Adolescents with disabilities at school. Processes of identity and the construction of life projects

The paper examines the processes of identity in relation to disability. Today, one of the greatest risks facing adolescents is that of remaining "suspended" in the age of adolescence, transforming the so-called "psychosocialmoratorium" - which should be transitory - into a typical feature of a generation, a life style that extends over time. While this is true for non-disabled adolescents who have difficulty growing up (sometimes because they are not fully supported by the emancipatory thrust of their parents), this phenomenon, of being "suspended" between childhood and adulthood, may be emphasised even more in situations of disability where the passage appears even more complex. Starting from this scenario, the author highlights the education role of family and school in order to facilitating the construction of life project of a disabled person, including broader considerations about parental functions, models of parenting and educating in Italy.