Development of inclusive competence in future socionomy specialists: challenges in constrained settings

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the crucial importance of socioeconomy specialists’ readiness to work in an inclusive environment and the need to identify the factors that contribute to developing their competence. The study aims to identify gaps in existing research and propose new directions for studying the psychological and pedagogical features of developing inclusive competence in future professionals in socionomy under constrained conditions. The article presents data from respondents (30 respondents were in their 3rd year of study and 20 in their 5th year) regarding their understanding of the concept of inclusion, acceptance of children with special needs, tolerance, empathy, and willingness for self-development. A crucial aspect is understanding the psychological and pedagogical characteristics of preparing future specialists in socionomy under limited conditions. The study employed surveys, generalization, categorization, comparison, observation, and qualitative data analysis. It was established that modern challenges, such as military aggression, pandemics (COVID-19), social and economic inequality, technological progress, and demographic changes have a significant impact on the development of inclusive competence in future socionomists. Factors essential for developing inclusive competence are identified. The findings of this work have both scientific and practical significance for training future professionals in the field of socionomy and for shaping their inclusive competence.