Results

1. Do Teacher’s Perceptions about Students with EBD Begin during their College Education? Amber Schramm and Grace Cimino Carlos J. Panahon, Ph.D., Faculty Advisor Minnesota State University, Mankato, Department of Psychology Results Introduction Research demonstrates many perceptions teachers have regarding EBDs. Maniadaki, Sonuga-Barke and Kakouros (2003) found that in girls with disruptive behavior disorders, disruptive behavior that was gender atypical contributed more to nursery teachers’ perceived disorder severity than identical behavior in boys. Behavior disorders appear with equal total frequency among adolescent and adult males and females (Cloninger et al. 1986). Professionals who work with students with EBD prefer to work with boys rather than girls because girls are perceived as “too difficult” and require services that are more demanding (Rice, Merves & Srsic, 2008). Irrespective of academic achievement, teachers rate students nominated for EBD as deficient in social skills (Bloom et al., 2007), and teachers report more problems with peers in students with behavioral versus emotional disorders (Ekornas et al., 2011). Teachers with special education (SPED) training and males perceive disruptive behavior in classrooms as less demanding than female teachers and those without SPED training (Drysdale, Williams, & Meaney, 2007). Teachers prefer not to integrate students with behavioral disorders (Soodak et al., 1998), and teachers tend to view dangerous, uncontrollable behavior, and time-demanding behavior as more challenging than other special needs (Avramidi, and Norwich, 2002). Educators play an important role in the development of children with EBD. Parents and caretakers may know of a child’s goals, strengths, and struggles, but it is the teacher who sees the child’s decisions and progress or lack thereof (VanGelder, Sitlington, & Morrison-Pugh, 2008). Many teachers are frustrated that there are no alternative plans in place when students cannot be suspended or sent to the principal’s office (Adera, B. A. & Bullock, L. M. 2010). Unfortunately, of teachers surveyed who worked with students with EBD, although they were qualified and perceived themselves as prepared to work with students with EBD, over 50% were planning to leave their positions within the next five years (Adera & Bullock, 2010). For this reason, it is important to examine the perceptions and misconceptions of teachers regarding children with EBDs in order to promote teacher satisfaction and lower stress and burnout. This study hypothesized that pre-service teachers would not share the perceptions of educators in the schools, which suggests that perceptions develop after the teacher is working in the field. The results can be used to determine how to best contribute to an accurate understanding of EBD in teachers and encourage a better work environment for teachers who work with students with EBD. Physical Fights Between Boys with EBD are Easier to Break Up Than Girls with EBD Characteristics of the Sample N= 139 Male = 15 Undergraduate =110 Female = 123 Graduate = 29 No response = 1 Career Plans for Respondents • Conclusions • Research has shown that educators have certain perceptions about students with EBD, and this study demonstrates that while some of these perceptions may develop during their college education, others begin after they are in the field. For example, approximately 24% of pre-service teachers plan to work in SPED and 21% of them plan to continue working there for their entire career, while research shows that over 50% of teachers working with students with EBD plan to leave their positions within the subsequent five years. • Some perceptions are shared by pre-service teachers and teachers in the field, while others are not. For example, pre-service and educators in the field agree that alternative plans should be in place for students who cannot be suspended or sent to the principal’s office, while educators believe that fights between girls with EBD are harder to break up and pre-service teachers believe that fights between boys with EBD are equally hard or harder to break up. • The results of this study suggest that pre-service teachers do not feel prepared to successfully work with students with EBD, which is also highlighted by their perceptions that alternative plans are needed. Participants of this study are unsure whether or not general education teachers are very willing to work with students with EBD, which may also be a result of a lack of preparation and training. Because most participants who plan to work in SPED are also planning to remain in SPED for their entire careers, this study shows a positive outlook that may be maintained through further preparation to work with students with EBD through more classroom and behavior management training during their education. More effective training and support may decrease the burnout rate and maintain the positive outlook that pre-service teachers report. • Limitations • Did not recruit enough participants for each group (undergraduate vs graduate students, males vs females, ect) to make statistically significant comparisons. • Questions could have been more specific. Answers can be interpreted multiple ways considering the likert scale. • Future Research • Survey current educators to compare teachers’ perceptions of EBD on the continuum of experience (new to veteran). • Compare results from participants who feel prepared to work with students with EBD to results from participants who reported not feeling prepared. General Education Teachers are Very Willing to Work with Students with EBD Alternative Plans Should be in Place When Students Cannot be Sent to the Principals' Office Method Participants were recruited for survey via two routes: 1. Email to Pre-Service Teachers Students currently enrolled in the College of Education and other students planning a career in education were emailed a link to the survey. Participants received submission to raffle of $25 gift card. 2. Sona Systems This website is utilized by the Psychology Department to recruit students enrolled in Psychology classes to participate in psychological research for credit. These students received 1 extra credit point to put towards their psychology class as well as submission to the raffle of $25 gift card. The restrictions to this study were labeled “Education Majors and Future Teacher’s Only”. I Feel Prepared to Educate Students with EBD Acknowledgements Thank you to the Undergraduate Research Council for granting funds to conduct research and travel expenses to attend the conference. Thank you to Dana Shea for assistance with this project Thank you to the College of Education for donating their enrollee email list for our survey. For additional information regarding this study, please contact Amber Schramm at amber.schramm@mnsu.edu or Dr. Panahon at carlos.panahon@mnsu.edu