Professionals Serving Individuals With Special Needs and Quality of Life

Summary

In recent years, the number of individuals with special needs (SNIs) requiring care has been increasing both globally and in our country. In line with the principles of a social welfare state, professionals have taken on a growing role in the care, treatment, and education of SNIs. These professionals include physiotherapists, teachers, psychologists, occupational therapists, and social workers. Unlike the education and treatment of typically developing individuals, providing services to SNIs can place additional burdens on staff, potentially leading over time to various physical, psychological, and emotional challenges. The demanding nature of working with SNIs, high expectations, environmental conditions, low wages despite intensive labor, lack of job security in the private sector, and the potential risks associated with working with individuals with disabilities can all create significant stress for service providers. This, in turn, may negatively affect both their personal and family lives as well as the quality of the services delivered.

Conditions

• Physiotherapist
• Teachers

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

International Physical Activity Questionnaire

The physical activity levels of the participants will be assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). In this study, the self-administered short form, which covers the last seven days, will be used. The total score of the questionnaire is calculated by summing the duration (in minutes) and frequency (in days) of walking, moderate, and vigorous activities. .

BEHAVIORAL

The Nutrition Knowledge Level Scale

It is assumed that nutritional knowledge enables individuals to choose healthy foods, prepare them in accordance with healthy eating recommendations, and consume them appropriately, thereby leading to improvements in dietary habits. The Nutrition Knowledge Level Scale for Adults, recently developed by Batmaz and Güneş (2018) in Turkey, includes subdomains such as basic nutrition and dietary preferences (Batmaz, H., \& Güneş, E., 2018).

BEHAVIORAL

Maslach Burnout Inventory

Burnout levels will be assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Developed by Maslach and Jackson (1981), the inventory conceptualizes burnout not as a single-dimensional construct but as a multifaceted phenomenon, allowing each dimension to be evaluated independently rather than by a single overall score. The MBI consists of 22 items grouped under three subscales: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment.

BEHAVIORAL

Short Form-36 Health Survey

Quality of life will be assessed using the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36). This is a self-report questionnaire that evaluates eight dimensions of health through 36 items: physical functioning, social functioning, role limitations due to physical and emotional problems, mental health, vitality (energy), bodily pain, and general health perception.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

  lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

45 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-10-25

Primary Completion

2026-01-01

Completion

2026-01-15

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations