Stigma and Clinical Implications in Educational Discourses: An Ethnopsychological Analysis of Special Educational Needs Configurations in Italian School Culture

Stigma and Clinical Implications in Educational Discourses: An Ethnopsychological Analysis of Special Educational Needs Configurations in Italian School Culture | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Stigma and Clinical Implications in Educational Discourses: An Ethnopsychological Analysis of Special Educational Needs Configurations in Italian School Culture Antonio Iudici¹, Paolo Cottone¹ This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7643737/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 05 Apr, 2026 Read the published version in Human Arenas → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The increase in requests for certifications has created uncertainty and changes in the way minors are perceived in the school environment. The way schools categorise minors can influence their developmental path, either facilitating or compromising their psychological and, in some cases, clinical development. This article presents a study conducted with various roles that collaborate with schools in different capacities, aiming to identify how minors with special educational needs are categorised today. The research design utilised a methodology based on semi-structured interviews. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was used to analyse the data to uncover the discourses present in Italian school culture today. The results reveal three specific conceptualisations of children: the needy child, the demanding child, and the child with strengths and weaknesses. From these findings, it is possible to draw some implications about the identity of minors, their social and clinical value, and the potential stigma attached to them. This study provides a clearer picture of the Italian situation, with the aim of developing more inclusive practices that are consistent with the principles that characterise them, implementing certain processes in schools, such as teamwork and training in specific intervention methodologies 1. Introduction In recent decades, the educational system has made significant strides in including and supporting students with special educational needs (SEN). However, the complexity of this process continues to raise crucial questions about the perception and configuration of these minors within the school context, fueling a complex and evolving debate. Numerous scholars have addressed these issues, each bringing related perspectives and raising fundamental questions. Some authors have explored how teachers' perceptions can profoundly influence the inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN), for instance, noting how teachers' beliefs and attitudes can shape these students' experiences (Ainscow & Miles, 2008 ). Another sensitive issue concerns the relationship between identifying special needs and the risk of labelling, which raises the question of whether we can provide necessary support without risking the stigmatisation of students (Florian & Black-Hawkins, 2011 ). The label of "child with special educational needs" can have a significant impact on the minor's academic and social life. It is therefore crucial to understand how this categorisation influences the perception and approach of the actors involved in the educational process. Studies in this field have highlighted the multifaceted and complex nature of this phenomenon. Norwich ( 2014 ) examined the ethical tensions in the process of identifying and categorising SEN, emphasising the need for a flexible and individualised approach. This study highlighted how the configuration of the minor with SEN can vary significantly depending on practices, available resources, and roles involved in different contexts. Numerous studies have examined the role of teachers in configuring students with SEN. Avramidis and Norwich ( 2002 ) conducted a systematic literature review, finding that teachers' attitudes towards inclusion are generally positive but influenced by factors such as the nature of the specific need or disability and the level of support available. Subsequently, de Boer et al. ( 2011 ) confirmed these results, emphasising how specific training and direct experience with SEN students can significantly improve teachers' attitudes. Conversely, Woodcock and Vialle ( 2016 ) highlighted how teachers' expectations can influence the performance of students with SEN, underscoring the importance of a conscious and unbiased approach. This phenomenon, known as the "Pygmalion effect," can have significant consequences on the minor's educational journey. Parental involvement in the educational process of minors with SEN is crucial. Turnbull et al. ( 2015 ) emphasised the importance of school-family collaboration for successful inclusion. However, Lalvani ( 2015 ) highlighted how parents often navigate a complex system, facing challenges related to stigmatisation and lack of resources. A study by Scorgie ( 2015 ) explored the process of parental adaptation to their children's SEN diagnosis, noting how this can influence their perception of the minor and expectations for their future. This aspect is particularly relevant in configuring the minor with SEN, as parental attitudes can significantly affect the child's self-perception and approach to learning. Adolescent services play a fundamental role in supporting minors with SEN and their families. Riddell and Weedon ( 2014 ) analysed the impact of educational policies on support services, highlighting how variations in local practices can influence access to and quality of services offered. We are thus faced with considering the long-term impact of labelling a child with SEN on their academic, social, and emotional development. Another issue present in the scientific debate concerns the ethical dilemma of how schools can respond to individual differences without creating potentially harmful categories (Norwich, 2014 ). Some authors have highlighted that certain school practices can sometimes unintentionally perpetuate exclusion rather than promote inclusion (Slee, 2013 ). The very perception of inclusion can profoundly influence both educational practice and the perception of students with SEN, as noted by Göransson & Nilholm ( 2014 ). We must therefore ask ourselves how we can develop school practices that recognise and value diversity without creating separate categories of students. The configuration of the minor with SEN ultimately emerges from the complex interaction between the perspectives of teachers, parents, and adolescent services. Slee ( 2013 ) emphasised the importance of an ecological approach to inclusion, taking into account the various influences and contexts that shape the minor's experience. A recent study by Göransson et al. (2020) explored how different conceptions of inclusion among teachers, parents, and service professionals can influence educational practice. The results highlighted the need for continuous dialogue and a shared vision to ensure effective inclusion of minors with SEN. This brief literature overview highlights the complexity and importance of understanding how a minor with SEN is configured in the school context. The perceptions and attitudes of teachers, parents, and adolescent services play a crucial role in shaping the educational and social experiences of these students, which is why the present research began with specific research questions. From these studies emerge crucial questions that continue to challenge educators, teachers, administrators, researchers, and policymakers. How can we, for example, ensure that SEN identification does not lead to stigmatisation or excessive medicalisation of student behaviours? How do the perceptions and expectations of teachers, parents, and adolescent services collaborating with the school influence the educational experience of students with SEN? How can we balance the need for individualised support with the goal of complete and meaningful inclusion? This research aims to explore how a minor with SEN is configured, focusing on the perspectives of teachers, parents, and adolescent services in the school, to grasp its effects and implications in the minor's real life. Understanding these processes is crucial for developing more effective inclusive practices and ensuring that every student, regardless of their educational needs, can reach their full potential within the school system. 2. Ethnography of the Italian Educational and Cultural System The Italian educational system exhibits unique characteristics that profoundly reflect the country's culture and history, significantly influencing the approach to special educational needs (SEN). The Italian inclusive approach to SEN has deep roots in the country's history, particularly in the 1977 reform that abolished differential classes. As highlighted by D'Alessio ( 2011 ), this choice reflects the cultural values of equality and solidarity, which are deeply embedded in post-war Italian society and the Constitution. Indeed, Italy has adopted a model of "total inclusion" (Anastasiou et al., 2015), which provides for the integration of students with SEN into regular classrooms. The concept of SEN in Italy is broad, encompassing not only certified disabilities but also specific learning disorders (SLD) and situations of socioeconomic, linguistic, and cultural disadvantage (MIUR, 2012). This inclusive definition allows, at least theoretically, for considering students' difficulties not as deficits, but as temporary conditions requiring targeted support. In this context, educational assistance is sometimes activated by municipalities, which organise educational interventions within schools and occasionally at the domiciliary level. This approach to SEN thus tends to consider the student's social context, promoting interventions that involve not only the school but the entire local community (Caldin, 2019 ). Currently, the Italian school system is evolving towards an increasingly inclusive and culturally sensitive model. Recent reforms, such as Law 107/2015 (La Buona Scuola), have placed greater emphasis on inclusion and the valorisation of diversity. Italian culture attributes a fundamental role to the family, which is also reflected in the school system. According to Ianes ( 2015 ), in the context of SEN, school-family collaboration is particularly emphasised. Parents are actively involved in defining individualised education plans (PEI) and personalised didactic plans (PDP), a practice that mirrors the cultural value of the family as a pillar of society. Italian culture is known for its flexibility and adaptability, characteristics reflected in the approach to SEN. Dovigo ( 2017 ) observes that the Italian school system tends to favour personalised and creative solutions rather than rigidly standardised approaches in addressing diverse educational needs. Primarily, the strong Italian humanistic tradition is reflected in the educational approach, which tends to value a comprehensive formation of the individual. The idea of "general culture" remains central, influencing even personalised pathways for students with SEN, aiming to maintain a broad cultural base. Despite this orientation based on integration and social inclusion, the Italian system currently faces several challenges. Firstly, regarding resources: investments in education have been stagnant for a long time, and the lack of funds can hinder the effective implementation of support programs. Furthermore, continuous teacher training appears underdeveloped, delegated to individual initiative. This can certainly limit the ability to constantly update teachers' competencies to address new challenges of diversity, especially regarding inclusive methodologies (Cavalli & Argentin, 2010). A final challenge is represented by the relationship between inclusion and personalisation; indeed, balancing inclusion in regular classrooms with the need for targeted interventions for students with SEN is not straightforward. The idea of general culture sometimes carries an excessive focus on performance and an elitist or status-based concept of culture, creating high expectations for academic success (Bonica & Sappa, 2010) and fueling tensions between school and family (OECD, 2020). This tension regarding results is also reflected in the increase of anxiety and stress among Italian students (Alivernini et al., 2019). Finally, Italy is characterised by strong regional identities, which are also reflected in the implementation of SEN policies. Each region can adapt national guidelines to its own cultural and territorial specificities, creating a mosaic of approaches that reflects the country's cultural richness on one hand, but may increase disparities on the other (Pavone, 2014 ). These cultural elements contribute to creating a unique system which, despite its challenges, reflects the richness and complexity of Italian culture. 3. Method 3.1 Theoretical Background The theoretical approach guiding this study is rooted in the Interactionist Perspective (Salvini, 1998; Iudici & Neri, 2024; Blumer, 1969), according to which knowledge emerges as a result of the construction of shared meanings among various actors in mutual interaction. These subjects, belonging to the same sociocultural community, elaborate and transmit, through language, their predominant cultural values, capable of influencing specific identity behaviours. This theoretical perspective allows us to examine how interactions between teachers, parents, and mental health professionals contribute to the social construction of the concept of "special educational needs". In particular, it enables us to explore how the perceptions, expectations, and practices of these actors intertwine to define and manage the challenges faced by minors in the school context (Mehan, 1993 ; Skrtic, 1991 ). The interactionist perspective emphasises the importance of symbols and shared meanings in social interactions (Mead, 1934 ; Salvini, 1998; Iudici, 2015 ). In our case, this translates into an analysis of how the language and labels used to describe special educational needs influence the perceptions and actions of all actors involved in the educational process. To fully comprehend the experiences, needs, and meanings that individuals attribute to the process of identifying and communicating a difficulty encountered in a presumed minor with special educational needs (SEN), as well as how such interpretations generate pragmatic consequences in the relationships established in their context of action, we have opted for a qualitative research approach. This methodology aims to study phenomena in the complexity of their natural contexts (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005; Flick, 2009; Creswell & Poth, 2018). This approach allows us to capture the nuances and complexities of social interactions that characterise the process of identifying and managing SEN. Through the use of methods such as semi-structured interviews and field observations, we can explore personal narratives and daily practices that contribute to the social construction of these educational needs (Goffman, 1963 ; Hargreaves, 1978 ). Furthermore, this methodology enables us to critically examine the power structures and institutional dynamics that influence the process of labelling and intervention in SEN cases. This includes the analysis of educational policies, school practices, and interactions among various professionals, offering a holistic and dialogic view of the phenomenon under examination (Foucault, 1977 ; Ball, 2013 ; Turchi, 2007). 3.2 Aims The primary objective of this study is to investigate how a child with special educational needs is perceived within the school context, with a particular focus on the perspectives of teachers, parents, and youth service workers who collaborate with the school. Understanding these different viewpoints allows us to trace how educational, familial, and clinical roles contribute to the categorisation of the child. A second objective is to investigate how these perceptions influence the construction of the child’s identity. By analysing the implications of such categorisations, the study seeks to highlight the potential effects on the child’s self-image, social positioning, and developmental pathways. This focus is crucial for recognising both the risks of stigma and the opportunities for more inclusive practices. 