04/10/2026
UNIVERSITY NEWS | Psych majors present research at int’l convention
Representing the University of the East (UE) Manila College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Psychology students presented their research at the 30th EdukCircle International Convention on Psychology on October 3 at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
The paper, titled “Lived Experiences of Siblings of Children with Special Needs,” was presented by Kenjie Yuuki Dela Cruz, Jasmine Inciong, Dionne Centein Magahis, Janelle Elisha Pozon, Julia Nicole Tan, and Ivee Grace Usigan.
In an interview with the DAWN, Usigan shared that despite the pressure and nervousness they felt while presenting the paper before an audience beyond the University, the researchers remained motivated by their purpose.
“[W]e only had one goal in mind: we wanted our research to make people look beyond what is immediately seen.
“We hoped that our study would help people understand that the experiences of siblings of children with special needs are more complex than what we usually see or assume,” the researcher said.
Usigan further highlighted that they wanted to present fresh perspectives on the lived experiences of siblings, which are not usually explored in existing literature.
“Usually, when we talk about children with special needs, the focus goes to their development, education, therapy, and well-being.
“Pero behind that experience, there are also siblings who are growing, adjusting, and trying to understand their own place within the family,” she shared.
Given the opportunity to present on a national platform, the Psychology seniors dedicated the opportunity to the participants whose experiences shaped the study, from brainstorming and data gathering to its final presentation, which broadened their understanding of the importance of qualitative research.
“Research can challenge what you think you already know. And that experience taught us that we should never let assumptions speak louder than people’s actual experiences.
“Sometimes, the greatest value of research is allowing people to show us that there is always more to the story,” Usigan concluded.
The paper was supervised by their research adviser, Dr. Normaliza Ramirez, with guidance from Department of Behavioral Science Head Prof. Jemabel Sidayen and Prof. Jose Celso Ygbuhay of CAS Manila, in fulfillment of their culminating activity for the course Field Methods in Psychology.
