ذروة الخبرة و علاقتها بالاهتمام الاجتماعي لدى المختصين بتعليم ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة في مدينة أربيل

Abstract EN

Peak experience" is recognized when an individual experiences a deep state of ego transcendence, including full absorption and a special sense of euphoria, surprise and humility, with completely getting rid of the anxiety and fear, accompanied by the loss of a sense of time and place.

"Maslow" - who coined the concept of peak experience-, believes that the self – actualized people are very thin on the ground.

They were able to make full use of their potentials, abilities and talents.

Hence the peak experience may relate to "social interest", which includes individual perfection, bonding with humanity, and a sense of others and bring happiness to them.

Thus the peak experience may represent a central concept that could be linked to the social interest.

This vision leads to inquire the possibility of establishing a predictive conceptual link between social interest and peak experience.

So our major hypothesis is that the intensification of the social interest could be led to experience a highest level of peak experience that is characterized by sublimity, joy and unity with the world.

Five goals have been derived from this problem.

The research sample consisted of (125) teachers who are experts in teaching people with special needs.

They were randomly selected from the six institutes specialized in this type of education in the city of Erbil.

The sample included females and males, different ranges of ages, and various levels of education and years of service.

Two scales have been developed.

The first one of the peak experience consisted of (22) items in its final form.

The second one of social interest consisted of (29) items in its final form.

The required psychometric conditions of both of them have been verified, such as items analysis, face validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and test – retest.

Statistical analysis has resulted in a number of findings, including: - A high mean of both peak experience and social interest was found.

Most respondents were located in the category of high social interest, and the category of moderate peak experience.

- No statistically significant differences have been found between males and females in both of peak experience and social interest.

- No statistically significant correlations have been found between peak experience and each of: years of service, age, and level of education.

- Social interest can positively predict peak experience, while the four other demographic variables can not do so neither individually nor combined.

- This positive predictive relationship begins to decline in the subjects with high social interest.

Then these results were discussed in the light of Maslow theory and Adler theory.

Several conclusions have been made, including: 1.

There is a theoretical link between Adler's perspective of "social interest", and Maslow's perspective of "peak experience".

The first one may positively predict the second.

This theoretical link is identified by the concept of "need for security".2.

Social interest can positively predict peak experience, but not definitively and completely, rather in a partial and conditional manner.

3.

The concept of peak experience is independent from the four demographic variables: gender, years of service, age, and level of education.

Its predictability is limited to the concept of social interest that had been initially constructed in the early childhood years.

4.

The ability of social interest to positively predict peak experience is strongly influenced by the amount of this social interest.

The moderate social interest provides a greater likelihood of peak experience, while peak experience begins to decrease with the high degrees of social interest.

A number of subsequent supplementary studies in the light of the questions and issues raised by current research have been proposed.