3.3 Participants and Data Collection The participants selected for this study comprise 50 individuals: 24 primary and secondary school teachers, of whom 6 are men and 18 are women; 8 parents of minors with special educational needs; 8 professionals from the Child Neuropsychiatry Service, including 2 psychologists and 6 neuropsychiatrists; and 8 municipal educators. Participants were recruited by contacting school principals, directors of two neuropsychiatry services in Veneto and Lombardy, and heads of social services in some municipalities. Teachers were identified through the following criteria: direct experience of at least one year with minors with special educational needs. Teachers who did not have a direct assignment to a minor with special educational needs were excluded from the study. Parents were chosen from those who had at least one child declared with special educational needs. Local adolescent service operators were selected based on their experience in taking charge of a minor with special educational needs. We sent them a request to participate in the research, attaching some illustrative documents of the project. Subsequently, they proposed the study to teachers and parents of the schools they directed, who then contacted the research authors. The study was also presented to some Services for developmentally aged children that collaborate with schools in the regions of Lombardy (Operational Unit of Neuropsychiatry for Childhood and Adolescence, UONPIA) and Veneto (Services for Adolescence). Some participants were involved through word of mouth from subjects already included in the study. All participants provided informed consent, in compliance with the ethics committee of the University of Padua, which had given its approval. Table 1 Table 1 participants N. Teachers Male Female Scuola Regione 12 2 8 Primary School Lombardia 2 1 2 Secondary School first grade Lombardia 8 2 6 Primary School Veneto 2 1 2 Secondary School first grade Veneto 24 6 18 100% 25 75 N. Parents Male Female School Region 4 1 3 Primary School Lombardia 4 1 3 Primary School Campania 8 2 6 100% 100% 20% 80% N. Neuropsychiatry Service Male Female Service Role Region 6 0 6 The Child Neuropsychiatry Service (UONPIA) Neuropsychiatrist Lombardia 2 0 2 Developmental Age Service Psychologist Veneto 8 0 8 100% 0% 100% 3.4 Investigation Method: The Semi-Structured Interview To explore the perspectives of Teachers, Families, and Service Operators in relation to the research objectives, we opted for the use of semi-structured interviews (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009 ). This methodology was chosen for its ability to investigate the opinions of participants in depth and to examine the interactive dynamics, both at the content and participation levels, that are presumed to exist between these groups. The semi-structured interview is distinguished by its flexibility: it offers a general frame of reference that ensures coverage of all aspects relevant to the research objectives, while allowing the interviewer to adapt to the natural flow of the conversation (Galletta, 2013 ). This method can be described as a guided conversation, conducted by the interviewer with selected individuals, primarily aimed at acquiring knowledge and exploring new perspectives (Rubin & Rubin, 2011 ). This approach allows us to maintain focus on the research objectives, adapt to the unique responses of each participant, explore any emerging themes not initially anticipated, and create adequate conditions to respond dialogically in an open and natural way (Seidman, 2006 ). The main intent is to obtain a rich and nuanced understanding of the experiences and perceptions of the various actors involved in the educational process. Moreover, the semi-structured interview aligns well with the interactionist perspective guiding this study, allowing us to explore how meanings are constructed and negotiated through interaction (Charmaz, 2014 ). This method also allows us to capture the nuances of language and discursive constructions used by participants, crucial elements for understanding how special educational needs are conceptualised and communicated (Holstein & Gubrium, 2011 ). Table 2 Table 2 Research protocol N. Municipality Service Male Female Role Region 7 0 5 Professional Educator Lombardia 1 1 2 Professional Educator Veneto 8 1 7 100% 12,5% 87,5% Research area: Configuration of the student with special educational needs 1. " How would you describe a studnent with special educational needs? 2. What characterises a student with special educational needs? 3. What specific needs might a student with special educational needs have? 4. Can you describe how the school should respond to a student with special educational needs? 5. What kind of relationship should an adult in a school setting have with a student with special educational needs? 3.5 Data Analysis and Coding To understand the process guiding the selection of criteria for identifying difficulties across various roles and, simultaneously, the discourses leading to an increase in certifications, the interdisciplinary data analysis methodology known as Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was employed. This analytical system, pioneered by Norman Fairclough (1995) and subsequently enriched by other scholars such as van Dijk ( 2001 ) and Wodak ( 2001 ), studies social phenomena based on the premise that there exists a dialectical relationship and mutual influence between language and the society in which it is used, considering language as a form of action within the context of social relations (Fairclough, 2013; Fabbro, 2020). CDA does not focus exclusively on the content expressed through language but provides tools to examine how common-sense discourses are maintained and reproduced within specific social contexts (Limone, 2012; Gee, 2014 ). Discourses are not individual properties, but rather have a collective function, as they are produced by the intersection between people using language and the cultural context of reference (Harré, 2013; Blommaert, 2005 ). Fairclough (2013) describes three analytical processes linked to three dimensions of discourse that characterise the Critical Discourse Analysis model: 1) Textual Analysis: The researcher describes how grammatical and lexical choices orient positioning towards the topic. This phase also includes the analysis of rhetorical structures and discursive strategies employed (van Leeuwen, 2008 ): 2) Discursive Practice: The researcher offers a summary interpretation of how activities and relationships present in the context are interpreted and how meanings are attributed to them, without reporting the words actually used by the participants. Attention is paid to how language is used in the distinctive activities of a particular institution, to the dynamic relationships and multiple positions that subjects can assume within the situation, paying attention to the social origin of the resources on which the interpreter relies to interpret this point (Fairclough, 2003; 2013; Reisigl & Wodak, 2016 ). 3) Social Analysis: The researcher explains how discourses are legitimised and modified within specific socio-cultural contexts, through the transversality of different points of view between roles. This explanatory phase represents discourse as part of a social process, studying the implications and effects that these discourses can have on social structures, modifying or supporting them respectively through normative or creative relationships. It is important to focus on the constitutive properties of the society being studied to understand how power relations affect the positioning of different social actors (van Dijk, 2008 ; Machin & Mayr, 2012 ). Social analysis thus aims to unveil the ideologies and underlying assumptions present in discourses and to understand how members' resources are formed and modified at the social level (Fairclough, 2013; Wodak & Meyer, 2015 ). This approach allows for a critical examination of how discursive practices related to special educational needs can contribute to the construction and maintenance of certain social structures and power relations in the educational context (Rogers, 2011 ). 4. Results Grounded in our theoretical perspective, we used excerpts from the participants' texts. We have designated them using the following codes: Teachers (T1-T24), Parents (P1-P8), and Neuropsychiatry Service (NS1-NS8), Municipalities Service (MS1-8). Based on the interview data, three prevalent discourses concerning minors with special educational needs can be identified: the discourse of the needy child, the discourse of the demanding child, and the discourse of the child with strengths and weaknesses. 4.1 The Discourse of the Needy Child Among the participants' accounts regarding how to consider minors with special educational needs, the predominant idea is that of a child in need. A specific positioning articulates around this idea, particularly among some teachers and neuropsychiatrists. As one teacher reported when asked to describe a minor with special educational needs, the child is immediately represented by certain needs, which differentiate them from others: "The child has evident difficulties; you notice immediately because they can't do something. It's a child with many difficulties, and depending on the difficulty, they need more help than others" (T13). When asked if they were referring to a particular type of problem, the teacher responded that they were referring to both minors with disabilities and situations of uncertified social disadvantage. Another teacher, also noting the necessity for the minor to reach the level of others, said: "It's a child with various needs that must be addressed, that require attention. It's a minor who should be helped to reach the level of others, not to fall behind. Generally, they have significant problems, and the school must take these problems into account, perhaps initiating specific aids" (T15). A metaphor expressed by a teacher well represents the vision of the needy child: "It's just a student who needs to wear glasses to see like everyone else" (T19). The glasses are identified as a necessary tool for performing tasks that would otherwise be impossible. The styles in which the positioning is articulated, to use Fairclough's (2013) terms, are sanctioning and judging. They are sanctioning in that they establish an absolute reality ("The child is", "It's a minor with severe difficulties"). Primarily, the teacher establishes that the minor with certification is a student in need of greater attention and tools compared to other students in the class due to relational and/or learning difficulties. The positioning is often judgmental as the characteristics of the other are qualified, for example, "the minor with special educational needs cannot do some activities as well as other children" (T16), or "They are less capable of following certain activities" (T2), or "On some tasks, they're a bit behind. It's clear that the child, especially the one with certification, can't do what others do" (NS4). Such expressions denote a vision of the child in terms of levels of knowledge or performance and are representative of a predominantly asymmetric idea of education between student and teacher. This positioning is frequently adopted by the interviewed teachers and neuropsychiatrists, as well as in some cases by service operators. In terms of discursive practice, the prevalent ways in which the discourse of the needy child is used concern specific or specialised help. Using the discourse of the needy child involves focusing attention on how to help them. Frequently, the interviewees' attention is placed on how to request human resources and compensatory aid tools. For example, a teacher of a 7-year-old child said: "The child with these needs to be closely followed, and for this, we need prepared educators or support teachers" (T7). Sometimes, the use of the 'needy child' discourse leads the teacher to think they cannot handle it because the specific problem falls outside the teacher's competence. For example, "We need help, first because we often have more than 3 (children with SEN), but then, in fact, we don't know how to help them in certain cases. When the case is problematic, for example, I had a child who never sat still, went around the desks, I didn't know what to do, in some cases we need specialised people or to have a psychologist intervene" (T9). In fact, the more severe the perception of the problem, the less manageable it becomes in class, and the more specialised assistance needs seem to emerge. This occurs both in the choice of aids and in the attempt to gain a better understanding of the situation. For example, a teacher said: "I haven't taken courses on disability, I rely on my experience, but how can I understand if (the minor) doesn't 'get it' or if it's their real difficulty?" (T21). Another teacher, speaking about how to use diagnoses, said: "Even if I see the diagnosis and read, for example, oppositional defiant disorder, I can intuit, but I don't know what the child feels, how they are, why they act like this. For example, with some colleagues, we once said 'is he putting it on or is it real?', in the sense that sometimes they seem simply ill-mannered, not disturbed, but this is just a feeling. You see, this is why we need valid help" (T9). Regarding the second use of the needy child discourse, some interviewees declare that the presence of a needy child can help the adult grow further. For example, an interviewee said: "I'm not a support teacher, so I periodically have the possibility of contact. When you have the opportunity to have a student with these problems and these severe needs in class, you need to build the work with them, it's a wealth. I feel richer, it's a significant and important experience. When I hear subject teachers worried about the presence of a student with SEN in class, I shudder because perhaps they don't realise that it's an opportunity for growth for us teachers who are always in training" (T5). Another teacher, speaking about her experience with a certified child, stated: "Working with these children, let's say a bit fragile, is a very important job, but above all it's a beautiful experience because often you realise you learn a lot from them" (T4). Given this opportunity for growth, some teachers are motivated to find new ways to help children in difficulty, identify available aids, and find every way to support them in achieving what everyone else does. Indeed, framing the discourse in terms of social disadvantage and discrimination, a teacher said: "It's right to dedicate ourselves to them so that they also do all the activities so that they don't feel discriminated against just because they have these disorders, so it's our task to do everything we can to help them. For example, looking for games, applications, and aids that really help them, concrete things that meet their needs." (T24) 4.2 The Discourse of the Child Demanding Help Especially according to the opinion of neuropsychiatry service operators, a minor with certification "expresses a request for help and listening to a certain more fragile part of themselves" (NS1). The idea is that there is some non-functional aspect of the person. Indeed, a neuropsychiatrist, while wanting to emphasise that these are still normal children, uses "but" in an adversative form: "they are children like others but with a small deficient part" (NS6). Emphasising the differences with other children, a neuropsychiatrist said: "You realise that these children have some limitations compared to others, and these limitations need to be recognised to ensure they are addressed" (NS4). The general vision adopted especially by neuropsychiatrists seems to be influenced by the medical one, "there is a part of the body that doesn't respond well, a lack, even minimal or significant, that doesn't allow the child to be performant" (NS8), or "The presence of this lack requires that we all understand how to help them" (NS7), "Recognising the deficit as early as possible with a screening allows for early help for the child so that what that limit requires can be interpreted as soon as possible" (NP4). The neuropsychiatry service operators, however, strongly emphasise that: "The certification is not the minor" (NP2). Neuropsychiatrists thus tend to distinguish the problem/deficit from the person, meaning that the problem does not correspond to the person. The idea is to preserve the minor from the stigma of equating the deficit with the entire person. This clarification is very present in the given answers, as for example in the following response: "Be careful not to confuse the specific problem with the whole minor, when we talk about a deficit or a mental disorder we are referring to something specific, not general; one thing is the problem and another is the problematic child, I am aware that often even at school parents and teachers tend to confuse, in fact parents especially are afraid of this thing, that is, if they know that the child may be sick they run away, they worry and someone interrupts the evaluation because they believe that their child has a problem, let's say... absolute. I would distinguish the deficit from the child, we highlight the problem but we don't talk about the whole child, certainly often these two things get confused but we only deal with what's not working" (NP3). Finally, by virtue of the normative connotation of certification, some municipal operators consider the minor "a minor for whom it has been noted that there may be a plan to be implemented... there's something that's not right with the student" (MS7). Therefore, the certification does not concern the person in their complexity, it does not exhaust it, but is useful for taking care of a more fragile part of the person. In this regard, a neuropsychiatry service operator said "I tell you that in SLD you need to take care of the part that concerns dyscalculia, dysorthography. Saying you're dyscalculic is different" (NS5). According to the opinion of neuropsychiatry service operators, a minor with special educational needs "expresses a request for attention linked to some aspect of vulnerability inherent in the person". In general terms, the positioning of teachers and neuropsychiatry service operators considers the minor as different, interpreting this diversity as an element of vulnerability and fragility, often also of a structural type or of an organicist order, even though there is not always effective evidence. On the other hand, the positioning of municipal service operators means that they consider diversity in response to the specific social and cultural context requests. The positioning of parents tends towards the position of the demanding child, although the responses are not attributable to a single reference. Defining a child as demanding often means adopting an interpretive perspective towards help or what they need. Implicitly, the risk is to establish upstream (based on the presumed difficulty) what the child needs. 