Poverty and awareness of the idea/concept of money in mentally handicapped children

Abstract

The goal of a thus contemplated research refers to establishment of the level of awareness of the idea/concept of money in mentally retarded children living in families of different socio economic background. Beside pure recognition of banknotes and coins and ability to name them properly, the estimation included the extent of practical usage of money in every day's life. The basic purpose of this research was related to the fact that it was necessary to define if there were differences in coping with this idea (concept) between children of different socio-economical background. Thirty one mentally retarded respondents aged 8 through 10 years were interviewed. The test applied on that occasion was the LAP fourth subtest of the knowledge (awareness) of money. Socio economic background of the respective families was estimated by means of a questionnaire. Our research proved than more than a half of tested respondents were successful in doing the test. The correlative analysis of the awareness of money, physical age of the respondents and their families' socio economic background indicate the existence of statistically significant correlation. The respondents living in absolute poverty got better test results than those who lived within socially and financially stable families.

Cilj ovako koncipiranog istraživanja odnosi se na utvrđivanje nivoa usvojenosti pojma novca kod dece s intelektualnom ometenošću različitog socioekonomskog statusa porodica u kojima žive. Procena usvojenosti pojma novca osim prepoznavanja i imenovanja, obuhvatila je i praktičnu upotrebu novca u svakodnevnom životu. Osnovna svrha ovog istraživanja odnosila se na činjenicu da je potrebno definisati da li postoje razlike u ovladavanju ovim pojmom između dece različitog socioekonomskog okruženja budući da novac predstavlja osnovu za skladan socioekonomski status. Trideset i jedan ispitanik s intelektualnom ometenošću, starosti 8-10 godina ispitan je LAP četvrtim subtestom procene poznavanja novca. Socioekonomski status porodica procenjen je upitnikom. Našim istraživanjem ukazano je da više od polovine ispitanog uzorka sa uspehom rešava primenjen test. Korelativna analiza između poznavanja novca kalendarskog uzrasta, socioekonomskog statusa porodica ispitanika ukazuje na postojanje statistički značajne povezanosti. Ispitanici koji žive u uslovima apsolutne bede uspešniji su pri rešavanju primenjenog testa u odnosu na ispitanike čija je porodica dobrog socioekonomskog statusa.