcher includes factors such as finances, time and becureatical tendencies. In the
light of finances, a number of issues ought to be addressed with adequate monetary
fund’s however issues such as transportation which was used to reach respondents,
photocopying and printing out of materials such as questionnaires and other general
stationary needs posed to be a challenged in carrying out this research due to
inadequate financial funds. The other limitation is that of time which may limit the
researcher as the researcher was engaged or rather committed to other works which
required equal attention as this research. And lastly, becureatical tendencies where the
targeted school’s management wanted a written letter of request from the Dean of the
University of Zambia just to conduct a study in their schools. This proved to be a
challenge as it was to get hold of the dean. All in all, the various constraints which may
be experienced by the researcher will not cause the research to be unsuccessful, where
possible will take advantage of these limitations to ensure that the research becomes a
success hence the study will bring forth the purpose of carrying it out.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

In this study, the key concepts have the following operational definitions.

 Mental retardation – refers to a significantly subnormal general intellectual

functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and
manifested during the developmental period.
 Depression – refers to a mood disorder characterized by sadness, feelings of
guilt, changes in sleep, appetite and motor behavior and sometimes thoughts of
suicide.
Author: Empfield, Maureen.

Contributors:Bakalar, Nick.

Published:New York : H. Holt, 2001.

Format:Book

Edition:1st ed.

Physical Desc:xvi, 250 pages ; 21 cm