0000-0001-7325-0930 
gretellcenturion86@gmail.comMaría de la Caridad González Martínez2
0000-0002-7016-1403 bedmary92@yahoo.comLeonardo Pérez Lemus2
0000-0002-6590-7186 leplemus@yahoo.es
Mendive. Journal on Education, January-March 2025; 23(1), e4017
Translated from the original in Spanish
Original article
Preparing teachers to care for students with behavioral disorders
La preparación del docente para la atención a educandos con trastornos de la conducta
A preparação de professores para o atendimento de alunos com transtornos de comportamento
Gretell Centurión Hurtado1 0000-0001-7325-0930 gretellcenturion86@gmail.com
María de la Caridad González Martínez2 0000-0002-7016-1403 bedmary92@yahoo.com
Leonardo Pérez Lemus2 0000-0002-6590-7186 leplemus@yahoo.es
1 Basic Secondary School "Amador López Mosquera". East Havana, Havana, Cuba.
2 Municipal Directorate of Education. Playa, Havana, Cuba.
Received: 3/11/2024
Accepted: 14/01/2025
ABSTRACT
The 21st century faces various changes, challenges and challenges at a global level, which imply the protection of human beings, so that its perfection from the educational policy is opportune. The historical considerations and theoretical and methodological references of the Primary School Model in Cuba are established, as well as the challenges of teacher preparation today and the attention to students with behavioral disorders in the regular context, as part of the organization of this specialty of Special Education. The objective was to present an educational strategy for the preparation of teachers at the Primary educational level for the attention to students with behavioral disorders; it was based on theoretical level methods such as: historical-logical, analytical-synthetic, inductive-deductive, system approach and modeling. As empirical level methods, observation, documentary analysis, survey, teacher interviews, and specialist criteria were used. Observation was developed to learn about the preparation of teachers in the process of attention to students with behavioral disorders. It was also subjected to evaluation by specialists. The main result was the strategy structured in: foundations, characteristics, principles and stages (diagnosis, planning, execution, control and evaluation), which complement each other, with their corresponding specific objectives, actions, human and material resources, those responsible and methodological suggestions. Its feasibility of application and relevance in practice in the municipality of Regla was confirmed, corroborating the positive transformations of reality.
Keywords: primary school; school integration; teacher preparation; disorders; behavior.
RESUMEN
El siglo XXI afronta diversos cambios, retos y desafíos a nivel global, que implican la protección de los seres humanos, por lo que se hace oportuna su perfección desde la política educativa. Se establecen las consideraciones históricas y referentes teóricos y metodológicos del Modelo de Escuela Primaria en Cuba, los retos de la preparación del docente en la actualidad y la atención a educandos con trastornos de la conducta en el contexto regular, como parte de la organización de esta especialidad de la Educación Especial. El objetivo consistió en presentar una estrategia educativa de preparación de los docentes del nivel educativo Primaria para la atención a educandos con trastornos de la conducta; se apoyó en métodos del nivel teórico como: histórico-lógico, analítico-sintético, inductivo-deductivo, enfoque de sistema y la modelación. Como métodos del nivel empírico fueron empleados la observación, análisis documental, encuesta, entrevista a docentes, criterios de especialistas, Se desarrolló la observación para conocer la preparación de los docentes en el proceso de atención a educandos con trastornos de la conducta. Fue sometida, además, a evaluación mediante el criterio de especialistas. Como principal resultado estuvo la estrategia estructurada en: fundamentos, características, principios y etapas (diagnóstico, planificación, ejecución, control y evaluación), que se complementan entre sí, con sus correspondientes objetivos específicos, acciones, recursos humanos y materiales, responsables y sugerencias metodológicas. Se constató su factibilidad de aplicación y pertinencia en la práctica en el municipio de Regla, corroborando las transformaciones positivas de la realidad.
Palabras clave: escuela primaria; integración escolar; preparación docente; trastornos; conducta.
