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04 SES 07C: Psychological Needs and Emotional Regulation in Inclusive Education
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04. Inclusive Education
Paper Assessing Emotion Regulation Strategies in Second-Grade Students 1: University of Graz, Austria; 2: Research Center for Inclusive Education (FZIB) Presenting Author:Emotion regulation can be defined as the flexible ability to respond to situational demands with a range of emotion in socially accepted ways, including spontaneous reactions and their voluntary delay when necessary (Cole et al., 1994). Assessing emotion regulation can be crucial in the context of inclusive education to identify students who may benefit from differentiated support. In addition, the ability to use different emotion regulation strategies enables children to respond more flexible to varying demands in educational settings and contributes to student’s well-being (Somerville et al., 2024). A systematic literature review (Daniel et al., 2020) showed that emotion regulation is not only a promotive but also a protective factor for psychological and behavioral outcomes in children and adolescents. Hence, the ability to regulate one’s own emotions can predict internalizing and externalizing symptoms even during the early school years. Further, emotion regulation can have a buffering effect or moderate how risk factors impact children’s social-emotional development. There are several emotion regulation strategies which can be beneficial for children if they are adaptive and functional or detrimental if they are maladaptive and dysfunctional (Aldao & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2010). Some examples for emotion regulation strategies are reappraisal, problem-solving and cognitive distraction (Kogler et al., 2025). Reappraisal entails reframing a potentially negative and stressful situation in a more positive manner, thereby mitigating emotional distress(Gross, 1998). Problem-solving refers to conscious coping attempts in order to either alter a potentially negative or stressful situation or minimize its impact (Billings & Moos, 1981). Cognitive distraction is characterized by redirecting attentional resources away from emotionally arousing or stress-inducing stimuli, for instance, by deliberate thoughts toward neutral, unrelated or positive matters (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991). Instruments for measuring emotion regulation rely either on external assessment or self-report. Self-report measures are particularly valuable as they capture children’s’ subjective experiences that may not be visible to external observers. Most emotion regulation self-report instruments are conceptualized for children aged 9 years and older (e.g., Garnefski et al., 2007; Grob & Smolenski, 2005; Gullone & Taffe, 2012), as cognitive demands of reflection on one’s own emotions may pose challenges for younger children. One existing German instrument is POEM-KJ (Rüth & Lohaus, 2023), which measures functional and dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies. However, it is only recommended to be implemented in primary school students from third grade onward. This highlights again that emotion regulation instruments are predominantly designed for children in the age range 9 years and above, corresponding at the earliest to later primary school grades. Recently, a new instrument in German named GraSEF (Kogler et al., 2025) was developed which extends the assessment of emotion regulation strategies in primary schools to second-grade students aged 7 to 8 years. This development opens up new opportunities to investigate the use of emotion regulation strategies among younger students, thereby enabling researchers and educators to examine these critical skills at earlier developmental stages than previously possible. For this newly developed instrument the psychometric quality criteria like internal consistency and retest reliability should be investigated to answer the question of whether the new instrument fulfils theese requirements as well as the existing one. Therefore, we address the following research questions in this presentation:
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used This study was conducted within a preregistered multicomponent intervention study on reading and social-emotional learning. Using a controlled longitudinal design with quasi-experimental allocation to intervention (IG) or control group (CG), we assessed emotion regulation via GraSEF and POEM-KJ in second-graders with reading and social-emotional difficulties across four time points. Participants. Pre-test data were collected from 62 students who completed POEM-KJ and 474 students who completed GraSEF. To address research question 1, we compare the psychometric properties of both instruments. For research question 2, we will examine longitudinal trajectories for the subsample of 40 students (IG: n = 21; CG: n = 19), who completed both instruments across all four time points. Pre-test, mid-test, post-test and follow-up took place between autumn 2024 and autumn 2025. Material. The POEM-KJ (Rüth & Lohaus, 