Resource File: Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

1. Resource File: Emotional and Behavioral Disorders By: Bryce Garrett

2. Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: “Currently, students with emotional, behavioral, or mental disabilities are categorized as having an ‘Emotional Disturbance,’ which is defined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education [Improvement] Act (IDEIA), when there is: “…a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects educational performance…” A. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors; B. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers; C. Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances; D. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or E. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.” As defined by [IDEIA], [‘Emotional Disturbance’] includes schizophrenia but does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have a diagnosed emotional disturbance. [Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, Section 300.7 (b)(9)].” Pierangelo, R. (2003). The Special Educator’s Book of Lists. 2nd Ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Definition

3. Terminology for this disorder has been an issue of contention amongst professionals in this field for years. Many take issue with the lack of “positive connotation,” and “accurate descriptor of the socialization difficulties of children and youths.” • There is a combination of terms that are commonly used by professionals to describe this disorder, although federal regulation does not coincide, in an effort to make this label “less stigmatizing,” but it appears to lead to more confusion. • After careful consideration, the term “Emotional and Behavioral Disorders” has become the most commonly used terminology when referencing this population. (Kauffman &Landrum, 2009) Definition (continued)

4. The National Mental Health and Special Education Coalition proposed an alternative definition in 1990. The coalition’s proposed definition is as follows: • The term emotional or behavioral disorder means a disability characterized by behavioral or emotional responses in school so different from appropriate age, cultural, or ethnic norms that they adversely affect educational performance. Educational performance includes academic, social, vocational, and personal skills. Such a disability: A. is more than a temporary, expected response to stressful events in the environment; B. Is consistently exhibited in two different settings, at least one of which is school-related; and C. Is unresponsive to direct intervention in general education, or the child’s condition is such that general education interventions would be insufficient. • Emotional and behavioral disorders can co-exist with other disabilities. • This category may include children or youths with schizophrenic disorders, affective disorder, anxiety disorder, or other sustained disorders of conduct or adjustment when they adversely affect educational performance in accordance with section (i). (Forness & Knitzer, 1992, p. 13) Alternative Definition

5. It is imperative that one understand that the history of the education of children with emotional or behavioral disorders was synonymous with mental illness until the mid 20th century. This means that children were often misdiagnosed and mislabeled because of a lack of knowledge and resources for treatment. As we peruse the history, which largely involves mental illness, try if you will to imagine children with EBD languishing, waiting to be identified… A note on History…

6. Researchers have identified two broad, pervasive dimensions of disordered behavior: externalizing and internalizing. • Externalizing behavior involves striking out against others. • Internalizing behavior involves mental or emotional conflicts, such as depression and anxiety. Some researchers have found more specific disorders, but all of the more specific disorders can be located on these two primary dimensions. • Individuals may show behaviors characteristic of both dimensions; the dimensions are not mutually exclusive. A child or youth might exhibit several behaviors associated with internalizing problems (e.g., short attention span, poor concentration) and several of those associated with externalizing problems as well (e.g., fighting, disruptive behavior, annoying others). • Actually, comorbidity---the co-occurrence of two or more conditions in the same individual—is not unusual (Cullinan, 2004; Tankersley & Landrum, 1997). Few individuals with an emotional or behavioral disorder exhibit only one type of maladaptive behavior. Behavioral Characteristics

7. Externalizing Behaviors • Violates basic rights of others shyness • Violates societal norms or rules • Has tantrums Steals; causes property loss or damage • Is hostile or defiant; argues • Ignores teachers' reprimands • Demonstrates obsessive/compulsive behaviors • Causes or threatens physical harm to people or Uses lewd or obscene gestures • Is hyperactive • Internalizing Behaviors • Exhibits painful • Is teased by peers • Is neglected by peers • Is depressed • Is anorexic • Is bulimic • Is socially withdrawn • animals Tends to be suicidal • Has unfounded fears and phobias • Has excessive worries Panics • Tends to have low self-esteem  Examples of Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior Problems