RESUMO
O século XXI está enfrentando várias mudanças, desafios e contestações em nível global, que implicam a proteção do ser humano, o que torna oportuno o seu aperfeiçoamento a partir da política educacional. São estabelecidas as considerações históricas e os referenciais teóricos e metodológicos do Modelo de Escola Primária em Cuba, os desafios da preparação de professores na atualidade e a atenção aos alunos com transtornos de conduta no contexto regular, como parte da organização dessa especialidade da Educação Especial. O objetivo foi apresentar uma estratégia educacional para a preparação de professores do ensino fundamental para o atendimento de alunos com distúrbios de comportamento; ela se baseou em métodos teóricos como: histórico-lógico, analítico-sintético, indutivo-dedutivo, abordagem sistêmica e modelagem. Os métodos empíricos utilizados foram observação, análise documental, pesquisa, entrevistas com professores, critérios de especialistas, etc. A observação foi realizada para conhecer a preparação dos professores no processo de atendimento a alunos com distúrbios comportamentais. Ela também foi submetida à avaliação por meio de critérios de especialistas. O principal resultado foi a estratégia estruturada em: fundamentos, características, princípios e etapas (diagnóstico, planejamento, execução, controle e avaliação), que se complementam entre si, com seus respectivos objetivos específicos, ações, recursos humanos e materiais, responsáveis e sugestões metodológicas. Sua viabilidade de aplicação e relevância na prática no município de Regla foi confirmada, corroborando as transformações positivas da realidade.
Palavras-chave: escola primária; integração escolar; preparação de professores; transtornos; comportamento.
INTRODUCTION
The inclusive culture has been developing since the second half of the last century in all areas. Its implementation in education focuses on the search for educational spaces to enhance the integral development of all students. To this call, in Cuba the Primary and Special Education are transformed, to create spaces conducive to a school open to diversity
The educational revolution taking place in our country in the Third Improvement, with the aspiration of turning schools into a place more similar to our students and into the most important cultural center of the community, requires a new way of acting by teachers and the school, with a change of mentality, aiming towards attention to diversity and socio-educational inclusion.
The above has been pointed out in the studies carried out by Sardina (2023) when he states that "Socio-educational inclusion has as its fundamental objective to respond to the educational needs of all students or, in effect, to provide adequate attention to diversity based on a process of improvement and innovation" (p. 2).
On the other hand, Cuban researcher Milanés Rodríguez (2020) considers that:
Educational attention implies that the primary teacher assumes attention to diversity as a pedagogical position… through increasingly inclusive practices; therefore, the training of a professional who stimulates and comprehensively develops the personality of the student, based on basic and specialized preparation, is of vital importance… (p. 3).
This dynamic in educational attention demands a constant evolution and transformation in the educational processes, in favor of integration, inclusion and respect for diversity in the appropriation and self-management of knowledge from the preparation of the teacher to carry it out.
The trend towards an inclusive society and school defines a paradigm shift, which is projected by the social development of humanity, with equal opportunities for access to education. The function of the conception of the world consolidates the positions of the teacher based on the approach to reality that it assumes. It leans towards an education centered on the student, the changing role of the teacher, a new definition of objectives, the change in the approach from the planning of educational activities, in the organization and the results of the integral development of the same, in this sense is the study of Labrador (2023) and Cordero-Morales, D., Carmona-Díaz, A., & Gómez-Borrero, Y. (2024).
Attention in Cuba to the educant with behavioral disorders is also a part of a profound social revolution, which is unfolding through substantial changes in organization and forms of care. In the field of care for students with behavioral disorders at international level, the work of Ruiz y Gallegos (2021); Higueras (2021); Guzmán (2021) and Pangay et al. (2023), whose studies are aimed at the formation of personality in childhood, is highlighted, characteristics of students with behavioral disorders, etiology and educational methods.
In Cuba, this theme has been addressed by Milanés Rodríguez (2020); Ramírez Galí et al. (2020); Vento et al. (2021); Soler et al. (2021); Milanés and Sánchez (2021); Ramírez Hernández et al. (2023); Castillo and Vento (2023), aimed primarily at the transformation of the primary teacher's occupational modes of performance, The focus on the attention to students with behavioral disorders is based on updating of skills and managing the behavior of students.