2023) is an established self-assessment instrument in German measuring the use of emotion regulation strategies in children and adolescents. The 32-item short version differentiates between functional und dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies. For each item the children rated their answer on a four-points scale according to their agreement with the statement. The GraSEF (Graz Screening to Assess Social-Emotional Skills; Kogler et al., 2025) is a digital screening tool measuring six social-emotional dimensions: internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, social withdrawal, problem-solving, prosocial behavior and emotion regulation. Items were read aloud to the students through headphones and then answered on a five-point scale using various test formats (e.g., situational judgement test and self-rating scales). While the full GraSEF instrument consists of the above mentioned subscales encompassing 89 items that assess various aspects of social-emotional competencies, the present study focused on the emotion regulation in anxiety subscale with a total of 55 items. This selective approach was adopted due to time constraints within the data collection protocol. Administering only this scale allowed us to maintain feasibility in the school setting while still obtaining comprehensive data on emotion regulation strategies, which constituted the primary focus of the research questions. Analysis. Analyses will be conducted using the statistical software R (R Core Team, 2025) and SPSS (IBM Corp., 2023). The study was preregistered in Open Science Framework (Center for Open Science, n.d.) on 18th December 2025. To address research question 1, we will conduct a confirmatory factor analysis. For research question 2, we will employ linear mixed-effects modeling for repeated measures. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings We expect the results from the factor analysis to support a one-factor structure for GraSEF and a two-factor structure for POEM-KJ. Model fit indices (CFI, TLI, RMSEA, SRMR) will be examined to evaluate construct validity. Parsimony (AIC) will be evaluated to determine which model best captures emotion regulation. Internal consistency (McDonald's ω with 95% CIs) and test-retest reliability (ICC) will be compared between instruments, acknowledging that differences may reflect both scale properties and sample characteristics. We hypothesize superior internal consistency for GraSEF compared to POEM-KJ, with expected positive correlations between GraSEF and functional POEM-KJ scales and negative correlations with dysfunctional scales. We will conduct a linear mixed-effects model with time point, emotion regulation scale, and intervention as fixed effects, including their interactions. We expect general improvements in emotion regulation over time, with stronger gains in the IG post-intervention. The time point × scale interaction should reveal greater sensitivity to developmental changes for GraSEF. We further expect that students with higher baseline emotion regulation show steeper improvement trajectories. The findings of this study will provide an indication of how emotion regulation can be reliably measured in German-speaking second-grade students. The results will serve as recommendation for future research on emotion regulation in early school years. From an international perspective on inclusive education, the present study highlights the importance of developing culturally and developmentally appropriate instruments for assessing emotion regulation via self-report as early as possible. This advance will enable the early identification of children with difficulties in emotion regulation and foster the implementation of support strategies across diverse educational contexts. References Aldao, A., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2010). Specificity of cognitive emotion regulation strategies: A transdiagnostic examination. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48, 974–983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2010.06.002 Billings, A. G., & Moos, R. H. (1981). The role of coping responses and social resources in attenuating the stress of life events. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4, 139–157. Center for Open Science. (n.d.). Open Science Framework. https://osf.io Cole, P. M., Michel, M. K., & O'Donnell Teti, L. (1994). The development of emotion regulation and dysregulation: A clinical perspective. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 59, 73–100. Daniel, S. K., Abdel-Baki, R., & Hall, G. B. (2020). The protective effect of emotion regulation on child and adolescent wellbeing. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29, 2010–2027. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01731-3 Garnefski, N., Rieffe, C., Jellesma, F., Terwogt, M. M., & Kraaij, V. (2007). Cognitive emotion regulation strategies and emotional problems in 9 - 11-year-old children: The development of an instrument. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 16, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-006-0562-3 Grob, A., & Smolenski, C. (2005). FEEL-KJ: Fragebogen zur Erhebung der Emotionsregulation bei Kindern und Jugendlichen: [Questionnaire to Assess Emotion Regulation in Children and Adolescents]. Hans Huber. Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of Emotion regulation. Review of General Psychology, 2(3), 271–299. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.271 Gullone, E., & Taffe, J. (2012). The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA): A psychometric evaluation. Psychological Assessment, 24, 409–417. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025777 IBM Corp. (2023). IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 29.0) [Computer software]. IBM Corp. https://www.ibm.com/products/spss-statistics Kogler, A., Gasteiger-Klicpera, B., Prinz, K., & Paleczek, L. (2025). Digitally Assessing Social-Emotional Skills in Early School Years: Initial Validation of a Screening Instrument. Frontiers in Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1529083 Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (1991). Responses to depression and their effects on the duration of depressive episodes. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 100, 569–582. R Core Team. (2025). R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing (Version 4.5.2) [Computer software]. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://www.R-project.org/ Rüth, J.‑E., & Lohaus, A. (2023). POEM-KJ: Fragebogen zur prozessorientierten Emotionsregulationsmessung im Kindes- und Jugendalter. Hogrefe. Somerville, M. P., Midouhas, E., Delprato, M., & Whitebread, D. (2024). Help me if you can I’m feeling down: Supporting children’s emotion regulation and well-being in the primary classroom. School Mental Health, 16, 577–591. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-024-09668-4 04. Inclusive Education
Paper Learning Disabilities and Emotion Regulation in School Contexts: A Scoping Review University of Vienna, Austria Presenting Author:Emotion regulation (ER) has been identified as a key factor in students' overall well-being and academic performance in educational settings. However, research specifically addressing ER among students with learning disabilities (LD) remains limited and conceptually diverse. Consequently, a scoping review of the extant literature on this subject was conducted. This submission synthesises international evidence on ER among school-age students identified with LD and related educational classifications, with the dual aim of clarifying conceptualisations and summarising empirical links among ER, internalising problems, academic demands, and school belonging. The scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines (Liberati et al., 2009). A comprehensive search strategy was employed, encompassing multiple databases (i.e., SCOPUS, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ERIC, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect) and manual journal screening within the domains of special/inclusive education and educational research, with a focus on psychology. The search period extended from January 1998 to November 2024. Empirical studies that examined the educational outcomes (ER) of school-age students with learning disabilities (LD) within school contexts met the inclusion criteria. Title/abstract and full-text screening were conducted independently by two reviewers, who were guided by clear inclusion criteria and a quality assessment of the respective paper. A total of 962 records were identified, of which 145 were duplicates and were thus removed from the study. A further 817 titles and abstracts were then screened, and 84 full texts were assessed for eligibility. Ultimately, 17 studies met all the criteria for analysis. Across the three studies, ER was consistently grounded in Gross's (2015) process model, while LD definitions varied. This heterogeneity has a detrimental effect on the comparability and generalizability of the results. Despite the limited evidence base, three converging patterns emerge. Firstly, students in LD-related classifications showed higher reliance on avoidant and palliative ER strategies when facing academic stressors, potentially offering short-term relief but posing long-term psychosocial risks. Secondly, in adolescents with specific learning disability (SLD), school belonging mediated the association between ER and psychosocial difficulties, suggesting that enhancing adaptive ER and inclusive climates may jointly buffer distress. Thirdly, ER, internalising problems, and academic performance appear reciprocally linked: partial mediation by academic performance supports aspects of both the "academic incompetence" and "adjustment erosion" hypotheses, implying bidirectional pressures between emotional adaptation and school demands. A review of the literature reveals a conspicuous absence of research on the topic of ER in students with learning disabilities LD in school settings. Despite the acknowledged significance of emotions in educational contexts, only three empirical studies have directly addressed ER in students with LD in school settings. This dearth of research is particularly salient in the context of inclusive schooling, where the objective of catering to the diverse needs of all students is espoused. The paper underscores the necessity of teacher psychoeducation about students with LD to counteract prejudices and posits that a more precise understanding of ER and the development of corresponding interventions could enhance individual outcomes and positively influence classroom climate, which may be influenced by negative self-perceptions among students with LD. In conclusion, the current evidence based on ER in students with LD is extremely limited. Further research is needed to clarify conceptual definitions and investigate ER in school settings, with the aim of informing targeted intervention measures that enhance the school experience of students with LD. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used This study employed a scoping review design in accordance with PRISMA reporting guidance (Liberati et al., 2009). The objective of the study was to map the existing evidence on ER among school-age students with LD or related educational categories, to identify key themes, and to highlight conceptual ambiguities that limit synthesis. A systematic search was conducted in SCOPUS, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ERIC, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, and ScienceDirect. This was complemented by a manual screening of core journals in special and inclusive education, educational research, and psychology. The coverage spanned from January 1998 to November 2024, and included peer-reviewed articles in English or German. Search strings were used to combine ER terms with school- and LD-related labels (e.g., "emotion* AND regulat* AND student*" paired with "specific learning disorder," "dyslexia," "dyscalculia," "learn*," "disab*," and school/classroom terms). Studies were considered eligible if they reported empirical findings on ER for students with clearly defined LD-related classifications in school contexts and provided subgroup-specific results for the target population. Theoretical or review papers, policy pieces, studies outside school contexts, and mixed-sample studies that did not disaggregate results for the LD-related group were excluded. The screening and selection process was overseen by the Covidence program (covidence.org), which facilitated independent dual screening of titles/abstracts and full texts. Both reviewers resolved disagreements regarding inclusion/exclusion criteria. Peer review served as the primary quality marker, supplemented by checks on the clarity of LD definition, ER operationalization, school-context specificity, and basic methodological adequacy. The PRISMA flow proceeded as follows: 962 records were identified, 145 duplicates were removed, and 817 titles/abstracts were screened, of which 733 were excluded for not meeting the eligibility criteria. A total of 84 full texts were assessed, and 67 were excluded (no ER, 25; no LD, 16; unsuitable design, 9; unsuitable setting, 5; irrelevant results, 4; unsuitable sample, 5; different topic, 3). Seventeen articles underwent additional quality checks; fourteen were excluded, leaving three studies for synthesis. Analysis combined descriptive analysis with textual narrative synthesis (Lucas et al., 2007), summarizing findings across three themes: (1) students’ use of avoidant and palliative ER under academic strain, (2) school belonging as a mediator between ER and psychosocial difficulties in adolescents with SLD, and (3) reciprocal links among ER, internalizing problems, and academic performance. Heterogeneity in LD definitions and ER instruments was treated explicitly as a limitation to comparability and inference. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings This review highlights a pronounced gap in existing literature. Despite the centrality of emotions in the school, only three empirical studies met the criteria for examining ER among students with LD-related classifications in school contexts. Conceptually, ER is consistently framed by Gross's model (Gross, 2015), whereas LD is defined heterogeneously across studies, which constrains comparability and synthesis. Empirically, three cautious insights emerge from the included work. First, students with SEN-L more frequently use avoidant and palliative ER strategies under academic stress, which may offer short-term distraction but are associated with the risk of longer-term psychosocial difficulties. Second, in adolescents with SLD, school belonging mediates the association between ER and psychosocial difficulties, indicating that ER and inclusive school experiences are intertwined. Third, ER, internalising problems, and academic performance are reciprocally linked; partial mediation by academic performance suggests bidirectional pressures between emotional adaptation and school demands. These findings align with the broader aim of inclusive schooling (European Agency, 2018; Schwab, 2021) and underscore the notable paucity of research on ER among students with LD. Psychoeducation for teachers about students with LD is crucial to counter prejudices (Firat, 2022). More precise knowledge of ER and the development of corresponding interventions for