8. Aggressive behavior, particularly when it is observed in very young children, is worrisome. This is not just because of the behavior itself—though its hazards should not be minimized—but also because of its strong correlation with long-term problems such as dropping out of school, delinquency, and violence. A pattern of early aggressive acts beginning with annoying and bullying, followed by physical fighting, is a clear pathway, especially for boys, to violence in late adolescence (Smith, 2007). • Children and youths who have emotional or behavioral disorders aren’t typically good at making friends • Their most obvious problem is failure to establish close and satisfying emotional ties with other people who can help them, such as the teacher, other classmates, and the counselor. • Those children with more Internalizing behavioral problems are withdrawn. The teacher might try to reach these kids but these efforts are usually met with fear or disinterest. In many cases, quiet rejection continues until those who are trying to reach them give up • The Children with more externalizing behavior problems will exclude themselves from the teacher and classmates not by withdrawing but by lashing out with hostility and aggression. These kids are abusive, destructive, unpredictable, irresponsible, bossy, quarrelsome, irritable, jealous, defiant—anything but pleasant. Educational Characteristics

9. Relatively few students with EBD have high intelligence; in fact, most have below-average IQs • The vast majority of students with emotional or behavioral disorders are not identified and served in a timely fashion by either mental health or special education. Only a small percentage (perhaps 20%) are recognized as having an emotional or behavioral impairment • Research shows that a firmly structured and highly predictable environment is of greatest benefit for most students Educational Characteristics (Facts)

10. Design: • Unfortunately, there has never been a consensus among special educators about how to meet the challenge of educating students with EBD. • Although a national agenda has been written for improving services to students with EBD, it is so vaguely worded that it is of little value in guiding the design of interventions. • Several different conceptual models of education have been described over the decades (Kauffman & Landrum, 2006). A combination of models guides most educational programs today. All credible conceptual models have two objectives: (1) controlling misbehavior and (2) teaching students the academic and social skills they need. Educational Aspects:design, implementing, and assessing to meet students needs

11. Implementing: • Students with EBD need specific instruction in social skills. There is emphasis on two points: (1) Effective methods are needed to teach basic academic skills and (2) social skills and affective experiences are as crucial as academic skills. How to manage one’s feelings and behavior and how to get along with other people are essential features of the curriculum for many students with EBD. These children cannot be expected to learn such skills without instruction, for the ordinary processes of socialization obviously have failed. • Teachers of students with emotional or behavioral disorders need to be able to tolerate a great deal of unpleasantness and rejection without becoming counter-aggressive or withdrawn. Educational Aspects:design, implementing, and assessing to meet students needs

12. Assessing: • The ongoing assessment program for students with EBD should include measures that address several domains of social-emotional behavior that influence academic learning, including interpersonal skills, study skills, motivation, and engagement. Two methods that may be employed to monitor the behavioral progress are rating scales and direct observation. Direct observation is often implemented through Functional behavioral assessments (FBA). FBA is an evaluation that consists of finding out the consequences (what purpose the behavior serves), antecedents (what triggers the behavior), and setting events (contextual factors) that maintain inappropriate behavior. • Measuring academic skills: Students with EBD often have difficulty with academic tasks and fail to make adequate progress in school. Ongoing assessment for these students should be implemented to ensure that they are making sufficient progress toward academic goals and to plan instruction. Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in math, reading, and spelling are widely implemented for students with EBD. Educational Aspects:design, implementing, and assessing to meet students needs

13. Early identification and prevention for students with EBD present particular difficulties. The difficulties are related to the definition and measurement of emotional or behavioral disorders, especially in young children; the particular promise is that young children’s social-emotional behavior is quite flexible, so preventive efforts seem to have a good chance of success. • Prevention of EBD: • 1. Children and their families who access mental and physical care are less likely to have behavioral and social problems. • 2. Nurturing and positive parenting is associated with children who have healthy relationships and reduced challenging behavior. • 3. High quality early education environments and caregiver interactions are associated with fewer behavior problems and the development of social competence. Educational Aspects:Intervention options to meet student needs

14. Basic options for students with EBD (These are programs designed for students with EBD): • Regular public high school classes • Consultant teachers who work with general education teachers to provide individualized academic work and behavior management • Resource rooms and special self-contained classes to which students may be assigned for part or all of the school day • Work-study programs in which vocational education and job experience are combined with academic study • Special private or public schools that offer the regular high school curriculum in a different setting • Alternative schools that offer highly individualized programs that are nontraditional in both setting and content • Private or public residential schools Educational Aspects:Intervention options to meet student needs (continued…)