In this sense, the research carried out by Soler et al. (2021) is interesting, where he considers the school-family-community relationship for the care of students with behavioral disorders as "... a concerted, cooperative and transformative process aimed at taking advantage of the potential of the school, the family and the community for joint action, based on the comprehensive educational care of students with behavioral disorders" (p. 296).
At the primary education level in Cuba, the implementation of the Primary School Model is widespread, which assumes from its current conception attention to diversity, a product of the interaction between internal and external factors for the care of these students.
The above identifies the need for training of teachers at the Primary education level, given the importance that this has in the quality of care for students with behavioral disorders, based on the organization of Special Schools for Behavioral Disorders in the Third Improvement.
From this same perspective, Ley-Leyva (2022) highlights that:
Education has evolved over time, adapting to the social needs of each historical moment and in accordance with the scientific and technical advances of each era. Today, education is not similar to that of previous centuries, given the constant educational reforms that have been generated, giving a drastic turn to the task of educating, not only in the structure of educational institutions, but also in the work of teachers to instruct and form human values in schoolchildren, future citizens in charge of social transformations in favor of development and progress (p. 28).
According to Ramírez et al. (2020) they state in this regard:
Teachers have the fundamental role and responsibility of achieving, due to their importance and necessity, the highest levels of preparation; this currently constitutes a priority that requires their diagnosis, based on the professional characteristics and those of the students who receive their educational influences (p. 343).
Baute-Freire and Becerril (2022) refers to the topic of educational responses and those involved in it since its conception as:
Situation alerts on the need for proactive and active intervention in relation to the increase of people with the disorder in the country. Understanding, attention and intervention in these cases has been an aspect of interest and their scientific approach has pointed to the need for treatment from a multidisciplinary perspective. This is why institutions designed to correct the disorder involve professionals from different fields with the same aim (p. 285).
In pedagogical practice, shortcomings have been detected that still need to be resolved, in issues related to the problem, among which we can mention:
In accordance with the above, the objective is to present an educational strategy to prepare primary school teachers to care for students with behavioral disorders.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The research was carried out on the basis of a mixed or combined investigation, using qualitative and quantitative research, taking into account that the researcher is based on already existing knowledge; therefore, his data are based on facts.
Qualitative research involved the collection and analysis of non-numerical data to understand opinions, attitudes and aptitudes, the state of the mode of action and behavior. The instruments used were: observation, documentary analysis, survey, interview and expert judgment.
In addition, quantitative research was used to understand the frequencies and patterns that allow understanding cause-effect relationships, to make generalizations, to confirm assumptions through statistical analysis, so the results are expressed numerically.
In the development of the research, different research methods were used, among which are theoretical, empirical and statistical methods.
The research focused generally on the dialectical-materialist approach, which in the framework of educational research enables the ascension of knowledge, from the general to the particular and vice versa, as well as from the abstract to the concrete, which allowed revealing the causal and functional relationships of the object of study, generating dynamics in the object and facilitating the specification of essential and contradictory relationships in it.
In the meantime, it was based on theoretical level methods such as: historical-logical, analytical-synthetic, inductive-deductive, system approach and modeling, which allowed the theoretical systematization for the study of the background on the subject, as well as to base the educational strategy; in addition, they allowed the modeling, taking into account the components and the essential relationships established between them.
The following empirical level methods were used: classroom observation, documentary analysis of preparation action plans from the General Directorate of Education, annual plans and individual plans of teachers, survey of managers and teachers, interviews with teachers, and criteria of specialists, which made it possible to diagnose the factors associated with the difficulties that teachers have in caring for students with behavioral disorders at the primary education level.
Classroom observation was conducted to determine the teachers' preparation in the process of caring for students with behavioral disorders.
Document analysis was used to review specialized documents on postgraduate education and other documents on school practice, to assess the preparation of teachers, aimed at caring for students with behavioral disorders.
The interview and survey of teachers and managers confirmed the information on the background, needs and possibilities of teacher training and the assessment of the educational strategy.