4.3 The Discourse of the Child with Strengths and Weaknesses Another configuration that the minor assumes is that of a child with strengths and weaknesses. For example, an educator from a municipal service stated: "They're a minor like others, they have their strengths which are not necessarily few and limited, and they have their weaknesses like everyone" (MS7). Moreover, a metaphor used to describe the experience with the minor is used by a municipal operator, who after waiting a few seconds before answering said: "The minor with special educational needs is a world to discover, in the sense that it's a bit like when, in my opinion, you buy a guide to visit a city, but then it's good to get lost sometimes, I don't know. In the sense that when a kid is presented to us, they're often presented with a bunch of definitions, problems, backgrounds, so you have a sort of map, you seem to have a sort of map. But then I think it's important to get lost in that world there. In the sense that it gave you the possibility to find new paths, to see things that maybe someone hasn't seen if you're lucky. Or simply recognise a map that is given to you. Then it's also beautiful how you approach making others know that world. That is, do you give them the map you have, is that right? Or is it right to make it known with other looks, with other eyes, I think of classmates." (MS4). Also in this case, the immediate response that the interviewees used concerns immediate normalisation, however, the discourse declines into some specificities. Another operator stated: "Like a person like others, in the sense with their peculiarities. Each of us has particular specificities, in the sense that each of us has, how can I say, points of suffering and strengths" (MS1). Although the initial knowledge of the minor often arises from the referring teacher's description of the problem, this idea serves as an initial map; however, various ad hoc strategies are then implemented based on the peculiarities of the minor in front of you. "Then it's also beautiful how you approach making others know that world, giving classmates the possibility to discover, then you are more perhaps an eye looking from outside, you are a facilitator" (T17). The use of the expression "you are more perhaps an external eye looking from outside" conveys an image of the municipal operator as an observer who, in the class context, seeks to facilitate relationships and positions themselves as a tool aimed at facilitating interactions in class. Therefore, knowledge of the minor can occur spontaneously, trying to know the minor without prejudices, as an operator reported speaking of the first approach with the minor followed: "my instinctive way of dealing with the other. It's that right from the start, even when I really had no experience in this work, I approached the minor with the aim of getting to know them, of knowing their person and their ways" (MS2). Knowledge of the diagnosis is not prominent in the work of municipal operators as it is not always taken into consideration. An operator said: "I'm not used to keeping in mind the diagnosis they have. In fact, sometimes it's not even referred to me, I don't ask for it. It might come out after weeks. Maybe I myself question precisely with the intent of trying to know them better, on what could have been the diagnostic hypothesis made about them, but in fact it's just a training tool for myself in the work act. But I consider them as an individual. Here, I believe that individual is the most precise word in this case" (MS7). The term "individual" is used here precisely to describe a person like others, with their own characteristics. The idea of a minor with their peculiarities to be discovered is also practiced with the aim of identifying new paths and possibilities. In fact, operators often orient their intervention based on two movements: a) knowing the minor, their style and their relational modalities, and b) identifying the most functional intervention for them, as if to personalise the intervention as much as possible. Among the words of an operator, one can grasp the function of knowing the minor by privileging the relationship as it is built, even before referring to diagnostic elements. For example, the operator said: "Yes, also as a Service we have the habit first of all to know the minor, their characteristics, inclinations, their style, and this for us also means taking care of building the relationship and then understanding how to move, how to help them, how to define intervention strategies, what will then be the IEP" (MS3). The metaphor of "getting lost in their world" is then reflected in the way municipal operators interact and set up their work with the minor. In particular "getting lost in that world there, gives you the possibility to find new paths, see new things" (MS8). Practicing the discourse of the child with their peculiarities, between weaknesses and strengths, involves the effort to know the child directly and personally, and this seems to avoid generalisations. Moreover, the function of knowing the other more freely occurs in the awareness that what the child reports also depends on the relationship that is built with the operator. The positioning of the operators, above all, is organised in almost symmetrical and non-asymmetrical terms with the students. The methodological intent appears to be to establish a relationship with the minor and then facilitate their path within the school environment, primarily with other students. It follows that the positioning of municipal service operators is that of those who consider the diversity of the minor in function of the specific social and cultural context request. 5. Discussion Regarding the configuration of the minor, the results reveal three specific conceptualisations: the needy child, the demanding child, and the child with strengths and weaknesses. Configuring the child with needs entails fostering an interpretation in terms of necessities attributed to the child and implicitly initiating compensatory or dispensative processes for these activities. Based on the level of needs, the idea that the intervention should be increasingly structured and specialised may be activated, to the point of delegating to other professional roles. Consequently, the practiced discourses concern the level of the minor's needs, limiting the willingness to evaluate the impact, possibilities, and competencies of the roles involved. For instance, the level of the child's needs could differ based on the teachers' competence level. However, if prevalent discourses characterise the child as problematic or needy, less value may be placed on how the teacher can interact with them. Certainly, discourses about children with needs, rather than promoting attention to minors, risk limiting attention to the competencies that can be employed by the professionals involved, especially if the interest is to delegate activities with the minor to specialised roles. From the interviews, only some participants show interest in the minors' specificities and how they can be helped to understand minors in their diversity, directing this interest towards better exercise of their role. In terms of social discourse, interpreting the minor as requesting help initiates the idea that adults should determine the assistance. In this case, it appears that the discourse of a minor requesting help fulfils the social function of establishing what children should or should not receive. While this may be discussed in terms of protection, the idea remains that the function of a requesting child can be defined within an asymmetry. This carries the implication that adults are legitimised and have the power to offer an opinion on the child deemed more appropriate, and that each interprets help to the minor differently, realising what is defined as a Stakeholder position on the child (Iudici & Fabbri, 2017 ; de Aloe & Ferri, 2021 ). This is already present to the extent that, for example, parents renounce evaluation when they believe a serious problem may emerge in the minor, or when they minimise problems, believing, for instance, that their child only has a normal growth issue and that help consists of not pressuring the child. From this example, we can note the criticalities of those who interpret children's needs, especially when doing so based on different weight hierarchies (Hamre, Hedegaard-Sørensen & Langager, 2018). Indeed, a neuropsychiatrist's interpretation carries a very different weight compared to a support teacher, but this is true only in an asymmetric and medicalised view of the problem (Allan & Harwood, 2016 ; Lanas & Brunila, 2019 ), given that the management of the minor involves collaboration of multiple roles, of which the support teacher can be crucial. The question posed thus raises some inquiries about how ideas about the minor can be shared, seeking a more shared reading, rather than within an interpretative function played also regarding the social weight of the roles involved. Conversely, learning to discuss considering different roles can promote the use of all forces, including the application in the operational context of what the support teacher or educator can provide with their professional culture (Barker & Mills, 2018). It is indeed about making the effort to put one's perspective at service with the aim of having a shared and shareable idea (Kourkoutas et al., 2015) and having the minor as the primary interest in a community resource perspective (Turchi & Gherardini, 2014) rather than an interpretation based on the social power of some roles. In the opinion of the undersigned and other authors (Wright, 2014 ; Ecclestone, 2015 ), such discussion should also be extended to the minors themselves, who should be kept within the process of analysing criticalities, based on their possibilities to recognise the implications of their actions. In continuity with the discourses on the minor, many teachers believe that the SEN minor requires specific help, that parents should be followed by a specialist, and that there should be a highly specialised operator at school for that type of problem. Moreover, the presence of discourses on the needy or demanding child initiates a general discourse on how a student is interpreted based on psychological and neuropsychiatric aspects. When a minor does not achieve standard results, prevalent discourses draw attention to their vulnerabilities and fragilities, of a medical or psychological nature (Malmqvist, 2018; Brown, Ecclestone, & Emmel, 2017). This gives rise to the idea that, in social terms, there is a psychologization of diversities emerging from non-compliance with standards, as already found in other works (Malmqvist & Nilholm, 2016; Ecclestone & Rawdin, 2016; Ecclestone, 2017). In summary: if children do not achieve predefined results, then we search for psychological or neuropsychiatric explanations that justify such discrepancy in outcomes and allow preserving school standards, meaning by this the anticipated outcomes and especially the modalities through which those outcomes should be obtained (resources, paradigms, and teaching methods). Another discourse that emerged from the interviews concerns the child, narrated through their strengths and weaknesses, where we witness an idea of the minor that includes relational aspects and especially relates them to the demands of the context. This broadens the boundaries of how the minor is configured, no longer in problematic or vulnerable terms, but rather the minor's difficulties are framed in relation to the context, specifically to the expectations and demands of the teaching staff, but also based on the minor's resources and resilience (Kourkoutas & Vitalaki, 2015 ). This discourse creates a methodological shift on how to assist a minor, not reading the difficulty in medical terms but in a more interactive and contextual perspective (Hamre, Morin & Ydesen, 2018 ). 6. Conclusions This research has explored how a minor with special educational needs is configured in the school context, focusing on the perspectives of teachers, parents, and adolescent services. The results highlighted three prevalent discourses: the needy child, the demanding child, and the child with strengths and weaknesses. The discourse of the "needy child" tends to focus on the minor's deficiencies and difficulties, often leading to a compensatory or dispensative approach. One of the main positionings detected concerns being judgmental and absolutist, risking crystallising an image of the child based primarily on their shortcomings. However, some teachers emphasised how the presence of a child with SEN can represent an opportunity for professional growth. This aspect aligns with Stella's (2004) observations, which highlight how school reports are often influenced by parents' reactions, emphasising the importance of considering interactions and relational dynamics between teachers, parents, and students within the educational context. The discourse of the "child requesting help", prevalent among neuropsychiatrists, reflects a more medicalised vision that separates the problem from the person. This approach, while seeking to avoid stigmatisation, risks perpetuating an asymmetry in the educational relationship, as highlighted by de Aloe & Ferri ( 2021 ) in their discussion on the Stakeholder position on the child. The discourse of the "child with strengths and weaknesses" emerges mainly from municipal service operators, offering a more dialogic, holistic, and contextualised vision of the minor. This perspective, in line with what Kourkoutas & Vitalaki ( 2015 ) proposed, considers the minor's difficulties in relation to the context and their personal resources, promoting a more interactive and less medicalised approach. This methodological shift could lead to more inclusive and effective educational practices, valuing the resources and potential of each student, regardless of their specific educational needs (Hamre, Morin & Ydesen, 2018 ). The research highlighted how these different discourses can significantly influence educational practices and relationships within the school context. As emphasised by Allan & Harwood ( 2016 ) and Lanas & Brunila ( 2019 ), an excessively medicalised vision can limit collaboration between the various professional roles involved in the minor's education. The importance of promoting a more inclusive and shared discussion on the configuration of the minor with SEN emerged, taking into account different professional perspectives and, as suggested by Wright ( 2014 ) and Ecclestone ( 2015 ), including the minor's own voice in the process of analysing criticalities. This need could translate into team meetings among various professionals before any analysis and intervention to foster a shared and articulated vision of the minors (Iudici, Favaretto & Turchi, 2019 ). Declarations Author Contribution A.I. and P.C. designed the study. The analysis and interpretation was carried out by A.I. and supervised by P.C. The drafting of manuscript was made by all the authors. Data Availability The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. References Ainscow, M., & Miles, S. (2008). Making Education for All inclusive. Where next? Prospects , 38 (1), 15–34. Allan, J., & Harwood, V. (2016). The risk factors for psy-diagnosis? Gender, racialisation and social class. In E. B. O'Connor, & K. Anderson (Eds.), Education and the discourse of global neoliberalism (pp. 73–86). Routledge. Armstrong, D. (2017). Wicked problems in special and inclusive education. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs , 17 (4), 229–236. Avramidis, E., & Norwich, B. (2002). Teachers' attitudes towards integration/inclusion: A review of the literature. European Journal of Special Needs Education , 17 (2), 129–147. Baldacci, M. (2014). Per un'idea di scuola. Istruzione, lavoro e democrazia . FrancoAngeli. Ball, S. J. (2013). Foucault, power, and education . Routledge. Blommaert, J. (2005). Discourse: A critical introduction . Cambridge University Press. Brinkman, W. B., Epstein, J. N., Auinger, P., Tamm, L., & Froehlich, T. E. (2019). Association of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis with school attendance and school performance. JAMA Network Open , 2(1), e185727. Caldin, R. (2019). Inclusione. L. d'Alonzo (a cura di), Dizionario di pedagogia speciale . Scholé Editore. Canevaro, A. (2007). L'integrazione scolastica degli alunni con disabilità . Erickson. Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Sage. Conrad, P., & Bergey, M. R. (2014). The impending globalisation of ADHD: Notes on the expansion and growth of a medicalised disorder. Social Science & Medicine , 122 , 31–43. Cottini, L. (2017). Didattica speciale e inclusione scolastica. Carocci. D'Alessio, S. (2011). Inclusive education in Italy: A critical analysis of the policy of integrazione scolastica . Sense. de Aloe, S., & Ferri, P. (2021). Communityholder engagement. Oltre lo stakeholder per generare sostenibilità e coesione sociale . Edizioni Maggioli. de Boer, A., Pijl, S. J., & Minnaert, A. (2011). Regular primary schoolteachers' attitudes towards inclusive education: A review of the literature. International Journal of Inclusive Education , 15 (3), 331–353. Dovigo, F. (2017). Pedagogia e didattica per realizzare l'inclusione . Guida all'index. Ecclestone, K. (2015). Vulnerability and wellbeing in educational settings: The implications of a therapeutic approach to social justice. In K. Wright, & J. McLeod (Eds.), Rethinking youth wellbeing (pp. 35–54). Springer. Florian, L., & Black-Hawkins, K. (2011). Exploring inclusive pedagogy. British Educational Research Journal , 37 (5), 813–828. Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage Books. Frances, A., & Batstra, L. (2013). Why so many epidemics of childhood mental disorder? Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics , 34 (4), 291–292. Galletta, A. (2013). Mastering the semi-structured interview and beyond: From research design to analysis and publication . New York University. Gee, J. P. (2014). An introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method (4th ed.). Routledge. Gibbs, S., Beckmann, J. F., Elliott, J., Metsäpelto, R. L., Vehkakoski, T., & Aro, M. (2016). What's in a name: The effect of category labels on teachers' beliefs. European Journal of Special Needs Education , 31 (4), 556–570. Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity . Simon & Schuster. Göransson, K., & Nilholm, C. (2014). Conceptual diversities and empirical shortcomings – a critical analysis of research on inclusive education. European Journal of Special Needs Education , 29 (3), 265–280. Goussot, A. (2015). La pedagogia speciale come scienza delle mediazioni e delle differenze . Aracne. Graham, L. J. (2008). From ABCs to ADHD: The role of schooling in the construction of behaviour disorder and production of disorderly objects. International Journal of Inclusive Education , 12 (1), 7–33. Hamre, B., Morin, A., & Ydesen, C. (2018). Testing and inclusive schooling: International challenges and opportunities . Routledge. Hargreaves, D. H. (1978). Whatever happened to symbolic interactionism? In L. Barton, & R. Meighan (Eds.), Sociological interpretations of schooling and classrooms: A reappraisal (pp. 7–22). Nafferton Books. Holstein, J. A., & Gubrium, J. F. (2011). The constructionist analytics of interpretive practice. In N. K. Denzin, & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research (4th ed., pp. 341–358). Sage. Ianes, D. (2015). L'evoluzione dell'insegnante di sostegno. Verso una didattica inclusiva . Erickson. Iudici, A. (2015). Health promotion in school: Theory, practice and clinical implications . Nova Science. Iudici, A., & Corsi, A. G. (2017). Evaluation in the field of social services for minors: measuring the efficacy of interventions in the Italian Service for Health Protection and Promotion. Evaluation and program planning , 61 , 160–168. Iudici, A., & Fabbri, M. (2017). The construction of discomfort psychological: An exploration of Italians teachers' reports. The Qualitative Report , 22 (8), 2281–2295. Iudici, A., Favaretto, G., & Turchi, G. P. (2019). Community perspective: How volunteers, professionals, families and the general population construct disability: Social, clinical and health implications. Disability and Health Journal , 12 (2), 171–179. Iudici, A., Tassinari Rogalin, M., & Turchi, G. (2021). Health service and school: New interactions. Comparison between the Italian system and the Swedish system on the diagnostic process of pupils. International Journal of Inclusive Education , 25 (9), 1027–1041. Kourkoutas, E., & Vitalaki, E. (2015). School-based counselling work with teachers: An integrative model. The European Journal of Counselling Psychology , 3 (2), 137–158. Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2009). InterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (2nd ed.). Sage. Lalvani, P. (2015). Disability, stigma and otherness: Perspectives of parents and teachers. International Journal of Disability Development and Education , 62 (4), 379–393. Lanas, M., & Brunila, K. (2019). Bad behaviour in school: A discursive approach. British Journal of Sociology of Education , 40 (5), 682–695. Machin, D., & Mayr, A. (2012). How to do critical discourse analysis: A multimodal introduction . Sage. Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, self and society . University of Chicago Press. Mehan, H. (1993). Beneath the skin and between the ears: A case study in the politics of representation. In S. Chaiklin, & J. Lave (Eds.), Understanding practice: Perspectives on activity and context (pp. 241–268). Cambridge University Press. Norwich, B. (2014). Recognising value tensions that underlie problems in inclusive education. Cambridge Journal of Education , 44 (4), 495–510. Pavone, M. (2014). L'inclusione educativa. Indicazioni pedagogiche per la disabilità . Mondadori Università. Reisigl, M., & Wodak, R. (2016). The discourse-historical approach (DHA). In R. Wodak, & M. Meyer (Eds.), Methods of critical discourse studies (3rd ed., pp. 23–61). Sage. Riddell, S., & Weedon, E. (2014). Changing legislation and its effects on inclusive and special education: Scotland. British Journal of Special Education , 41 (4), 363–381. Rogers, R. (Ed.). (2011). An introduction to critical discourse analysis in education (2nd ed.). Routledge. Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2011). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data (3rd ed.). Sage. Sannipoli, M. (2015). Diversità e differenze nella prospettiva coevolutiva . FrancoAngeli. Scorgie, K. (2015). Ambiguous belonging and the challenge of inclusion: Parent perspectives on school membership. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties , 20 (1), 35–50. Seidman, I. (2006). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences (3rd ed.). Teachers College. Skrtic, T. M. (1991). Behind special education: A critical analysis of professional culture and school organisation . Love Publishing Company. Slee, R. (2013). How do we make inclusive education happen when exclusion is a political predisposition? International Journal of Inclusive Education , 17 (8), 895–907. Stella, G. (2014). Dislessia e altri DSA a scuola. Strategie efficaci per gli insegnanti . Erickson. Thomas, G., & Loxley, A. (2022). Deconstructing special education and constructing inclusion . Open University. Tomlinson, S. (2012). The irresistible rise of the SEN industry. Oxford Review of Education , 38 (3), 267–286. Turchi, G. P., Orrù, L., Iudici, A., & Pinto, E. (2022). A contribution towards health. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice , 28 (5), 717. Turnbull, A. P., Turnbull, H. R., Erwin, E. J., Soodak, L. C., & Shogren, K. A. (2015). Families, professionals, and exceptionality: Positive outcomes through partnerships and trust . Pearson. van Dijk, T. A. (2001). Critical discourse analysis. In D. Schiffrin, D. Tannen, & H. E. Hamilton (Eds.), The handbook of discourse analysis (pp. 352–371). Blackwell. van Dijk, T. A. (2008). Discourse and power . Palgrave Macmillan. van Leeuwen, T. (2008). Discourse and practice: New tools for critical discourse analysis . Oxford University Press. Wodak, R. (2001). The discourse-historical approach. In R. Wodak, & M. Meyer (Eds.), Methods of critical discourse analysis (pp. 63–94). Sage. Wodak, R., & Meyer, M. (Eds.). (2015). Methods of critical discourse studies (3rd ed.). Sage. Woodcock, S., & Vialle, W. (2016). An examination of pre-service teachers' attributions for students with specific learning difficulties. Learning and Individual Differences , 45 , 252–259. Wright, K. (2014). Student wellbeing and the therapeutic turn in education. The Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist , 31 (2), 141–152. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 05 Apr, 2026 Read the published version in Human Arenas → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 20 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 20 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 18 Nov, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 21 Sep, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 19 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 19 Sep, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 18 Sep, 2025 First submitted to journal 17 Sep, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7643737","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":522067052,"identity":"a16a8abc-86e9-48f4-8e45-6983a3243ded","order_by":0,"name":"Antonio Iudici¹","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNACAwYGNiB5gMHAhoGBmYFBAiSCGzCjaEmDacGnhxnZLobDYJYEAx5r+Gf3H3xcUGDDwCeRvPHAj4LzidvZeQ/eYCj4g1OLxJ3DzMYzgO5hk0grONhjcDtxZzNfsgVeh91IZpPmMTgM1JIDJIFaNhzmMcPrF3k0LecIazFA03KAsBbDG8nGxjwGaTxsPM9Afkk23nAY6JcEA2OcWuRuJD58zPPHRk6+PXnzhx9/7GQ3nD978MaHP3K4vQ8FPKjsBIIacGsfBaNgFIyCUcDAAAD9VUn986pJlwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"University of Padua","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Antonio","middleName":"","lastName":"Iudici¹","suffix":""},{"id":522067053,"identity":"a19bd321-c5a5-43ff-8745-ff419f7f5f4a","order_by":1,"name":"Paolo Cottone¹","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Padua","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Paolo","middleName":"","lastName":"Cottone¹","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-09-17 22:38:15","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7643737/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7643737/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42087-026-00568-4","type":"published","date":"2026-04-05T15:59:00+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":92463289,"identity":"aa36e0aa-7eaf-4829-8194-a8f53fd2c206","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-30 04:25:32","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":18076,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Table1Participants.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7643737/v1/d044be3465402628ef3b8819.docx"},{"id":92463288,"identity":"d3cefc3e-2443-4bbe-ab66-2bfcdbcb51d9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-30 04:25:32","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":55866,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Manuscript.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7643737/v1/33cad1821b756db1e3af8113.docx"},{"id":92463290,"identity":"15dc49d8-a675-43e1-b8fb-bc9da73b241d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-30 04:25:32","extension":"docx","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":16145,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Table2Researchprotocol.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7643737/v1/5463446a308341365738cefd.docx"},{"id":92463292,"identity":"48a7dcea-9baf-4710-ad8f-a4d011c9fe2b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-30 04:25:33","extension":"json","order_by":3,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":4134,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"7326eec23f8a4847b9102373e8dd8737.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7643737/v1/676cdcd32442899bbd8f0990.json"},{"id":92463293,"identity":"0263fc59-c82e-42ec-8b96-175919953e92","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-30 04:25:33","extension":"xml","order_by":4,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":133751,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"7326eec23f8a4847b9102373e8dd87371enriched.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7643737/v1/45f1f4240d5dc302efb8c1ab.xml"},{"id":92463291,"identity":"0fb9d23f-2e8f-4d7e-aefa-46b88d078883","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-30 04:25:32","extension":"xml","order_by":5,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":128677,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"7326eec23f8a4847b9102373e8dd87371structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7643737/v1/b3c319bb0ee966d84ee5c7a5.xml"},{"id":92463295,"identity":"158ff0dd-0196-4319-8368-4056cb4860e3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-30 04:25:33","extension":"html","order_by":6,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":141428,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7643737/v1/582af00886f22be6492d4e3c.html"},{"id":106343484,"identity":"3563c3f8-1f76-4529-b732-542d7562864e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-07 16:05:53","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":801294,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7643737/v1/a352c110-3932-4c1b-8967-d4c34531b7a9.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Stigma and Clinical Implications in Educational Discourses: An Ethnopsychological Analysis of Special Educational Needs Configurations in Italian School Culture","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn recent decades, the educational system has made significant strides in including and supporting students with special educational needs (SEN). However, the complexity of this process continues to raise crucial questions about the perception and configuration of these minors within the school context, fueling a complex and evolving debate. Numerous scholars have addressed these issues, each bringing related perspectives and raising fundamental questions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSome authors have explored how teachers' perceptions can profoundly influence the inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN), for instance, noting how teachers' beliefs and attitudes can shape these students' experiences (Ainscow \u0026amp; Miles, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). Another sensitive issue concerns the relationship between identifying special needs and the risk of labelling, which raises the question of whether we can provide necessary support without risking the stigmatisation of students (Florian \u0026amp; Black-Hawkins, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe label of \"child with special educational needs\" can have a significant impact on the minor's academic and social life. It is therefore crucial to understand how this categorisation influences the perception and approach of the actors involved in the educational process. Studies in this field have highlighted the multifaceted and complex nature of this phenomenon. Norwich (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e) examined the ethical tensions in the process of identifying and categorising SEN, emphasising the need for a flexible and individualised approach. This study highlighted how the configuration of the minor with SEN can vary significantly depending on practices, available resources, and roles involved in different contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNumerous studies have examined the role of teachers in configuring students with SEN. Avramidis and Norwich (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e) conducted a systematic literature review, finding that teachers' attitudes towards inclusion are generally positive but influenced by factors such as the nature of the specific need or disability and the level of support available. Subsequently, de Boer et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e) confirmed these results, emphasising how specific training and direct experience with SEN students can significantly improve teachers' attitudes. Conversely, Woodcock and Vialle (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR66\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted how teachers' expectations can influence the performance of students with SEN, underscoring the importance of a conscious and unbiased approach. This phenomenon, known as the \"Pygmalion effect,\" can have significant consequences on the minor's educational journey.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParental involvement in the educational process of minors with SEN is crucial. Turnbull et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) emphasised the importance of school-family collaboration for successful inclusion. However, Lalvani (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted how parents often navigate a complex system, facing challenges related to stigmatisation and lack of resources. A study by Scorgie (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) explored the process of parental adaptation to their children's SEN diagnosis, noting how this can influence their perception of the minor and expectations for their future. This aspect is particularly relevant in configuring the minor with SEN, as parental attitudes can significantly affect the child's self-perception and approach to learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdolescent services play a fundamental role in supporting minors with SEN and their families. Riddell and Weedon (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e) analysed the impact of educational policies on support services, highlighting how variations in local practices can influence access to and quality of services offered. We are thus faced with considering the long-term impact of labelling a child with SEN on their academic, social, and emotional development.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother issue present in the scientific debate concerns the ethical dilemma of how schools can respond to individual differences without creating potentially harmful categories (Norwich, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). Some authors have highlighted that certain school practices can sometimes unintentionally perpetuate exclusion rather than promote inclusion (Slee, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). The very perception of inclusion can profoundly influence both educational practice and the perception of students with SEN, as noted by G\u0026ouml;ransson \u0026amp; Nilholm (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). We must therefore ask ourselves how we can develop school practices that recognise and value diversity without creating separate categories of students.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe configuration of the minor with SEN ultimately emerges from the complex interaction between the perspectives of teachers, parents, and adolescent services. Slee (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) emphasised the importance of an ecological approach to inclusion, taking into account the various influences and contexts that shape the minor's experience. A recent study by G\u0026ouml;ransson et al. (2020) explored how different conceptions of inclusion among teachers, parents, and service professionals can influence educational practice. The results highlighted the need for continuous dialogue and a shared vision to ensure effective inclusion of minors with SEN.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis brief literature overview highlights the complexity and importance of understanding how a minor with SEN is configured in the school context. The perceptions and attitudes of teachers, parents, and adolescent services play a crucial role in shaping the educational and social experiences of these students, which is why the present research began with specific research questions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom these studies emerge crucial questions that continue to challenge educators, teachers, administrators, researchers, and policymakers. How can we, for example, ensure that SEN identification does not lead to stigmatisation or excessive medicalisation of student behaviours? How do the perceptions and expectations of teachers, parents, and adolescent services collaborating with the school influence the educational experience of students with SEN? How can we balance the need for individualised support with the goal of complete and meaningful inclusion?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis research aims to explore how a minor with SEN is configured, focusing on the perspectives of teachers, parents, and adolescent services in the school, to grasp its effects and implications in the minor's real life. Understanding these processes is crucial for developing more effective inclusive practices and ensuring that every student, regardless of their educational needs, can reach their full potential within the school system.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Ethnography of the Italian Educational and Cultural System","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe Italian educational system exhibits unique characteristics that profoundly reflect the country's culture and history, significantly influencing the approach to special educational needs (SEN).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Italian inclusive approach to SEN has deep roots in the country's history, particularly in the 1977 reform that abolished differential classes. As highlighted by D'Alessio (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e), this choice reflects the cultural values of equality and solidarity, which are deeply embedded in post-war Italian society and the Constitution.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndeed, Italy has adopted a model of \"total inclusion\" (Anastasiou et al., 2015), which provides for the integration of students with SEN into regular classrooms. The concept of SEN in Italy is broad, encompassing not only certified disabilities but also specific learning disorders (SLD) and situations of socioeconomic, linguistic, and cultural disadvantage (MIUR, 2012). This inclusive definition allows, at least theoretically, for considering students' difficulties not as deficits, but as temporary conditions requiring targeted support. In this context, educational assistance is sometimes activated by municipalities, which organise educational interventions within schools and occasionally at the domiciliary level. This approach to SEN thus tends to consider the student's social context, promoting interventions that involve not only the school but the entire local community (Caldin, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCurrently, the Italian school system is evolving towards an increasingly inclusive and culturally sensitive model. Recent reforms, such as Law 107/2015 (La Buona Scuola), have placed greater emphasis on inclusion and the valorisation of diversity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eItalian culture attributes a fundamental role to the family, which is also reflected in the school system. According to Ianes (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), in the context of SEN, school-family collaboration is particularly emphasised. Parents are actively involved in defining individualised education plans (PEI) and personalised didactic plans (PDP), a practice that mirrors the cultural value of the family as a pillar of society.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eItalian culture is known for its flexibility and adaptability, characteristics reflected in the approach to SEN. Dovigo (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e) observes that the Italian school system tends to favour personalised and creative solutions rather than rigidly standardised approaches in addressing diverse educational needs. Primarily, the strong Italian humanistic tradition is reflected in the educational approach, which tends to value a comprehensive formation of the individual. The idea of \"general culture\" remains central, influencing even personalised pathways for students with SEN, aiming to maintain a broad cultural base.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite this orientation based on integration and social inclusion, the Italian system currently faces several challenges. Firstly, regarding resources: investments in education have been stagnant for a long time, and the lack of funds can hinder the effective implementation of support programs. Furthermore, continuous teacher training appears underdeveloped, delegated to individual initiative. This can certainly limit the ability to constantly update teachers' competencies to address new challenges of diversity, especially regarding inclusive methodologies (Cavalli \u0026amp; Argentin, 2010). A final challenge is represented by the relationship between inclusion and personalisation; indeed, balancing inclusion in regular classrooms with the need for targeted interventions for students with SEN is not straightforward. The idea of general culture sometimes carries an excessive focus on performance and an elitist or status-based concept of culture, creating high expectations for academic success (Bonica \u0026amp; Sappa, 2010) and fueling tensions between school and family (OECD, 2020). This tension regarding results is also reflected in the increase of anxiety and stress among Italian students (Alivernini et al., 2019).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFinally, Italy is characterised by strong regional identities, which are also reflected in the implementation of SEN policies. Each region can adapt national guidelines to its own cultural and territorial specificities, creating a mosaic of approaches that reflects the country's cultural richness on one hand, but may increase disparities on the other (Pavone, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese cultural elements contribute to creating a unique system which, despite its challenges, reflects the richness and complexity of Italian culture.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Method","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.1 Theoretical Background\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe theoretical approach guiding this study is rooted in the Interactionist Perspective (Salvini, 1998; Iudici \u0026amp; Neri, 2024; Blumer, 1969), according to which knowledge emerges as a result of the construction of shared meanings among various actors in mutual interaction. These subjects, belonging to the same sociocultural community, elaborate and transmit, through language, their predominant cultural values, capable of influencing specific identity behaviours. This theoretical perspective allows us to examine how interactions between teachers, parents, and mental health professionals contribute to the social construction of the concept of \"special educational needs\". In particular, it enables us to explore how the perceptions, expectations, and practices of these actors intertwine to define and manage the challenges faced by minors in the school context (Mehan, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1993\u003c/span\u003e; Skrtic, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1991\u003c/span\u003e). The interactionist perspective emphasises the importance of symbols and shared meanings in social interactions (Mead, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1934\u003c/span\u003e; Salvini, 1998; Iudici, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). In our case, this translates into an analysis of how the language and labels used to describe special educational needs influence the perceptions and actions of all actors involved in the educational process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo fully comprehend the experiences, needs, and meanings that individuals attribute to the process of identifying and communicating a difficulty encountered in a presumed minor with special educational needs (SEN), as well as how such interpretations generate pragmatic consequences in the relationships established in their context of action, we have opted for a qualitative research approach. This methodology aims to study phenomena in the complexity of their natural contexts (Denzin \u0026amp; Lincoln, 2005; Flick, 2009; Creswell \u0026amp; Poth, 2018).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis approach allows us to capture the nuances and complexities of social interactions that characterise the process of identifying and managing SEN. Through the use of methods such as semi-structured interviews and field observations, we can explore personal narratives and daily practices that contribute to the social construction of these educational needs (Goffman, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1963\u003c/span\u003e; Hargreaves, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1978\u003c/span\u003e). Furthermore, this methodology enables us to critically examine the power structures and institutional dynamics that influence the process of labelling and intervention in SEN cases. This includes the analysis of educational policies, school practices, and interactions among various professionals, offering a holistic and dialogic view of the phenomenon under examination (Foucault, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1977\u003c/span\u003e; Ball, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e; Turchi, 2007).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.2 Aims\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe primary objective of this study is to investigate how a child with special educational needs is perceived within the school context, with a particular focus on the perspectives of teachers, parents, and youth service workers who collaborate with the school. Understanding these different viewpoints allows us to trace how educational, familial, and clinical roles contribute to the categorisation of the child.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA second objective is to investigate how these perceptions influence the construction of the child\u0026rsquo;s identity. By analysing the implications of such categorisations, the study seeks to highlight the potential effects on the child\u0026rsquo;s self-image, social positioning, and developmental pathways. This focus is crucial for recognising both the risks of stigma and the opportunities for more inclusive practices.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.3 Participants and Data Collection\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe participants selected for this study comprise 50 individuals: 24 primary and secondary school teachers, of whom 6 are men and 18 are women; 8 parents of minors with special educational needs; 8 professionals from the Child Neuropsychiatry Service, including 2 psychologists and 6 neuropsychiatrists; and 8 municipal educators.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants were recruited by contacting school principals, directors of two neuropsychiatry services in Veneto and Lombardy, and heads of social services in some municipalities. Teachers were identified through the following criteria: direct experience of at least one year with minors with special educational needs. Teachers who did not have a direct assignment to a minor with special educational needs were excluded from the study. Parents were chosen from those who had at least one child declared with special educational needs. Local adolescent service operators were selected based on their experience in taking charge of a minor with special educational needs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e We sent them a request to participate in the research, attaching some illustrative documents of the project. Subsequently, they proposed the study to teachers and parents of the schools they directed, who then contacted the research authors. The study was also presented to some Services for developmentally aged children that collaborate with schools in the regions of Lombardy (Operational Unit of Neuropsychiatry for Childhood and Adolescence, UONPIA) and Veneto (Services for Adolescence). Some participants were involved through word of mouth from subjects already included in the study. All participants provided informed consent, in compliance with the ethics committee of the University of Padua, which had given its approval.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eparticipants\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eN. Teachers\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScuola\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegione\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLombardia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSecondary School first grade\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLombardia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVeneto\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSecondary School first grade\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVeneto\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e24\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e18\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e25\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e75\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Taba\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eN. Parents\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSchool\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLombardia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCampania\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e8\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e20%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e80%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Tabb\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eN. Neuropsychiatry Service\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eService\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRole\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Child Neuropsychiatry Service (UONPIA)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeuropsychiatrist\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLombardia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDevelopmental Age Service\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePsychologist\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVeneto\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.4 Investigation Method: The Semi-Structured Interview\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo explore the perspectives of Teachers, Families, and Service Operators in relation to the research objectives, we opted for the use of semi-structured interviews (Kvale \u0026amp; Brinkmann, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). This methodology was chosen for its ability to investigate the opinions of participants in depth and to examine the interactive dynamics, both at the content and participation levels, that are presumed to exist between these groups.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe semi-structured interview is distinguished by its flexibility: it offers a general frame of reference that ensures coverage of all aspects relevant to the research objectives, while allowing the interviewer to adapt to the natural flow of the conversation (Galletta, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). This method can be described as a guided conversation, conducted by the interviewer with selected individuals, primarily aimed at acquiring knowledge and exploring new perspectives (Rubin \u0026amp; Rubin, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis approach allows us to maintain focus on the research objectives, adapt to the unique responses of each participant, explore any emerging themes not initially anticipated, and create adequate conditions to respond dialogically in an open and natural way (Seidman, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). The main intent is to obtain a rich and nuanced understanding of the experiences and perceptions of the various actors involved in the educational process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMoreover, the semi-structured interview aligns well with the interactionist perspective guiding this study, allowing us to explore how meanings are constructed and negotiated through interaction (Charmaz, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). This method also allows us to capture the nuances of language and discursive constructions used by participants, crucial elements for understanding how special educational needs are conceptualised and communicated (Holstein \u0026amp; Gubrium, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch protocol\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eN. Municipality Service\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRole\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProfessional Educator\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLombardia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProfessional Educator\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVeneto\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12,5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e87,5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Tabc\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"1\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch area: Configuration of the student with special educational needs\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. \"\u003cem\u003eHow would you describe a studnent with special educational needs?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2. \u003cem\u003eWhat characterises a student with special educational needs?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3. \u003cem\u003eWhat specific needs might a student with special educational needs have?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cem\u003eCan you describe how the school should respond to a student with special educational needs?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5. \u003cem\u003eWhat kind of relationship should an adult in a school setting have with a student with special educational needs?