The graduation thesis is focused on adolescent's experience of the effects in a residential care on changes in their deviant behavior and changes in their emotions. The theoretical introduction begins with a definition of adolescence and is followed by a description of juvenile deviant behavior, which includes the basic forms and characteristics of it. Since my dissertation includes mainly adolescents, who face behavioral and emotional problems, I defined these in detail, as well. Further on, I defined the factors of growing up as an indicator for developing emotional-behavioral problems and deviant behavior. I also focused on presenting the forms and approaches of working with adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems. I conclude the theoretical introduction with delving into residential cares, where I present all the different care types with positive and negative aspects of living in it.
In the empirical part of the thesis, I used quantitative methology. I put together five research questions, from which I derived five hypotheses. The latter were checked with the help of an online survey questionnaire. The results of the research showed that when the adolescents arrived in a residential care, they broke the rules in a moderate way and that this kind of behavior can no longer be detected today. They are more involved in the process and activities than when they were, when they arrived in a residential care. I came to a conclusion that adolescents have noticed changes in their behavior, well-being and emotions since staying in a residential care – institutionalization has helped them reduce deviant behavior and they have learned to control their emotions. I found out that adolescants cite conversation as the most effective method/technique of work in a residential care and that adolescants have improved their relationships with parents/guardians, peers, friends, partners and teachers by living in a residential care. The most important finding is that adolescents have clearly set goals in both professional and private fields, when they will leave residential care.
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