15. Family: having a child with EBD automatically increases the family’s stress level. The family not only has to worry about academic performance but social performance as well. Children with EBD tend to be in poorer families who cannot afford the assistance necessary that a counselor or therapist would provide. This child is also most likely the instigator of the family who creates havoc with other siblings. • Peers: peers are impacted by the way that the student with EBD behaves in the classroom. The student often becomes a distraction in the classroom by breaking rules and being a disturbance. Other students in the class could be affected by this by not retaining the information as well as they should. Also students with EBD sometimes show aggressive behavior and could possibly be considered a bully in school. Students with EBD often create a dysfunctional learning environment. • Professionals: teachers have a hard time teaching while students with EBD are in their classroom because they never know what behavior they will see. The student may be more withdrawn one day and aggressive the next. When teaching students with EBD, teachers have to be focused on teaching them social skills the same if not more as they do the curriculum. Sometimes the behavior may be so bad that the teacher is not able to finish the lesson or they finish and but the student with EBD was a disruption to the other students. Social Impact-on family, peers, professionals

16. Family, Peers, Professionals: All three influence the child’s behavior. The child with EBD is affected by the reaction and the tone of the reaction to the child’s behavior. Family, peers, and professionals can have a positive impact on the child if they are first willing to accept that just because they give kindness and love doesn’t mean that they will receive it back from these kids. Overtime with much persistence the child will learn by a model what acceptable behavior is. Up to this point, students with EBD have not been able use models of behavior to affect their own behavior so these children need to be instructed about good social skills as well as bad social skills. These kids not only need to be taught acceptable behavior but they also need to be constantly reinforced for good behavior. Overall Impact-of family, peers professionals to meet students needs

17. Local: Counselors and Therapists are a good option for the child with EBD to be able to hone in on good social skills • State: • National: resources such as websites can be used (http://www.naset.org/emotionaldisturbance2.0.html) ; Also IDEIA has made provisions to the law in America to help give teachers more structure and guidance when teaching children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Local, State, and National Resources

18. Professional Educator: as a professional educator I now realize that I will have to adjust my classroom according to whether or not I have students with EBD in the class. I realize that I have to keep my composure when dealing with the disruptive behavior of students with EBD because they need a good model of behavior and also someone who will not get frustrated and give up on them. • Ethics: The hot topic about EBDs is whether or not a student with EBD should be disciplined for breaking school rules if the behavior was due to their disorder. • Advocacy: Students with EBD are often given up on. These students need to be encouraged to know that their teacher believes in them. This will take much persistence and is definitely not the easier of the two roads. However, over time the teacher will eventually make a difference in the child’s life. • Service: A teacher that is willing to go beyond the student’s academic needs and also focus on their social needs is doing a great service. This is a sign of a great teacher . The teacher understands that a child’s social needs directly affects the child’s behavior in a classroom. • Lifelong Learning: The goal of a student with EBD is to be able to control their emotions in an acceptable way. The long-term goal is for this child to have the ability to learn for the rest of their life and not be trapped in a broken system Connections to Brescia’s School of Education Conceptual Framework

19. Pierangelo, R. (2003). The Special Educator’s Book of Lists. 2nd Ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. • Kauffman, J., & Landrum, T. (2009). Characteristics of emotional and behavioral disorders of children and youth. 9th Ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. • Forness, S. R., & Jbutzerm H, (1992), A new proposed definition and terminaology to replace “seriou emotional disturbance” in Individuals with Disabilities Act. Sschool Psychology Review, 21, 12-20. • Cullinan, D. (2004). Classification and definition of emotional and behavioral disorders. In R. B. Rutherford, M.M. Quinn, & S. R. Mathur (Eds.), Handbook of research in emotional and behavioral disorders (pp. 32-53). New York: Guilford. • Excerpt from Introduction to Special Education: Making a Difference, by D.D. Smith, 2007 edition, p. 236-242. • Landrum. T. J., & Kauffman, J. M. (2006). Behavioral approaches to classroom management. In C. M. Evertson & C. S. Weinstein (Eds.), Handbook of classroom management: Research, practice, and contemporary issues (pp. 47-71). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates • Tankersley, M., & Landrum, T. J. (1997). Comorbidity of emotional and behavioral disorders. In J. W. Lloyd, E. J. Kame’enui, & D. Chard (Eds.), Issues in education students with disabilities (pp. 153-173). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum. • Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009). Learners with emotional and behavioral disorders. In V. Lanigan (Ed.), Exceptional Learners (11 ed., pp. 264-297). Boston: Pearson. • Wehby, J. H., Symons, F. J., & Canale, J. A. (1998). Teaching Practices in Classrooms for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Discrepancies between Recommendations and Observations. Behavioral Disorders, 24(1), 51-56. • Gunter, P. L., & Denny, R. K. (1998). Trends and Issues in Research Regarding Academic Instruction of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.Behavioral Disorders, 24(1), 44-50. References