ANXIETY IN ADOLESCENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS: FEATURES OF MANIFESTATION AND PATHWAYS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT

Abstract

Introduction. The relevance of the study is determined by the prevalence of anxiety among adolescents with special educational needs and the specific difficulties they face in adapting to the inclusive social and educational environment. Particular importance is attached to examining the factors of social anxiety associated with peer interaction, socialization, and the psychological well-being of adolescents with special educational needs. Purpose. The study aims to conduct a theoretical investigation into the specific manifestations of anxiety in adolescents with special educational needs (SEN) within the context of inclusive education, as well as to substantiate general psychopedagogical approaches to its prevention and correction. Methodology. The research employed theoretical methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, and systematization of scientific sources (2012–2026) retrieved from Google Scholar, Scopus, and journals listed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, using the search queries "adolescent anxiety," "special educational needs," "inclusive education," and "anxiety adolescents special educational needs"; sources were selected for relevance to adolescent anxiety in the context of SEN, and findings were synthesized thematically. Scientific novelty. Building on a synthesis of theoretical approaches (S. Freud, A. Adler, K. Horney, H. S. Sullivan, C. Spielberger, Yu. Hanin, and the behaviorist tradition) and empirical findings on anxiety in individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and other SEN categories, the study proposes a five-component model of psychopedagogical support for adolescents with SEN, encompassing the creation of a safe environment, the development of emotional self-regulation, the correction of social anxiety, the enhancement of self-esteem, and psychological education for parents and teachers. The phenomenon of diagnostic masking of anxiety by symptoms of the primary developmental disorder is described as a factor that differentiates diagnostic difficulties across SEN categories, and promising directions for psycho-pedagogical support are substantiated. Conclusions. Anxiety in adolescents with SEN is a polyetiological phenomenon that, during adolescence, acquires a predominantly social character. Fear of rejection, feelings of inferiority, and deficits in communication skills complicate their integration into an inclusive environment. A significant diagnostic challenge remains the phenomenon of masking anxiety through the symptoms of the primary developmental disorder. Effective support should encompass the creation of a safe educational environment, the development of emotional self-regulation skills, the correction of social anxiety, and psychological education for parents and teachers.