Original scientific paper
CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND SOCIETY RESPONSES: THE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES APPROACH
Nivex Koller-Trbović
; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Antonija Žižak
orcid.org/0000-0003-3653-340X
; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
This article is aiming to find out multiple perspectives of different stakeholders regarding phenomenology, present situation and changes in the area of children and youth behavior problems as well as the ways in which Croatian society responds to them. Qualitative approach in researching social phenomenon is applied. Interviews and focus group discussions with 140 participants (children, parents, teachers, professionals from various disciplines, journalists, politicians, and decision makers) were conducted. The data were processed following the principles of qualitative thematic analysis and showing that in that way proposed research questions could be answered.
The results show that multiple perspectives could be important for getting to know how the phenomenon of behavior problems is understood in society, what are the causes and consequences of it. Further on, multiple perspectives are important for recognizing what formal and informal social interventions are successful and what should be done to reduce this social problem. It was concluded that different stakeholders appear to similarly see complexity of the problem, existing values confusion and hopelessness, as well as ineffective social responses. When it comes to the specific strategies for approaching this social problem, different stakeholders have different opinions. Discussion of the results is part of the article.
Keywords
children and youth; behavioral problems; multiple perspectives; qualitative methods
Hrčak ID:
85002
URI
Publication date:
27.7.2012.
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