students with LD could support individual improvement and positively affect classroom climate, which may be shaped by negative self-perceptions among students with LD (Veni & Merlene, 2022). Limitations are substantial: the very small number of eligible studies, heterogeneous LD classifications, and variability in ER measurement (including the use of negative mood regulation instruments) preclude strong causal claims. Consequently, further research on ER in students with LD is needed to expand the evidence base and inform the design of targeted intervention measures for practical school settings, thereby enhancing students' school experience and advancing inclusive, needs-based support. References European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education. (2018). European Agency Statistics on Inclusive Education: Methodology Report. https://www.european-agency.org/sites/default/files/easie_methodology_report_updated_2018.pdf Firat, T. (2022). The change over time of the perceptions of school counsellor candidates related to students with learning disabilities. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 32(2), 159–173. https://doi.org/10.1017/jgc.2021.3 Gross, J. J [James J.] (2015). Emotion Regulation: Current Status and Future Prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2014.940781 Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., Tetzlaff, J., Mulrow, C., Gøtzsche, P. C., Ioannidis, J. P. A., Clarke, M., Devereaux, P. J., Kleijnen, J., & Moher, D. (2009). The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: Explanation and elaboration. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 62(10), e1-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2009.06.006 Lucas, P. J., Baird, J., Arai, L., Law, C., & Roberts, H. M. (2007). Worked examples of alternative methods for the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 7, 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-7-4 Schwab, S. (2021). Inclusive and Special Education in Europe. In U. Sharma & S. J. Salend (Eds.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Inclusive and Special Education. Veni, K. R., & Merlene, A. M. (2022). Self-Perception and Psychological Well-Being as Determinants of Classroom Behavior of Students With and Without Learning Disability. Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 18(2), 158–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/09731342221122840 04. Inclusive Education
Paper “My feelings are constantly stronger than me”: An Interview Study on Psychosocial Problems and Subjective Well-Being of Students in Inclusive Schools University Duisburg-Essen, Germany Presenting Author:Research on student well-being in school (SWB) has become a central concern for inclusive education across Europe, reflecting a shift towards holistic educational goals that encompass mental health and quality of life (UNESCO, 2025; OECD, 2023). Within this context, SWB serves as a crucial indicator for assessing the quality of inclusive learning environments (Kullmann et al., 2023). Quantitative studies consistently identify psychosocial problems as among the most robust predictors of diminished SWB, whereas the impact of the formal category "special educational needs" (SEN) remains contested and inconsistent (e.g., Alnahdi & Schwab, 2021; Goldan et al., 2022). The research landscape successfully maps statistical relationships but leaves a significant gap: it provides limited insight into the subjective lived experiences and personal sense-making processes that underlie these correlations. Understanding these internal, interpretive layers is vital for developing responsive and effective inclusive practices. To systematically explore students' perspectives, this study is theoretically grounded in Hascher's (2004) multidimensional model of SWB determinants. This influential model posits that SWB is shaped by the dynamic interplay of three interconnected domains: environmental factors (e.g., family support, socioeconomic background), school factors (e.g., teacher-student relationships, classroom climate), and individual factors (e.g., motivation, self-concept, psychosocial dispositions). While this model provides a comprehensive framework, qualitative insights into how students themselves perceive and weigh these factors – particularly in the context of psychosocial problems – are scarce. This study addresses this research gap by employing an in-depth qualitative design. It builds upon a prior quantitative survey (Zdoupas et al., 2025) in German inclusive secondary schools, which identified students with comorbid (internalizing and externalizing) problems as a distinct group reporting the lowest SWB. Using this finding as a sampling framework, we shift from a variable-centered to a person-centered perspective. Our study explores the following research questions:
This exploratory approach aims to reconstruct the individual logic of SWB formation from the students' standpoint. By contrasting the perspectives of students facing significant psychosocial challenges with those who are not, we seek to illuminate the interpretive frameworks that may either buffer against or amplify distress in inclusive settings. The findings aim to contribute a nuanced, emic perspective to the European discourse on inclusive education, highlighting that equitable participation is not only a matter of structural provision but also of subjective perceptions and mean-making (Göranson & Nilholm, 2014). Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The study employs a qualitative, contrastive design based on purposeful sampling from a defined quantitative cohort. Participants were recruited from a prior survey study (Zdoupas et al., 2025) conducted with N = 967 students (Grades 8-10) from seven inclusive secondary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. That study used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, 2005) and a multidimensional SWB scale (Kullmann et al., 2023). Based on this data, two contrasting groups were formed for in-depth interviewing: • Group with comorbid psychosocial problems (n=10): Students scoring above established risk thresholds on both internalizing and externalizing SDQ subscales and reporting the lowest SWB scores in the cohort. • Group without significant psychosocial problems (n=10): Students scoring below risk thresholds on all SDQ subscales and reporting the highest SWB scores. This sampling strategy ensures the groups represent maximally different experiences of SWB linked to psychosocial status. The interview sub-sample reflected the gender and SEN distribution of the main study. The significant SWB difference between groups was maintained (M_comorbid=2.16, SD=1.56 vs. M_without=3.49, SD=1.78; t(18)=-2.25, p=.019). Data was collected through semi-structured interviews guided by topics derived from Hascher's (2004) model of SWB determinants (individual, school-related, environmental factors). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a two-stage qualitative content analysis (Mayring, 2022). 1. First stage (deductive structuring): Transcripts were coded using a pre-defined category system based on the three determinant domains by Hascher (2004). This provided a structured overview of mentioned factors. Intercoder reliability on this categorical level was excellent (Cohen’s κ = .91). 2. Second stage (inductive, contrastive analysis): Within these domains, the material was analyzed inductively. The focus was on reconstructing group-specific patterns of perception: the emotional framing of experiences, causal attributions (e.g., internal/external, stable/variable), and perceived agency. This stage involved a comparative, interpretive analysis to identify contrasting logics of perception and interpretation. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings Both groups named relevant factors across all three domains (Q1). School-related factors, especially peer and teacher relationships, were the most prominent for all students. A key difference emerged within the individual domain: students without psychosocial problems emphasized personal motivation and a positive self-concept, whereas students with comorbid problems centrally referenced their own psychosocial symptoms as core determinants of their SWB. Across all named factors, regardless of domain, two fundamentally divergent patterns of perception and interpretation were reconstructed (Q2). Students without significant psychosocial problems displayed narratives characterized by resource-oriented agency. They described social relationships as stable and reliable, and framed academic challenges as manageable through effort. Setbacks were often normalized or attributed to external, variable causes, preserving a positive self-concept. In contrast, students with comorbid psychosocial problems exhibited patterns of constricted agency and negative self-referentiality. Their social world was perceived as unstable and threatening, marked by anticipation of rejection. Academic difficulties and social experiences were consistently internalized as evidence of personal inadequacy. This interpretative logic chronically framed the school environment as overwhelming and the self as ineffective within it. The findings suggest that psychosocial problems are linked to SWB through specific, subjectively constructed patterns of social-cognitive processing (Crick & Dodge, 1994; Lemerise & Arsenio, 2000). These interpretative frameworks – characterized either by resource-oriented agency or by constricted, self-blaming agency – appear to be central proximal determinants of how school is experienced. For inclusive practice, this implies that support must extend beyond academic or behavioral interventions to address these deep-seated patterns of self-perception and other-perception. Our study underscores the necessity of integrating qualitative, experiential knowledge into the European evidence base for inclusive education. It highlights that fostering well-being requires attentiveness to the internal worlds of students, where the challenges of inclusion are ultimately felt and negotiated. References Alnahdi, G. H., & Schwab, S. (2021). Inclusive education in Saudi Arabia and Germany: students’ perception of school well-being, social inclusion, and academic self-concept. Eur. J. Spec. Needs Educ. 36(5), 773-786. Crick, N. R. & Dodge, K. A. (1994). A review and reformulation of social information-processing mechanisms in children’s social-adjustment. Psychol. Bull. 115, 74-101. Goldan, J., Nusser, L., & Gebel, M. (2022). School-related subjective well-being of children with and without special educational needs in inclusive classrooms. Child Indic. Ress 15, 1313-1337. Goodman, R. (2005). Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Göransson, K., & Nilholm, C. (2014). Conceptual diversities and empirical shortcomings – a critical analysis of research on inclusive education. Eur. J. Spec. Needs Educ. 29(3), 265-280. Hascher, T. (2004). Wohlbefinden in der Schule. Waxmann. Kim, E. K., & Choe, D. (2022). Universal social, emotional and behavioral strength and risk screening: relative predictive validity for students’ subjective well-being in schools. Sch. Psychol. Rev 51(1), 40-54. Kullmann, H., Zentarra, D., Lütje-Klose, & Geist, S. (2023). Wohlbefinden und Inklusion an der Laborschule Bielefeld (WILS): Ausgewählte Ergebnisse der Fragebogenerhebungen 2013 – 2018 in den Jahrgangstufen 6 – 10. Schule – Forschen – Entwickeln 2, 77-110. Lemerise, E. A. & Arsenio, W. F. (2000). An integrated model of emotion processes and cognition in social information processing. Child Dev.71(1), 107-118. Mayring, P. (2022). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse. Grundlagen und Techniken. Beltz. OECD (2023). PISA 2022 Results (Volume II): Learning During – and From – Disruption, PISA. Paris: OECD Publishing. UNESCO (2025). Integrating health and well-being into education policy and planning: a handbook. Paris: UNESCO, Paris. Zdoupas, P., Vösgen-Nordloh, M., & Kulawiak, R. (2025). Subjektives schulisches Wohlbefinden in inklusiven Schulen im Spannungsfeld zwischen sonderpädagogischem Unterstützungsbedarf und psychosozialen Problemen. ESE 7, 124-139. 04. Inclusive Education
Paper Are the Basic Psychological Needs of Students with Special Educational Needs Being Met in Inclusive Secondary Schools? University of Wuppertal, Institute of Educational Research, Germany Presenting Author:According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence is essential for well-being and life satisfaction (Chen et al., 2015; Ryan & Deci, 2000). In school contexts, basic need satisfaction has been linked to higher academic achievement, adaptive learning behaviour, positive classroom climate and psychological well-being (Wang et al., 2019), whereas need frustration is associated with emotional distress and problem behaviour (Chen et al., 2015). Despite the fact that self-determination theory assumes the universality of fundamental psychological needs, it explicitly acknowledges that the extent to which these needs are supported or frustrated depends on contextual conditions, including the educational environment and individual factors (Ryan & Deci, 2000). In educational settings, learning environments that support autonomy, relatedness, and competence promote not only academic outcomes, such as reading competence (Ha & Roehrig, 2025), but also students’ psychological well-being and overall life satisfaction (Chen et al., 2015). However, while basic psychological needs are well researched among students without special educational needs (e.g. Wang et al., 2019), research involving students with special educational needs is still limited. Existing studies suggest that these students experience lower levels of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, particularly those with emotional and behavioural difficulties (Rogers & Tannock, 2018). As impairments in autonomy satisfaction can negatively affect children’s motivation and engagement (Ryan & Deci, 2000) further studies examining the extent to which basic psychological needs are satisfied in students with special educational needs also compared to their peers without special educational needs are vital. Empirical findings suggest a decline in life satisfaction during adolescence (Orben et al., 2022). Moreover, students with special educational needs often report lower life satisfaction during their school years, especially in inclusive settings compared to special schools (Herke, 2018). Although such differences do not necessarily persist throughout life, former students with special educational needs tend to experience lower life satisfaction in adulthood, partly due to structural disadvantages in the labor market (Blanck et al., 2025). Taken together, these findings point to the need to identify factors that can sustainably influence the life satisfaction of students with special educational needs. Basic psychological needs may play a crucial role in this regard, as experiences of autonomy, relatedness, and competence are closely linked to life satisfaction and can positively impact it (Milyavskaya et al., 2009). However, while there is evidence for students without special educational needs, concrete empirical evidence of the influence of basic psychological needs on the general life satisfaction of students with special educational needs remains scarce. Against this background, the present study first investigates differences in the life satisfaction and basic need satisfaction between students with and without special educational needs. Second, the study examines the relationship between basic psychological need satisfaction and life satisfaction, and investigates whether these relationships vary between students with and without special educational needs. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The sample was drawn from the INSIDE project (“Inclusion in and after lower secondary education in Germany”; Gresch et al., 2026), which was conducted in 14 federal states in Germany. Data from 2,406 students (51 % female) in grades 9 and 10 were included in the analyses. Of these, 335 students (14%) were identified as having special educational needs, either through an official diagnosis or through receiving special support without a formal diagnosis, during the course of the project (2019–2024). To assess basic psychological needs, the three scales measuring need satisfaction from Heissel et al. (2018) were used, each consisting of four items: autonomy (α = .76; e.g., “I feel a sense of choice and freedom in the things I undertake.”), relatedness (α = .74; e.g., “I feel that the people I care about also care about me.”), and competence (α = .75; e.g., “I feel capable at what I do.”). All were rated on a 4-point scale, ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated an acceptable model fit (CFI = 0.949; TLI = 0.934; RMSEA = 0.061 [0.056; 0.066]; SRMR = 0.050). Overall life satisfaction was assessed with a single item. Students were asked, “How satisfied are you with your life overall?” and responded on a 10-point scale ranging from 0 = not at all satisfied to 10 = completely satisfied. Prior to the analyses, measurement invariance of the scales measuring need satisfaction was examined between students with and without special educational needs. Three progressively stricter models were specified and compared pairwise (Putnick & Bornstein, 2016)): (1) a configural model (equal factor structure); (2) a metric model (equal factor structure and loadings); and (3) a scalar model (equal factor structure, loadings and intercepts). To investigate potential group differences in life satisfaction, an independent-samples t-tests was conducted. Concerning differences in need satisfaction, latent means of the three needs were compared in the model demonstrating (partial) scalar invariance. To examine potential group differences in the associations between needs and life satisfaction, a structural equation model was specified based on the (partially) scalar invariant model. Autonomy, relatedness, and competence were modelled as latent predictors of the manifest overall life satisfaction. Difference between students with and without special educational needs were examined in multiple-group analyses. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings Partial scalar measurement invariance was established for the scales assessing need satisfaction among students with and without special educational needs. Overall, students reported high levels of satisfaction with their basic needs and their overall life. Subsequent group comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences between the two groups, neither with regard to need satisfaction (autonomy: β = 0.019, p = .780; relatedness: β = -.075, p = .242; competence: β = -0.066, p = .337) nor with respect to overall life satisfaction (t[2349] = -0.677, p = .498). Consistent with Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), structural equation modelling revealed that the three basic psychological needs were each significantly and independently associated with life satisfaction (autonomy: β = .453, p < .001; relatedness: β = .453, p < .001; competence: β = .453, p < .001). Multiple-group analyses further indicated that the associations between the basic psychological needs and life satisfaction did not differ significantly between students with and without special educational needs. Overall, the findings suggest generally positive levels of the investigated variables for students in inclusive lower secondary schools. Contrary to expectations, no difference between students with and without special educational needs were observed. This may be explained by the broad operationalization of special educational needs, which encompassed students with diverse support needs as well as both formally diagnosed and non-diagnosed students receiving special educational support. This lack of differentiation may have obscured differences observed in previous studies (e.g. Kröske, 2020). However, individual or contextual factors may also play a critical role and should be investigated in future research. The findings will be further discussed with reference to their implications for inclusive education as well as for further international research in this field. Furthermore, limitations (e.g., no causality) will be addressed. References Blanck, J. M., Menze, L., & Nusser, L. (2025). Subjective well-being in early adulthood—long-term consequences of inclusive vs. segregated education for students with special educational needs in Germany? 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