Comparison of Interpersonal Sensitivity and Emotional Balance between Students with Physical Disabilities and Healthy Students

Comparing mental health between healthy and disabled students and examining the differences between the two groups can lead to special and appropriate attention to the relevant social and educational needs of them. Therefore, this study was performed to compare interpersonal sensitivity and emotional balance in students with physical disabilities and normal students.

Methods and Materials:

 This causal-comparative study was conducted in eight elected elementary schools (four normal and four exceptional schools) in 2018. The samples consisted of 80 students (40 students with disabilities and 40 their normally peers), which were selected by simple random sampling. To collect data, Boyce & Parker’s Interpersonal Sensitivity and Brad Burn’s Emotional Balance Questionnaire were used. The data were analyzed by SPSS 21 using descriptive index and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).

There was a significant difference between students with disabilities and normal ones in interpersonal sensitivity and emotional balance (P >0.01). And the mean scores of interpersonal sensitivity and its components, were significantly higher in students with disabilities than normal students (P <0.01). Findings also indicate that there are problems for students with disabilities in interpersonal communication skills and shortcomings in emotional development compared to normal students.

Special attention should be paid to the social performance and interpersonal and emotional skills of students with disabilities, and appropriate educational interventions are recommended to strengthen the social and emotional skills in order to rehabilitate them.