The difficulties faced by special education teachers in teaching adaptive behavior to children with Down syndrome in the State of Kuwait

Objectives The study aimed to examine the difficulties faced by special education teachers in teaching adaptive behavior to children with Down syndrome at the primary level in the State of Kuwait. The study focused on four main dimensions: conceptual skills, practical skills, social skills, and the cultural context of the family, in order to understand the nature and severity of these challenges and to highlight areas requiring targeted support. Methodology A descriptive-analytical approach was adopted, using an electronic questionnaire to assess the experiences of a simple random sample of 120 special education teachers. The questionnaire addressed various aspects of the teaching process, and the obstacles teachers encounter when developing adaptive skills in students with Down syndrome. Results The study’s findings indicated that special education teachers generally face high levels of difficulty in teaching adaptive behavior. The dimension of the cultural context of the family in Kuwait received the highest mean score, attributed to some families’ excessive reliance on assistants or caregivers to perform children’s daily tasks, which reinforces dependent behavior and limits opportunities for developing the adaptive skills taught by teachers. The social skills dimension recorded a relatively high mean, while the difficulties related to practical and conceptual skills were at a moderate level. These results suggest that teaching adaptive behavior requires ongoing educational efforts, individualized teaching strategies, and flexible instructional methods tailored to children’s needs. Conclusion Based on these findings, the study recommends developing specialized training programs for teachers to enhance their skills in teaching adaptive behavior. It also emphasizes the need to increase family involvement in fostering children’s independence and implementing individualized educational plans that consider each child’s strengths and challenges.