A CASE STUDY ON THE SELF-CONCEPT OF EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Gülten Caca

Abstract


Earthquakes are destructive natural disasters that originate deep within the Earth's crust. This study explores whether students with special needs (SwSN) who survived an earthquake exhibit long-term effects on their self-concept. The sample comprises 104 SwSN (50 female, 54 male), aged 5–30 and enrolled in grades 0–8 at a Guidance and Research Center (GRC) in Kahramanmaraş during the 2023–2024 academic year. Employing a phenomenological case study design, the research presents both quantitative and qualitative findings. In the first section, demographic variables such as age, gender, and type of disability were analyzed. In the second, the Blob Tree Test was used to examine participants’ responses, focusing on two dimensions: the Self-Representational Figure (SwSN-SRF), indicating the figure they identified with most, and the Desired Position Figure (SwSN-DPF), reflecting the figure they wished to be. Results show that most SwSN earthquake survivors were male, aged 11–15, diagnosed with intellectual disabilities, and residing with their families. Many had experienced loss during the earthquake. SwSN-SRF responses revealed efforts to overcome obstacles, seek peace, and obtain social support. SwSN-DPF responses emphasized aspirations for leadership, achievement, and stronger social ties.

 

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Keywords


special education, natural disaster, character, personality

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejsss.v11i4.2071

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