Needs Analysis for the Development of a REBT–Expressive Arts Therapy Psychoeducational Intervention Module to Enhance Motivation and Social Skills among Students with Educational Needs (SEN)

Abstract

Students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) often face challenges in terms of motivation and social skills. However, the development of intervention modules based on their actual needs remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to identify the need for developing a Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy–Expressive Arts Therapy (REBT–EAT) Psychoeducational Intervention Module to enhance the motivation and social skills of students with SEN. This study employed a survey research design. Quantitative data were collected using two questionnaires developed by the researcher and validated by three experts in the relevant fields. The first questionnaire involved 10 respondents, comprising five Full-Time Guidance and Counselling Teachers and five teachers from the Integrated Special Education Programme (ISEP), who were selected through purposive sampling from rural secondary schools in the state of Kedah, Malaysia. The second questionnaire involved 10 students with SEN categorised as having learning disabilities. The first set of findings indicated that the majority of teachers perceived students with SEN as having low levels of motivation and social skills, while the second set of findings confirmed that the students with SEN demonstrated a low level of motivation and a moderate level of social skills. These conditions contribute to difficulties among students with SEN in sustaining motivation and engaging in positive interactions with their peers and teachers. Findings from both data sources consistently demonstrated the need for a systematic and comprehensive psychoeducational intervention module that is appropriate to the context of students with SEN in rural secondary schools. This study provides empirical justification for the development of the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy–Expressive Arts Therapy (REBT–EAT) Psychoeducational Intervention Module as an intervention with the potential to enhance the motivation and social skills of students with SEN. The implications of this study are expected to provide guidance for Full-Time Guidance and Counselling Teachers, special education teachers, and researchers in developing more effective psychosocial interventions for students with SEN.