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.5 Data Analysis and Coding\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo understand the process guiding the selection of criteria for identifying difficulties across various roles and, simultaneously, the discourses leading to an increase in certifications, the interdisciplinary data analysis methodology known as Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was employed. This analytical system, pioneered by Norman Fairclough (1995) and subsequently enriched by other scholars such as van Dijk (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e) and Wodak (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR64\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e), studies social phenomena based on the premise that there exists a dialectical relationship and mutual influence between language and the society in which it is used, considering language as a form of action within the context of social relations (Fairclough, 2013; Fabbro, 2020).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCDA does not focus exclusively on the content expressed through language but provides tools to examine how common-sense discourses are maintained and reproduced within specific social contexts (Limone, 2012; Gee, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). Discourses are not individual properties, but rather have a collective function, as they are produced by the intersection between people using language and the cultural context of reference (Harr\u0026eacute;, 2013; Blommaert, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2005\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFairclough (2013) describes three analytical processes linked to three dimensions of discourse that characterise the Critical Discourse Analysis model: 1) Textual Analysis: The researcher describes how grammatical and lexical choices orient positioning towards the topic. This phase also includes the analysis of rhetorical structures and discursive strategies employed (van Leeuwen, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e):\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e 2) Discursive Practice: The researcher offers a summary interpretation of how activities and relationships present in the context are interpreted and how meanings are attributed to them, without reporting the words actually used by the participants. Attention is paid to how language is used in the distinctive activities of a particular institution, to the dynamic relationships and multiple positions that subjects can assume within the situation, paying attention to the social origin of the resources on which the interpreter relies to interpret this point (Fairclough, 2003; 2013; Reisigl \u0026amp; Wodak, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3) Social Analysis: The researcher explains how discourses are legitimised and modified within specific socio-cultural contexts, through the transversality of different points of view between roles. This explanatory phase represents discourse as part of a social process, studying the implications and effects that these discourses can have on social structures, modifying or supporting them respectively through normative or creative relationships. It is important to focus on the constitutive properties of the society being studied to understand how power relations affect the positioning of different social actors (van Dijk, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e; Machin \u0026amp; Mayr, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocial analysis thus aims to unveil the ideologies and underlying assumptions present in discourses and to understand how members' resources are formed and modified at the social level (Fairclough, 2013; Wodak \u0026amp; Meyer, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis approach allows for a critical examination of how discursive practices related to special educational needs can contribute to the construction and maintenance of certain social structures and power relations in the educational context (Rogers, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eGrounded in our theoretical perspective, we used excerpts from the participants' texts. We have designated them using the following codes: Teachers (T1-T24), Parents (P1-P8), and Neuropsychiatry Service (NS1-NS8), Municipalities Service (MS1-8).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBased on the interview data, three prevalent discourses concerning minors with special educational needs can be identified: the discourse of the needy child, the discourse of the demanding child, and the discourse of the child with strengths and weaknesses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.1 The Discourse of the Needy Child\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e Among the participants' accounts regarding how to consider minors with special educational needs, the predominant idea is that of a child in need. A specific positioning articulates around this idea, particularly among some teachers and neuropsychiatrists. As one teacher reported when asked to describe a minor with special educational needs, the child is immediately represented by certain needs, which differentiate them from others: \"The child has evident difficulties; you notice immediately because they can't do something. It's a child with many difficulties, and depending on the difficulty, they need more help than others\" (T13). When asked if they were referring to a particular type of problem, the teacher responded that they were referring to both minors with disabilities and situations of uncertified social disadvantage.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother teacher, also noting the necessity for the minor to reach the level of others, said: \"It's a child with various needs that must be addressed, that require attention. It's a minor who should be helped to reach the level of others, not to fall behind. Generally, they have significant problems, and the school must take these problems into account, perhaps initiating specific aids\" (T15).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA metaphor expressed by a teacher well represents the vision of the needy child: \"It's just a student who needs to wear glasses to see like everyone else\" (T19). The glasses are identified as a necessary tool for performing tasks that would otherwise be impossible.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe styles in which the positioning is articulated, to use Fairclough's (2013) terms, are sanctioning and judging. They are sanctioning in that they establish an absolute reality (\"The child is\", \"It's a minor with severe difficulties\"). Primarily, the teacher establishes that the minor with certification is a student in need of greater attention and tools compared to other students in the class due to relational and/or learning difficulties.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe positioning is often judgmental as the characteristics of the other are qualified, for example, \"the minor with special educational needs cannot do some activities as well as other children\" (T16), or \"They are less capable of following certain activities\" (T2), or \"On some tasks, they're a bit behind. It's clear that the child, especially the one with certification, can't do what others do\" (NS4). Such expressions denote a vision of the child in terms of levels of knowledge or performance and are representative of a predominantly asymmetric idea of education between student and teacher. This positioning is frequently adopted by the interviewed teachers and neuropsychiatrists, as well as in some cases by service operators.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn terms of discursive practice, the prevalent ways in which the discourse of the needy child is used concern specific or specialised help. Using the discourse of the needy child involves focusing attention on how to help them. Frequently, the interviewees' attention is placed on how to request human resources and compensatory aid tools. For example, a teacher of a 7-year-old child said: \"The child with these needs to be closely followed, and for this, we need prepared educators or support teachers\" (T7).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSometimes, the use of the 'needy child' discourse leads the teacher to think they cannot handle it because the specific problem falls outside the teacher's competence. For example, \"We need help, first because we often have more than 3 (children with SEN), but then, in fact, we don't know how to help them in certain cases. When the case is problematic, for example, I had a child who never sat still, went around the desks, I didn't know what to do, in some cases we need specialised people or to have a psychologist intervene\" (T9).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn fact, the more severe the perception of the problem, the less manageable it becomes in class, and the more specialised assistance needs seem to emerge. This occurs both in the choice of aids and in the attempt to gain a better understanding of the situation. For example, a teacher said: \"I haven't taken courses on disability, I rely on my experience, but how can I understand if (the minor) doesn't 'get it' or if it's their real difficulty?\" (T21). Another teacher, speaking about how to use diagnoses, said: \"Even if I see the diagnosis and read, for example, oppositional defiant disorder, I can intuit, but I don't know what the child feels, how they are, why they act like this. For example, with some colleagues, we once said 'is he putting it on or is it real?', in the sense that sometimes they seem simply ill-mannered, not disturbed, but this is just a feeling. You see, this is why we need valid help\" (T9).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegarding the second use of the needy child discourse, some interviewees declare that the presence of a needy child can help the adult grow further. For example, an interviewee said: \"I'm not a support teacher, so I periodically have the possibility of contact. When you have the opportunity to have a student with these problems and these severe needs in class, you need to build the work with them, it's a wealth. I feel richer, it's a significant and important experience. When I hear subject teachers worried about the presence of a student with SEN in class, I shudder because perhaps they don't realise that it's an opportunity for growth for us teachers who are always in training\" (T5).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother teacher, speaking about her experience with a certified child, stated: \"Working with these children, let's say a bit fragile, is a very important job, but above all it's a beautiful experience because often you realise you learn a lot from them\" (T4). Given this opportunity for growth, some teachers are motivated to find new ways to help children in difficulty, identify available aids, and find every way to support them in achieving what everyone else does. Indeed, framing the discourse in terms of social disadvantage and discrimination, a teacher said: \"It's right to dedicate ourselves to them so that they also do all the activities so that they don't feel discriminated against just because they have these disorders, so it's our task to do everything we can to help them. For example, looking for games, applications, and aids that really help them, concrete things that meet their needs.\" (T24)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.2 The Discourse of the Child Demanding Help\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eEspecially according to the opinion of neuropsychiatry service operators, a minor with certification \"expresses a request for help and listening to a certain more fragile part of themselves\" (NS1). The idea is that there is some non-functional aspect of the person. Indeed, a neuropsychiatrist, while wanting to emphasise that these are still normal children, uses \"but\" in an adversative form: \"they are children like others but with a small deficient part\" (NS6).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmphasising the differences with other children, a neuropsychiatrist said: \"You realise that these children have some limitations compared to others, and these limitations need to be recognised to ensure they are addressed\" (NS4). The general vision adopted especially by neuropsychiatrists seems to be influenced by the medical one, \"there is a part of the body that doesn't respond well, a lack, even minimal or significant, that doesn't allow the child to be performant\" (NS8), or \"The presence of this lack requires that we all understand how to help them\" (NS7), \"Recognising the deficit as early as possible with a screening allows for early help for the child so that what that limit requires can be interpreted as soon as possible\" (NP4).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe neuropsychiatry service operators, however, strongly emphasise that: \"The certification is not the minor\" (NP2). Neuropsychiatrists thus tend to distinguish the problem/deficit from the person, meaning that the problem does not correspond to the person. The idea is to preserve the minor from the stigma of equating the deficit with the entire person. This clarification is very present in the given answers, as for example in the following response: \"Be careful not to confuse the specific problem with the whole minor, when we talk about a deficit or a mental disorder we are referring to something specific, not general; one thing is the problem and another is the problematic child, I am aware that often even at school parents and teachers tend to confuse, in fact parents especially are afraid of this thing, that is, if they know that the child may be sick they run away, they worry and someone interrupts the evaluation because they believe that their child has a problem, let's say... absolute. I would distinguish the deficit from the child, we highlight the problem but we don't talk about the whole child, certainly often these two things get confused but we only deal with what's not working\" (NP3).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFinally, by virtue of the normative connotation of certification, some municipal operators consider the minor \"a minor for whom it has been noted that there may be a plan to be implemented... there's something that's not right with the student\" (MS7).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTherefore, the certification does not concern the person in their complexity, it does not exhaust it, but is useful for taking care of a more fragile part of the person. In this regard, a neuropsychiatry service operator said \"I tell you that in SLD you need to take care of the part that concerns dyscalculia, dysorthography. Saying you're dyscalculic is different\" (NS5).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to the opinion of neuropsychiatry service operators, a minor with special educational needs \"expresses a request for attention linked to some aspect of vulnerability inherent in the person\".\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn general terms, the positioning of teachers and neuropsychiatry service operators considers the minor as different, interpreting this diversity as an element of vulnerability and fragility, often also of a structural type or of an organicist order, even though there is not always effective evidence. On the other hand, the positioning of municipal service operators means that they consider diversity in response to the specific social and cultural context requests.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe positioning of parents tends towards the position of the demanding child, although the responses are not attributable to a single reference. Defining a child as demanding often means adopting an interpretive perspective towards help or what they need. Implicitly, the risk is to establish upstream (based on the presumed difficulty) what the child needs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.3 The Discourse of the Child with Strengths and Weaknesses\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother configuration that the minor assumes is that of a child with strengths and weaknesses. For example, an educator from a municipal service stated: \"They're a minor like others, they have their strengths which are not necessarily few and limited, and they have their weaknesses like everyone\" (MS7).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMoreover, a metaphor used to describe the experience with the minor is used by a municipal operator, who after waiting a few seconds before answering said: \"The minor with special educational needs is a world to discover, in the sense that it's a bit like when, in my opinion, you buy a guide to visit a city, but then it's good to get lost sometimes, I don't know. In the sense that when a kid is presented to us, they're often presented with a bunch of definitions, problems, backgrounds, so you have a sort of map, you seem to have a sort of map. But then I think it's important to get lost in that world there. In the sense that it gave you the possibility to find new paths, to see things that maybe someone hasn't seen if you're lucky. Or simply recognise a map that is given to you. Then it's also beautiful how you approach making others know that world. That is, do you give them the map you have, is that right? Or is it right to make it known with other looks, with other eyes, I think of classmates.\" (MS4).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlso in this case, the immediate response that the interviewees used concerns immediate normalisation, however, the discourse declines into some specificities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother operator stated: \"Like a person like others, in the sense with their peculiarities. Each of us has particular specificities, in the sense that each of us has, how can I say, points of suffering and strengths\" (MS1).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough the initial knowledge of the minor often arises from the referring teacher's description of the problem, this idea serves as an initial map; however, various ad hoc strategies are then implemented based on the peculiarities of the minor in front of you.