EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS
I.
Defining Behavior Disorders:
The federal definition defines "seriously emotionally disturbed" as follows:
(I)
(II)
II.
III.
The term means 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 which 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.
The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who
are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an
emotional disturbance. (U.S. Department of Education, 1999, p.12422)
General agreement that BD refers to:
A.
Behavior that goes to an extreme- behavior that is not just slightly different
from the usual; to a marked degree (severity)
B.
A problem that is chronic - one that does not disappear; over a long period
of time
C.
Behavior that is unacceptable because of social or cultural expectationsdifficulty in school; adversely affects school performance (Hallahan &
Ka u f f m a n )
Prevalence
A.
Estimates suggest 10% of the child population has behavior problems
serious or sustained enough to warrant intervention and 3% to 5% are
judged to be seriously emotionally disturbed. Data from DOE show only
about .7% of school children in the US are identified as seriously
emotionally disturbed... thus BD is seen as a "traditionally underserved"
category of special education.
B.
Boys outnumber girls by a ratio of 4 to 1 or more.
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C.
IV .
Causes of BD - Causes are attributed to the following major factors:
A.
B.
V.
Juveniles, who comprise about 20% of the total population, were involved
in 16% of all violent crime arrests and 32% of all property crime arrests in
1999. Crimes committed by juveniles are becoming more violent and the
ages of offenders younger and younger.
Biological factors 1.
Brain Disorders - many individuals with brain disorders experience
problems with emotions and behaviors.
2.
Temperment - predetermined temperment, may predispose a child
to problems
3.
Genetics - neurochemical imbalance, physiological causes of
autism include pre and postnatal infections, chromosonal disorders,
and CNS dysfunction
Environmental Factors
1.
Pathological family relationships (Influence of Home) - parent/child
relationships, family discipline
2.
Negative cultural influences (Influence of Peers)- values and
behavioral standards communicated to children through a variety
of cultural conditions, demands, and models. the level of violence
used in the media, the availability of recreational drugs, changing
sexual conduct, etc.
3.
Undesirable influences of school -teachers and peers reactions
to BD children, the way administration reacts - too lax, too strict,
expulsion
Identification
A.
Observations of the child's behavior and screening devices are
completed by teachers, peers, siblings, parents, and often the child.
These are usually in the form of some type of rating scale. If a
psychologist is available, projective tests, Rorschach Ink Blot tests, and
Goodenough & Harris Man/Tree tests. Observations target suspect
behaviors and monitor the frequency and the duration.
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B.
V I.
V II.
IQ and Achievement- It is estimated that only 30% of students with BD
are performing at or above grade level. IQ scores range between 71 and
90 with a mean IQ of 86. Most BD children are slow learners or mildly
retarded.
Characteristics A.
externalizing - aggressive, acting out behaviors, these include the most
common problems CONDUCT DISORDERS and involve:
1.
hitting or fighting
2.
getting out of their seats
3.
yelling, talking out, and cursing
4.
disturbing peers (teasing)
5.
ignoring the teacher (noncompliance)
6.
vandalism (destructiveness)
7.
stealing and lying
8.
not completing assignments
B.
internalizing - immature, withdrawn behavior, too little socialization with
others
1.
suffer from depression
2.
disturbances in mood
3.
inability to think
4.
lack of motivation
5.
decreased physical well being
6.
Often these children act lonely, sad, have low self esteems, and
may have difficulty sleeping, eating or eliminating.
Educational Approaches
A. Curriculum Goals
1.
social skills - expressing feelings, avoiding fights, etc.
2.
academic skills - Attempt to teach the three Rs especially since
they seem to be below average on achievement.
3.
Replace antisocial and maladaptive behaviors with more socially
appropriate behaviors and attempt to teach more academic skills.
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V III.
Instructional Practices and Teacher Skills
A. Use behavior management techniques such as:
1.
positive reinforcement
2.
contingency contracting
3.
response cost
4.
time out
5.
token economy
B. Assist child with self control or self management techniques. These
should be well defined and monitored.
C. Be consistent and fair.
D. Document/ show student how to record daily occurences to monitor
progress or determine when a change should be facilitated.
E. Provide opportunities to improve social skills and improve student's self
esteem.
F. Show caring, empathetic feelings toward children