For the processing of information, the following statistical-mathematical levels were used: percentage analysis and descriptive analysis used to quantify the results obtained in the instruments applied throughout the research process.
Four primary schools in the municipality of Regla, in the province of Havana, were selected for the development of the research; these are those with students with behavioral disorders.
It was carried out during the 2019-2023 academic years, being ex post facto, taking into account that the research is based on events already carried out, where its data are based on accomplished facts. A sample of 76 teachers from the Primary education level of the following primary schools were selected: "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes", "Leonor Pérez", "Rafael María de Mendive" and "Máximo Gómez", who care for students from the "Margarito Iglesias" Special School for behavioral disorders, which also functions as a Specialized Center for Educational Services. From a total population of eight students with behavioral disorders, 100% were selected.
The sample was selected based on the intentional criterion that all teachers were from the municipality itself, were workers at the selected schools and had a minimum of five years of experience working in primary schools to facilitate the organization of the implementation of the educational strategy and the voluntary nature of the process.
Taking into account the intentional criterion for the selection of the sample, the general aspects of the sample group are shown (Table 1).
Table 1. General aspects of the sample group
Strata |
Population |
Sample |
Intentional selection criteria |
Instruments used |
Teachers |
142 |
|
|
|
Managers |
18 |
|
Of the managers and teachers surveyed, six currently carry out methodological work for teacher training; three report that they are self-preparing, in addition to the methodological work with the new documents of the III Continuing according to methodological needs and their individual plan, and the other three are asking them to join courses of improvement and preparation which are disseminated by other levels such as La Casa del Pedagogo, the Central Institute of Pedagogical Sciences and the University of Pedagogical Sciences "Enrique José Varona".
To preliminarily assess the relevance of the designed educational strategy, the method of specialist criteria was used. Relevance is related to whether it is timely and responds to the needs that have been detected, based on the preparation of primary school teachers to care for students with behavioral disorders.
In selecting specialists, it was ensured that they had the category of Bachelor, Master of Science or Doctor of Science and graduates of Special Education or Primary Education, specialists directly involved in the process of caring for these students or with experience in the subject, with more than 15 years of uninterrupted work.
Five measurement criteria were suggested for the evaluation: Very Adequate (MA), Quite Adequate (BA), Adequate (A), Slightly Adequate (PA) and Not Adequate (NA) for the following indicators: Timeliness (A), Correspondence (C), Affordability (As), Flexibility (FI), Functionality (F), Presentation of the Proposal (PP), Foundation of the Methodological Activities (FT), Adaptability (Ad), Comprehensive Assessment (VI). It was also proposed to record general criteria that could be expressed by specialists on the educational strategy proposed and analyzed by them. Possible recommendations were also investigated.
RESULTS
Theoretical positions on behavioral disorders and attention to these students were defined, as well as the features that typify this scientific product and its background. The needs of teachers were determined in order to identify the topics to be included in the educational strategy. These were evaluated as pertinent, and the organizational forms included in the strategy were: workshops, postgraduate course, case study and self-preparation, with a digital repository to facilitate access to information, which can be downloaded through the link.
The documentary analysis included the review of the preparatory action plans of the Directorate General of Education of Regla (Diagnostic and Guidance Center) for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023, the annual plans of the selected educational institutions at the Primary educational level, and the individual plans of the selected teachers at the Primary educational level.
The above revealed the existence of 25 actions for the preparation of teachers at the primary education level, of which three respond to attention to educational diversity and inclusion and are indirectly related to attention to students diagnosed with behavioral disorders, which represents 12% of the total actions.
In addition, an inadequacy was detected in the actions from the individual plan of the teacher's professional pedagogical performance, related to the educational attention to students with behavioral disorders.
Of a total of 154 methodological actions in the annual activity plan of the selected schools, 10 were aimed at providing educational care to students with Special Educational Needs, which represents 16.2%. It was then found that only 6.5% were planned to provide educational care to students with behavioral disorders.
Based on the above, it can be concluded that the problem regarding the preparation of primary education teachers to care for students with behavioral disorders in the regular context arises from the planning of methodological preparations at other management levels.
In the survey of managers and teachers, 83.7% consider that the main problems affecting the quality of education in their center are fundamentally the insufficient preparation from the planning and self-preparation of teachers; the scarce specialized preparation to face the new challenges and challenges that the educational level faces today in the implementation of inclusive education, with emphasis on attention to students with behavioral disorders; and the limited access to technology due to difficulties in technological equipment (computers) and instability in connectivity in centers that already have it.
Classroom observations revealed that there are marked difficulties in the preparation, planning and way in which teachers act to provide care to students with behavioral disorders in the regular context, and there are marked difficulties in educational methods: inadequate diagnosis; insufficient effective and individualized educational intervention strategies to address the specific problems of students; use of assertive methods to mediate in conflict situations and the ability to resolve situations that arise in the group; use of different styles of possible communication to resolve family and social conflicts from within the classroom itself and the preventive approach to activities in the event of a new inappropriate manifestation of behavior.
The transformation of the Cuban school, taking into account the demands of the present and future times, requires the implementation of a policy of change, where elements that contribute to the integral development of the personality of teachers and students are evident. This aspiration demands the modeling of resources for change, which allow reducing the gap between the current state and the desired state in the educational context.
Among these resources, strategies play an important role, which, from a more comprehensive and holistic conception of the relationships between science, the pedagogical process, the teacher and school management, must operate with a systemic and dynamic vision to solve the educational problems that arise.
The educational strategy proposed by the authors is based on advanced education, considering that it contributes to raising the preparation of teachers and the production of new knowledge based on theory and practice. It sets the guidelines for the human potential of teachers to be educated, to educate themselves and to educate others.
The proposed educational strategy is conceived and designed based on the main actors: teachers at the Primary education level, students with behavioral disorders, specialists working at the "Margarito Iglesias" Specialized Center for Educational Services who, within their functions in the III Improvement, are responsible for the preparation of teachers at the different educational levels, and the Comprehensive General Methodologists of the Diagnostic and Orientation Center (CDO).
The components that make up the educational strategy are revealed below: mission, general objective, foundations, characteristics, principles and stages (diagnosis, planning, execution, control and evaluation), which complement each other, with their corresponding specific objectives, actions, human and material resources, those responsible and methodological suggestions.
The mission of the strategy is to improve the preparation of teachers by promoting attention to students with behavioral disorders at the primary education level.
The general objective is aimed at providing theoretical, methodological and instrumental elements to primary school teachers that will facilitate the care of students with behavioral disorders.
The foundations that support the educational strategy are articulated with the following assumptions: theoretical, from the philosophical sciences of education, which have their theoretical and methodological basis in the materialist-dialectical method; biological and neurological, which find common points in the understanding of the brain as the organ that shows how students learn and how they behave; sociological education, which assumes the conception of education as a social phenomenon based on the preparation of man for life; psychological education is based on the approach of the historical-cultural school of Vygotsky and his followers; pedagogical education, which is based on the theory of advanced education, the relationship of Pedagogy with Inclusive Pedagogy, the link between education and life and the social environment; and legal education, which is based on the integration of aspects contained in the governing documents of teacher training and in the legal framework for the care of students with behavioral disorders.
It has particular characteristics such as:
The educational strategy is based on the principles of General Pedagogy and Special Pedagogy, which are presented below:
It was structured in four stages (diagnosis, planning, implementation and control, and evaluation) that complement each other, with their corresponding specific objectives, actions, human and material resources, those responsible and methodological suggestions.
First stage. Diagnosis
In the diagnostic stage, the results of the documentary analysis were integrated into different sources: teacher evaluation reports, annual activity plans for the centers, individual plans for the selected teachers and the General Directorate of Education (Diagnostic and Guidance Center) of Regla, and the record of the differentiated activities for the care of students with behavioral disorders.
Its objective was to characterize the initial state of teacher preparation for caring for students with behavioral disorders at the primary education level.
In addition, the following actions were carried out:
Available resources:
Second stage. Planning
It is based on the results of the previous stage and has the specific objective of determining the organizational forms, general objectives and content to be used in the educational strategy for the preparation of teachers at the primary education level, which will promote attention to students with behavioral disorders.