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Then it's also beautiful how you approach making others know that world, giving classmates the possibility to discover, then you are more perhaps an eye looking from outside, you are a facilitator\" (T17).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe use of the expression \"you are more perhaps an external eye looking from outside\" conveys an image of the municipal operator as an observer who, in the class context, seeks to facilitate relationships and positions themselves as a tool aimed at facilitating interactions in class.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTherefore, knowledge of the minor can occur spontaneously, trying to know the minor without prejudices, as an operator reported speaking of the first approach with the minor followed: \"my instinctive way of dealing with the other. It's that right from the start, even when I really had no experience in this work, I approached the minor with the aim of getting to know them, of knowing their person and their ways\" (MS2).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKnowledge of the diagnosis is not prominent in the work of municipal operators as it is not always taken into consideration. An operator said: \"I'm not used to keeping in mind the diagnosis they have. In fact, sometimes it's not even referred to me, I don't ask for it. It might come out after weeks. Maybe I myself question precisely with the intent of trying to know them better, on what could have been the diagnostic hypothesis made about them, but in fact it's just a training tool for myself in the work act. But I consider them as an individual. Here, I believe that individual is the most precise word in this case\" (MS7).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe term \"individual\" is used here precisely to describe a person like others, with their own characteristics. The idea of a minor with their peculiarities to be discovered is also practiced with the aim of identifying new paths and possibilities. In fact, operators often orient their intervention based on two movements: a) knowing the minor, their style and their relational modalities, and b) identifying the most functional intervention for them, as if to personalise the intervention as much as possible.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmong the words of an operator, one can grasp the function of knowing the minor by privileging the relationship as it is built, even before referring to diagnostic elements. For example, the operator said: \"Yes, also as a Service we have the habit first of all to know the minor, their characteristics, inclinations, their style, and this for us also means taking care of building the relationship and then understanding how to move, how to help them, how to define intervention strategies, what will then be the IEP\" (MS3).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe metaphor of \"getting lost in their world\" is then reflected in the way municipal operators interact and set up their work with the minor. In particular \"getting lost in that world there, gives you the possibility to find new paths, see new things\" (MS8).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePracticing the discourse of the child with their peculiarities, between weaknesses and strengths, involves the effort to know the child directly and personally, and this seems to avoid generalisations. Moreover, the function of knowing the other more freely occurs in the awareness that what the child reports also depends on the relationship that is built with the operator. The positioning of the operators, above all, is organised in almost symmetrical and non-asymmetrical terms with the students. The methodological intent appears to be to establish a relationship with the minor and then facilitate their path within the school environment, primarily with other students. It follows that the positioning of municipal service operators is that of those who consider the diversity of the minor in function of the specific social and cultural context request.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eRegarding the configuration of the minor, the results reveal three specific conceptualisations: the needy child, the demanding child, and the child with strengths and weaknesses. Configuring the child with needs entails fostering an interpretation in terms of necessities attributed to the child and implicitly initiating compensatory or dispensative processes for these activities. Based on the level of needs, the idea that the intervention should be increasingly structured and specialised may be activated, to the point of delegating to other professional roles.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eConsequently, the practiced discourses concern the level of the minor's needs, limiting the willingness to evaluate the impact, possibilities, and competencies of the roles involved. For instance, the level of the child's needs could differ based on the teachers' competence level. However, if prevalent discourses characterise the child as problematic or needy, less value may be placed on how the teacher can interact with them.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCertainly, discourses about children with needs, rather than promoting attention to minors, risk limiting attention to the competencies that can be employed by the professionals involved, especially if the interest is to delegate activities with the minor to specialised roles. From the interviews, only some participants show interest in the minors' specificities and how they can be helped to understand minors in their diversity, directing this interest towards better exercise of their role.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn terms of social discourse, interpreting the minor as requesting help initiates the idea that adults should determine the assistance. In this case, it appears that the discourse of a minor requesting help fulfils the social function of establishing what children should or should not receive. While this may be discussed in terms of protection, the idea remains that the function of a requesting child can be defined within an asymmetry. This carries the implication that adults are legitimised and have the power to offer an opinion on the child deemed more appropriate, and that each interprets help to the minor differently, realising what is defined as a Stakeholder position on the child (Iudici \u0026amp; Fabbri, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; de Aloe \u0026amp; Ferri, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is already present to the extent that, for example, parents renounce evaluation when they believe a serious problem may emerge in the minor, or when they minimise problems, believing, for instance, that their child only has a normal growth issue and that help consists of not pressuring the child. From this example, we can note the criticalities of those who interpret children's needs, especially when doing so based on different weight hierarchies (Hamre, Hedegaard-S\u0026oslash;rensen \u0026amp; Langager, 2018).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndeed, a neuropsychiatrist's interpretation carries a very different weight compared to a support teacher, but this is true only in an asymmetric and medicalised view of the problem (Allan \u0026amp; Harwood, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e; Lanas \u0026amp; Brunila, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e), given that the management of the minor involves collaboration of multiple roles, of which the support teacher can be crucial.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe question posed thus raises some inquiries about how ideas about the minor can be shared, seeking a more shared reading, rather than within an interpretative function played also regarding the social weight of the roles involved. Conversely, learning to discuss considering different roles can promote the use of all forces, including the application in the operational context of what the support teacher or educator can provide with their professional culture (Barker \u0026amp; Mills, 2018). It is indeed about making the effort to put one's perspective at service with the aim of having a shared and shareable idea (Kourkoutas et al., 2015) and having the minor as the primary interest in a community resource perspective (Turchi \u0026amp; Gherardini, 2014) rather than an interpretation based on the social power of some roles.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the opinion of the undersigned and other authors (Wright, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR67\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e; Ecclestone, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), such discussion should also be extended to the minors themselves, who should be kept within the process of analysing criticalities, based on their possibilities to recognise the implications of their actions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e In continuity with the discourses on the minor, many teachers believe that the SEN minor requires specific help, that parents should be followed by a specialist, and that there should be a highly specialised operator at school for that type of problem. Moreover, the presence of discourses on the needy or demanding child initiates a general discourse on how a student is interpreted based on psychological and neuropsychiatric aspects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen a minor does not achieve standard results, prevalent discourses draw attention to their vulnerabilities and fragilities, of a medical or psychological nature (Malmqvist, 2018; Brown, Ecclestone, \u0026amp; Emmel, 2017). This gives rise to the idea that, in social terms, there is a psychologization of diversities emerging from non-compliance with standards, as already found in other works (Malmqvist \u0026amp; Nilholm, 2016; Ecclestone \u0026amp; Rawdin, 2016; Ecclestone, 2017). In summary: if children do not achieve predefined results, then we search for psychological or neuropsychiatric explanations that justify such discrepancy in outcomes and allow preserving school standards, meaning by this the anticipated outcomes and especially the modalities through which those outcomes should be obtained (resources, paradigms, and teaching methods).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother discourse that emerged from the interviews concerns the child, narrated through their strengths and weaknesses, where we witness an idea of the minor that includes relational aspects and especially relates them to the demands of the context. This broadens the boundaries of how the minor is configured, no longer in problematic or vulnerable terms, but rather the minor's difficulties are framed in relation to the context, specifically to the expectations and demands of the teaching staff, but also based on the minor's resources and resilience (Kourkoutas \u0026amp; Vitalaki, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). This discourse creates a methodological shift on how to assist a minor, not reading the difficulty in medical terms but in a more interactive and contextual perspective (Hamre, Morin \u0026amp; Ydesen, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"6. Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis research has explored how a minor with special educational needs is configured in the school context, focusing on the perspectives of teachers, parents, and adolescent services. The results highlighted three prevalent discourses: the needy child, the demanding child, and the child with strengths and weaknesses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe discourse of the \"needy child\" tends to focus on the minor's deficiencies and difficulties, often leading to a compensatory or dispensative approach. One of the main positionings detected concerns being judgmental and absolutist, risking crystallising an image of the child based primarily on their shortcomings. However, some teachers emphasised how the presence of a child with SEN can represent an opportunity for professional growth. This aspect aligns with Stella's (2004) observations, which highlight how school reports are often influenced by parents' reactions, emphasising the importance of considering interactions and relational dynamics between teachers, parents, and students within the educational context.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe discourse of the \"child requesting help\", prevalent among neuropsychiatrists, reflects a more medicalised vision that separates the problem from the person. This approach, while seeking to avoid stigmatisation, risks perpetuating an asymmetry in the educational relationship, as highlighted by de Aloe \u0026amp; Ferri (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) in their discussion on the Stakeholder position on the child.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe discourse of the \"child with strengths and weaknesses\" emerges mainly from municipal service operators, offering a more dialogic, holistic, and contextualised vision of the minor. This perspective, in line with what Kourkoutas \u0026amp; Vitalaki (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) proposed, considers the minor's difficulties in relation to the context and their personal resources, promoting a more interactive and less medicalised approach. This methodological shift could lead to more inclusive and effective educational practices, valuing the resources and potential of each student, regardless of their specific educational needs (Hamre, Morin \u0026amp; Ydesen, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe research highlighted how these different discourses can significantly influence educational practices and relationships within the school context. As emphasised by Allan \u0026amp; Harwood (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) and Lanas \u0026amp; Brunila (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e), an excessively medicalised vision can limit collaboration between the various professional roles involved in the minor's education.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe importance of promoting a more inclusive and shared discussion on the configuration of the minor with SEN emerged, taking into account different professional perspectives and, as suggested by Wright (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR67\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e) and Ecclestone (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), including the minor's own voice in the process of analysing criticalities. This need could translate into team meetings among various professionals before any analysis and intervention to foster a shared and articulated vision of the minors (Iudici, Favaretto \u0026amp; Turchi, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA.I. and P.C. designed the study. The analysis and interpretation was carried out by A.I. and supervised by P.C. The drafting of manuscript was made by all the authors.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAinscow, M., \u0026amp; Miles, S. (2008). Making Education for All inclusive. \u003cem\u003eWhere next? Prospects\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e38\u003c/em\u003e(1), 15\u0026ndash;34.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAllan, J., \u0026amp; Harwood, V. (2016). The risk factors for psy-diagnosis? Gender, racialisation and social class. In E. B. O'Connor, \u0026amp; K. Anderson (Eds.), \u003cem\u003eEducation and the discourse of global neoliberalism\u003c/em\u003e (pp. 73\u0026ndash;86). Routledge.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArmstrong, D. (2017). Wicked problems in special and inclusive education. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Research in Special Educational Needs\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e17\u003c/em\u003e(4), 229\u0026ndash;236.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAvramidis, E., \u0026amp; Norwich, B. (2002). Teachers' attitudes towards integration/inclusion: A review of the literature. \u003cem\u003eEuropean Journal of Special Needs Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e17\u003c/em\u003e(2), 129\u0026ndash;147.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBaldacci, M. (2014). \u003cem\u003ePer un'idea di scuola. Istruzione, lavoro e democrazia\u003c/em\u003e. FrancoAngeli.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBall, S. J. (2013). \u003cem\u003eFoucault, power, and education\u003c/em\u003e. Routledge.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlommaert, J. (2005). \u003cem\u003eDiscourse: A critical introduction\u003c/em\u003e. Cambridge University Press.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBrinkman, W. B., Epstein, J. N., Auinger, P., Tamm, L., \u0026amp; Froehlich, T. E. (2019). Association of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis with school attendance and school performance. \u003cem\u003eJAMA Network Open\u003c/em\u003e, 2(1), e185727.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCaldin, R. (2019). Inclusione. \u003cem\u003eL. d'Alonzo (a cura di), Dizionario di pedagogia speciale\u003c/em\u003e. Schol\u0026eacute; Editore.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCanevaro, A. (2007). \u003cem\u003eL'integrazione scolastica degli alunni con disabilit\u0026agrave;\u003c/em\u003e. Erickson.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCharmaz, K. (2014). \u003cem\u003eConstructing grounded theory\u003c/em\u003e (2nd ed.). Sage.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eConrad, P., \u0026amp; Bergey, M. R. (2014). The impending globalisation of ADHD: Notes on the expansion and growth of a medicalised disorder. \u003cem\u003eSocial Science \u0026amp; Medicine\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e122\u003c/em\u003e, 31\u0026ndash;43.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCottini, L. (2017). Didattica speciale e inclusione scolastica. Carocci.