Dibs in Search of Self

Dibs in Search of Self helps the reader to see individuals with learning disabilities from a different perspective. Granted, all children with learning disabilities do not turn out to be as gifted as Dibs. However, reading Dibs' story explains some of the emotional and social factors that impact a disabled child's development.

The attitudes and behavior of Dibs' parents had a strong influence on the development of their child. Miss A, the clinical psychologist, was unable to persuade either parent to participate in psychotherapy along with Dibs, but deviated from standard procedure in this case because of her strong belief that she could help Dibs. Initially, Dibs' mother was as tense and remote as her son, insisting that Dibs' case was a tragedy of mental retardation that could not be helped with therapy. In fact, she was on the verge of institutionalizing Dibs. Later, with Dibs greatly improved, the mother revealed her role in her son's maladjustment. She never accepted Dibs as a normal child; instead, she was obsessed with teaching him, proving that he could learn at an extremely early age: "When a child is forced to prove himself as capable, results are often disastrous . . . He is devastated when confronted with rejection, doubts, and never-ending testing" (Axline, 1964, p. 166).

Dibs' mother regarded him as a threat to her marriage. Dibs' father, a brilliant scientist, never wanted children and the mother felt compelled to prove that this child was gifted

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ing help in their weak areas from fellow students. Cooperative learning is only one of several methods that schools can use to address the needs of exceptional students. Ultimately, the success of reaching students with special needs depends a great deal on the commitment of a school's teaching staff. Dibs in Search of Self is a book that encourages compassion for children who are suffering in their learning environments. Dibs was fortunate that he had caring teachers and a nurturing grandmother to compensate for the lack of emotional support he received from his parents. The book demonstrates how important professionals in the educational and medical communities can be in a child's socialization process. The author writes Dibs in Search of Self in a style that draws the reader into the emotional dilemma experienced by therapist, child, and parent. Dibs was able to develop normally because Miss A perceived his need for both safety and self-sufficiency: "When the initiative is left up to the individual, he will select the ground upon which he feels his greatest security . . . All people proceed with a caution that will protect the integrity of their personality" (Axline, 1964, p. 44). Dibs in Search of Self demonstrates th

Category: Psychology - D