Study of Orphans’ Ideas of the Structure of Supporting Environment Based on the Method of Family Board

The article discusses theoretical approaches to studying the ideas of the structure of supporting environment among orphans and children left without parental care brought up in boarding institutions. The findings of an empirical study conducted using the method of family board are presented. The method describes the following features of supporting environment structure: composition of the structure, social and emotional distance between members of the supporting environment, future dynamics of change. The photos, authors' comments regarding the placement and its interpretation are presented for each case. The authors further discuss possibility of applying the method of family board developed for the family relations structure diagnostics, when working with orphans and children without parental care for diagnostics of the structure of supporting environment. The authors draw conclusions on how the internal ideas of supporting environment structure of an orphan may be considered in practical psychological work in boarding institutions.