Actions:
The ten methodological workshops proposed in the research respond to the preparation of the selected teachers, in terms of attention to students with behavioral disorders, who have the following qualities: humanistic, transformative and reflective.
Topics are planned that address content related to: the characteristics of students with behavioral disorders in Cuba and the alternatives in the III Improvement for their care, communication, the basis of care, the family of students with behavioral disorders, social work, the role of the teacher as a school social worker at the Primary educational level, the School of Family Education, Psychopedagogical characterization, attention to diversity, inclusion or integration?, prevention and risk factors.
The postgraduate course program, in coordination with the authorized center (Specialized Teaching Institute "Mártires de Tarará"), was developed with the objective of preparing teachers at the primary education level from the cognitive, procedural and attitudinal aspects, based on the care of students with behavioral disorders, with a preventive character. This not only allows identifying their strengths and areas of improvement, but also provides a model that can be adapted by other educational institutions. By focusing on aspects such as curricular relevance, innovative methodologies, support for those who receive it and community impact, use and pedagogical consumption of technology, creating a solid framework that promotes a more effective and accessible higher education through an effective combination of theory and practice.
The case study will focus on critical analysis for decision making and problem solving as a strategy; it is established that it has three phases that are called: identification phase, decision-making phase and problem-solving phase.
Self-preparation, as an action within the educational strategy at this stage, allows, through the three self-preparation guides that are proposed, the development of critical and problem-solving skills, the personalization of learning and the development of metacognitive skills. The activities that comprise it allow the diversification of pedagogical strategies, making the process more dynamic and inclusive, empowering teachers to become active and responsible lifelong learners.
Third stage. Implementation
Specific objective: to incorporate into the work system of the Primary educational level the actions that are part of the designed educational strategy, aimed at the cognitive, procedural and attitudinal aspects of the teacher at the Primary educational level.
Actions: development of the preparation methods proposed in the previous stage (methodological workshops, postgraduate course program, case study and self-preparation).
Fourth Stage. Control and evaluation
Specific objective: to assess the effectiveness of the educational strategy aimed at preparing primary school teachers to care for students with behavioral disorders and the benefits reported by its application.
Actions:
Taking into account the selection of specialists, technological accessibility was facilitated to the proposed educational strategy designed for its possible study and subsequent assessment, attaching a feasibility questionnaire for possible suggestions and approval of the same, for its subsequent application in practice, allowing the collection of the instruments by this same means.
A qualitative and quantitative analysis was carried out based on the assessments issued by the specialists, which allowed the proposal to be perfected, leading to a low percentage of possible errors during implementation, based on its own planning and objectivity.
100% of the specialists consulted are of the opinion that the dimensions and indicators to be evaluated are adequate. Among the criteria they offer, the links that exist between the contents and the objectives proposed in the educational strategy and the variety of instruments applied stand out, which favors increasing the veracity of the information collected in the diagnostic stage. They consider that it is adequate for its application in practice as well as being sustainable, taking into account the integrality of the educational strategy from its structure, the methodology to be followed and the content, responding to the solution of the declared scientific problem.
In addition, it facilitates access to preparation from pedagogical technology, to continue promoting self-preparation and consultations whenever needed, which is an impact and a necessity from the educational reality.
They recommend the conception of concrete actions to expand the variants of care and the paths in each of the contexts, to favor the care of these students, with the intention of being able to evaluate their compliance, objectivity and effectiveness in this process; as well as the creation of a system of help and guidance for families and socio-educational agents of students with behavioral disorders from the teacher's preparation.
The opinion of the specialists was unanimous, since they considered 68.9% of the elements evaluated to be Very Adequate, 18.9% to be Quite Adequate and 12.2% to be Adequate. Based on this criterion, the theoretical relevance of the proposed educational strategy designed for its application is considered.