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eD'Alessio, S. (2011). \u003cem\u003eInclusive education in Italy: A critical analysis of the policy of integrazione scolastica\u003c/em\u003e. Sense.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ede Aloe, S., \u0026amp; Ferri, P. (2021). \u003cem\u003eCommunityholder engagement. Oltre lo stakeholder per generare sostenibilit\u0026agrave; e coesione sociale\u003c/em\u003e. Edizioni Maggioli.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ede Boer, A., Pijl, S. J., \u0026amp; Minnaert, A. (2011). Regular primary schoolteachers' attitudes towards inclusive education: A review of the literature. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Inclusive Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e15\u003c/em\u003e(3), 331\u0026ndash;353.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDovigo, F. (2017). \u003cem\u003ePedagogia e didattica per realizzare l'inclusione\u003c/em\u003e. Guida all'index.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEcclestone, K. (2015). Vulnerability and wellbeing in educational settings: The implications of a therapeutic approach to social justice. In K. Wright, \u0026amp; J. McLeod (Eds.), \u003cem\u003eRethinking youth wellbeing\u003c/em\u003e (pp. 35\u0026ndash;54). Springer.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFlorian, L., \u0026amp; Black-Hawkins, K. (2011). Exploring inclusive pedagogy. \u003cem\u003eBritish Educational Research Journal\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e37\u003c/em\u003e(5), 813\u0026ndash;828.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFoucault, M. (1977). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage Books.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrances, A., \u0026amp; Batstra, L. (2013). Why so many epidemics of childhood mental disorder? \u003cem\u003eJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e34\u003c/em\u003e(4), 291\u0026ndash;292.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGalletta, A. (2013). \u003cem\u003eMastering the semi-structured interview and beyond: From research design to analysis and publication\u003c/em\u003e. New York University.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGee, J. P. (2014). \u003cem\u003eAn introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method\u003c/em\u003e (4th ed.). Routledge.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGibbs, S., Beckmann, J. F., Elliott, J., Mets\u0026auml;pelto, R. L., Vehkakoski, T., \u0026amp; Aro, M. (2016). What's in a name: The effect of category labels on teachers' beliefs. \u003cem\u003eEuropean Journal of Special Needs Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e31\u003c/em\u003e(4), 556\u0026ndash;570.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGoffman, E. (1963). \u003cem\u003eStigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity\u003c/em\u003e. Simon \u0026amp; Schuster.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eG\u0026ouml;ransson, K., \u0026amp; Nilholm, C. (2014). Conceptual diversities and empirical shortcomings \u0026ndash; a critical analysis of research on inclusive education. \u003cem\u003eEuropean Journal of Special Needs Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e29\u003c/em\u003e(3), 265\u0026ndash;280.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGoussot, A. (2015). \u003cem\u003eLa pedagogia speciale come scienza delle mediazioni e delle differenze\u003c/em\u003e. Aracne.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGraham, L. J. (2008). From ABCs to ADHD: The role of schooling in the construction of behaviour disorder and production of disorderly objects. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Inclusive Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e12\u003c/em\u003e(1), 7\u0026ndash;33.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHamre, B., Morin, A., \u0026amp; Ydesen, C. (2018). \u003cem\u003eTesting and inclusive schooling: International challenges and opportunities\u003c/em\u003e. Routledge.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHargreaves, D. H. (1978). Whatever happened to symbolic interactionism? In L. Barton, \u0026amp; R. Meighan (Eds.), \u003cem\u003eSociological interpretations of schooling and classrooms: A reappraisal\u003c/em\u003e (pp. 7\u0026ndash;22). Nafferton Books.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHolstein, J. A., \u0026amp; Gubrium, J. F. (2011). The constructionist analytics of interpretive practice. In N. K. Denzin, \u0026amp; Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), \u003cem\u003eThe Sage handbook of qualitative research\u003c/em\u003e (4th ed., pp. 341\u0026ndash;358). Sage.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIanes, D. (2015). \u003cem\u003eL'evoluzione dell'insegnante di sostegno. Verso una didattica inclusiva\u003c/em\u003e. Erickson.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIudici, A. (2015). \u003cem\u003eHealth promotion in school: Theory, practice and clinical implications\u003c/em\u003e. Nova Science.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIudici, A., \u0026amp; Corsi, A. G. (2017). Evaluation in the field of social services for minors: measuring the efficacy of interventions in the Italian Service for Health Protection and Promotion. \u003cem\u003eEvaluation and program planning\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e61\u003c/em\u003e, 160\u0026ndash;168.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIudici, A., \u0026amp; Fabbri, M. (2017). The construction of discomfort psychological: An exploration of Italians teachers' reports. \u003cem\u003eThe Qualitative Report\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e22\u003c/em\u003e(8), 2281\u0026ndash;2295.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIudici, A., Favaretto, G., \u0026amp; Turchi, G. P. (2019). Community perspective: How volunteers, professionals, families and the general population construct disability: Social, clinical and health implications. \u003cem\u003eDisability and Health Journal\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e12\u003c/em\u003e(2), 171\u0026ndash;179.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIudici, A., Tassinari Rogalin, M., \u0026amp; Turchi, G. (2021). Health service and school: New interactions. Comparison between the Italian system and the Swedish system on the diagnostic process of pupils. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Inclusive Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e25\u003c/em\u003e(9), 1027\u0026ndash;1041.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKourkoutas, E., \u0026amp; Vitalaki, E. (2015). School-based counselling work with teachers: An integrative model. \u003cem\u003eThe European Journal of Counselling Psychology\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e3\u003c/em\u003e(2), 137\u0026ndash;158.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKvale, S., \u0026amp; Brinkmann, S. (2009). \u003cem\u003eInterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing\u003c/em\u003e (2nd ed.). Sage.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLalvani, P. (2015). Disability, stigma and otherness: Perspectives of parents and teachers. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Disability Development and Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e62\u003c/em\u003e(4), 379\u0026ndash;393.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLanas, M., \u0026amp; Brunila, K. (2019). Bad behaviour in school: A discursive approach. \u003cem\u003eBritish Journal of Sociology of Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e40\u003c/em\u003e(5), 682\u0026ndash;695.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMachin, D., \u0026amp; Mayr, A. (2012). \u003cem\u003eHow to do critical discourse analysis: A multimodal introduction\u003c/em\u003e. Sage.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMead, G. H. (1934). \u003cem\u003eMind, self and society\u003c/em\u003e. University of Chicago Press.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMehan, H. (1993). Beneath the skin and between the ears: A case study in the politics of representation. In S. Chaiklin, \u0026amp; J. Lave (Eds.), \u003cem\u003eUnderstanding practice: Perspectives on activity and context\u003c/em\u003e (pp. 241\u0026ndash;268). Cambridge University Press.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNorwich, B. (2014). Recognising value tensions that underlie problems in inclusive education. \u003cem\u003eCambridge Journal of Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e44\u003c/em\u003e(4), 495\u0026ndash;510.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePavone, M. (2014). \u003cem\u003eL'inclusione educativa. Indicazioni pedagogiche per la disabilit\u0026agrave;\u003c/em\u003e. Mondadori Universit\u0026agrave;.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReisigl, M., \u0026amp; Wodak, R. (2016). The discourse-historical approach (DHA). In R. Wodak, \u0026amp; M. Meyer (Eds.), \u003cem\u003eMethods of critical discourse studies\u003c/em\u003e (3rd ed., pp. 23\u0026ndash;61). Sage.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRiddell, S., \u0026amp; Weedon, E. (2014). Changing legislation and its effects on inclusive and special education: Scotland. \u003cem\u003eBritish Journal of Special Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e41\u003c/em\u003e(4), 363\u0026ndash;381.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRogers, R. (Ed.). (2011). \u003cem\u003eAn introduction to critical discourse analysis in education\u003c/em\u003e (2nd ed.). Routledge.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRubin, H. J., \u0026amp; Rubin, I. S. (2011). \u003cem\u003eQualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data\u003c/em\u003e (3rd ed.). Sage.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSannipoli, M. (2015). \u003cem\u003eDiversit\u0026agrave; e differenze nella prospettiva coevolutiva\u003c/em\u003e. FrancoAngeli.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScorgie, K. (2015). Ambiguous belonging and the challenge of inclusion: Parent perspectives on school membership. \u003cem\u003eEmotional and Behavioural Difficulties\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e20\u003c/em\u003e(1), 35\u0026ndash;50.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSeidman, I. (2006). \u003cem\u003eInterviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences\u003c/em\u003e (3rd ed.). Teachers College.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSkrtic, T. M. (1991). \u003cem\u003eBehind special education: A critical analysis of professional culture and school organisation\u003c/em\u003e. Love Publishing Company.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSlee, R. (2013). How do we make inclusive education happen when exclusion is a political predisposition? \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Inclusive Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e17\u003c/em\u003e(8), 895\u0026ndash;907.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStella, G. (2014). \u003cem\u003eDislessia e altri DSA a scuola. Strategie efficaci per gli insegnanti\u003c/em\u003e. Erickson.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomas, G., \u0026amp; Loxley, A. (2022). \u003cem\u003eDeconstructing special education and constructing inclusion\u003c/em\u003e. Open University.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTomlinson, S. (2012). The irresistible rise of the SEN industry. \u003cem\u003eOxford Review of Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e38\u003c/em\u003e(3), 267\u0026ndash;286.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTurchi, G. P., Orr\u0026ugrave;, L., Iudici, A., \u0026amp; Pinto, E. (2022). A contribution towards health. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e28\u003c/em\u003e(5), 717.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTurnbull, A. P., Turnbull, H. R., Erwin, E. J., Soodak, L. C., \u0026amp; Shogren, K. A. (2015). \u003cem\u003eFamilies, professionals, and exceptionality: Positive outcomes through partnerships and trust\u003c/em\u003e. Pearson.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003evan Dijk, T. A. (2001). Critical discourse analysis. In D. Schiffrin, D. Tannen, \u0026amp; H. E. Hamilton (Eds.), \u003cem\u003eThe handbook of discourse analysis\u003c/em\u003e (pp. 352\u0026ndash;371). Blackwell.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003evan Dijk, T. A. (2008). \u003cem\u003eDiscourse and power\u003c/em\u003e. Palgrave Macmillan.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003evan Leeuwen, T. (2008). \u003cem\u003eDiscourse and practice: New tools for critical discourse analysis\u003c/em\u003e. Oxford University Press.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWodak, R. (2001). The discourse-historical approach. In R. Wodak, \u0026amp; M. Meyer (Eds.), \u003cem\u003eMethods of critical discourse analysis\u003c/em\u003e (pp. 63\u0026ndash;94). Sage.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWodak, R., \u0026amp; Meyer, M. (Eds.). (2015). \u003cem\u003eMethods of critical discourse studies\u003c/em\u003e (3rd ed.). Sage.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWoodcock, S., \u0026amp; Vialle, W. (2016). An examination of pre-service teachers' attributions for students with specific learning difficulties. \u003cem\u003eLearning and Individual Differences\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e45\u003c/em\u003e, 252\u0026ndash;259.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWright, K. (2014). Student wellbeing and the therapeutic turn in education. \u003cem\u003eThe Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e31\u003c/em\u003e(2), 141\u0026ndash;152.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"human-arenas","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"huar","sideBox":"Learn more about [Human Arenas](http://link.springer.com/journal/42087)","snPcode":"42087","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/42087/3","title":"Human Arenas","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7643737/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7643737/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe increase in requests for certifications has created uncertainty and changes in the way minors are perceived in the school environment. The way schools categorise minors can influence their developmental path, either facilitating or compromising their psychological and, in some cases, clinical development. This article presents a study conducted with various roles that collaborate with schools in different capacities, aiming to identify how minors with special educational needs are categorised today. The research design utilised a methodology based on semi-structured interviews. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was used to analyse the data to uncover the discourses present in Italian school culture today.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results reveal three specific conceptualisations of children: the needy child, the demanding child, and the child with strengths and weaknesses. From these findings, it is possible to draw some implications about the identity of minors, their social and clinical value, and the potential stigma attached to them. This study provides a clearer picture of the Italian situation, with the aim of developing more inclusive practices that are consistent with the principles that characterise them, implementing certain processes in schools, such as teamwork and training in specific intervention methodologies\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Stigma and Clinical Implications in Educational Discourses: An Ethnopsychological Analysis of Special Educational Needs Configurations in Italian School Culture","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-30 04:25:28","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7643737/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-11-20T19:29:58+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-20T19:05:13+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-18T18:11:50+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"150960343471375336897567564833473012151","date":"2025-10-26T21:21:00+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"209410772535678280022418455751590211729","date":"2025-09-21T08:17:05+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-09-19T07:52:04+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-09-19T07:34:34+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-09-18T10:38:50+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Human Arenas","date":"2025-09-17T22:28:49+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"human-arenas","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"huar","sideBox":"Learn more about [Human Arenas](http://link.springer.com/journal/42087)","snPcode":"42087","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/42087/3","title":"Human Arenas","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"e4a5cf8a-d704-4dc2-8553-2c35318b01fb","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 30th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-07T16:02:31+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7643737","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42087-026-00568-4","journal":{"identity":"human-arenas","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Human Arenas"},"publishedOn":"2026-04-05 15:59:00","publishedOnDateReadable":"April 5th, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-30 04:25:28","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s42087-026-00568-4","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42087-026-00568-4","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7643737","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7643737","identity":"rs-7643737","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}