DISCUSSION
The theoretical concepts developed in today's primary school have been confirmed by research carried out by the Central Institute of Pedagogical Sciences, which assumes the historical-cultural approach of LS Vygotsky and his collaborators as the theoretical and methodological foundation of education in Cuba. This approach focuses on the integral development of the personality, which, without ignoring the biological component of the individual, conceives him as a social being whose development will be determined by the assimilation of the material and spiritual culture created by preceding generations.
The current model of the Cuban Primary education level is based on the comprehensive training of students, promoting the development of skills and competencies that allow them to face the challenges of today's society. This model focuses on meaningful learning, where students are the protagonists of their own educational process, actively participating in the construction of their knowledge. Inclusive and equitable education is promoted.
It is a current challenge for Cuban education to respond to the demand for quality education, which requires committed teachers, protagonists of their practice, capable of determining and solving problems related to their professional performance.
This is given vital importance from different scenarios; in this regard, Leyva et al. (2022) refer that the role of the Primary education teacher is essential when providing education for all from a curriculum that is comprehensive, flexible, contextualized and participatory.
The work of developing competencies in others forces teachers to review their own competencies. In this sense, we agree with Rueda and Portilla (2020) and Martínez et al. (2020), when they raise the need to improve knowledge, skills and attitudes to achieve greater efficiency in professional practice. Therefore, the initial training of teachers must be framed in academic programs based on competencies, which allow interdisciplinary, as well as an integration of knowledge and an adequate evaluation.
The systematization carried out by the authors allowed to arrive at the definition of conduct disorder, given the transformations of the social and educational system, as well as the difficulties that are faced today in these scenarios, based also on several sciences such as psychology and clinical science, to which the Cuban educational system has paid great attention and made decisions on such important issues as the diagnosis of our students by the Diagnostic and Orientation Centers since 2013 by the Psychiatry Manual (DSM-V, 2013). It must be considered the social, biological, neurological, pedagogical, psychological aspects of communication and contemplate the areas of educational influence, reaching a consensus between the Cuban educational reality, the student with conduct disorders contextualized in our country and the students who attend special schools for conduct disorders, attending to their characteristics, rather than their classification to attend these, with a new look.
The main differences between the definition proposed by the author and existing definitions consist of (Table 2).
Table 2. Main differences between the definition proposed by the author and existing definitions
Existing definitions |
New definition |
They tend to be more general and applicable to a context that fundamentally responds to their historical stage or object of research. |
It is contextualized in the Cuban educational reality. |
They focus on one or two factors in the etiology or it is not present. |
It covers a wide range of factors in etiology. |
No relationship is established with neurodevelopmental disorders. |
It establishes a bidirectional relationship with neurodevelopmental disorders (diagnosis and treatment). |
They do not consider impacts on the four areas of development (only two). |
Consider the four areas of development. |
They limit effectiveness in diverse contexts. |
It promotes a flexible and adaptive approach in different operating contexts. |
As a scientific response to the stated objective, the integration of students with behavioral disorders is analyzed as a condition of Cuban educational policy, based on the new organizational conception of Special Schools for behavioral disorders, proposing from this scientific position the transformation of the mission, objectives, principles and lines of development.
In accordance with the above, it is necessary to improve the mission, objectives, principles and lines of development of the specialty; for this purpose, a group of actions were carried out, where the feedback obtained from these experiences in practice is essential to validate and improve them. Among them are:
Preparing teachers to care for students with behavioral disorders requires in-depth practical activities that allow for the development of a favorable educational response, based on the causes, consequences and manifestations of behavior, for individual care in any context.
Based on the bibliographical depth, the educational strategy for the comprehensive care of students with behavioral disorders defined by Soler et al. (2021) comes closer to a conception related to the object of study.
The research of the authors cited in the article constitutes theoretical foundations regarding behavioral disorders in the school context; the results of this study focus on the specialized attention they need and their characteristics. Today, teacher training is a necessity for the care of these students; how to provide care, focused on advanced education, continues to be a weakness, since existing research is mainly directed at knowledge of theory and, to a lesser extent, at the tools to implement in practice.
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Conflict of interest
Authors declare no conflict of interests.
Authors' contribution
The authors participated in the design and writing of the article, in the search and analysis of the information contained in the consulted bibliography.
