Chapter 7

Behavior Characteristics

Misbehavior isn't much different from other children. It occurs more often, lasts longer, is more intense, and impacts the student's learning.

Internalizing behaviors

Child withdraws and turns inward

Externalizing behaviors

Outward behaviors, directed towards others

Emotional Characteristics

Depression

Symptoms

Frequent sadness

Hoplessness

Decreased interest in activities

Persistent boredom

Social isolation, poor communication

Low self esteem and guilt

Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure

Increased anger and irritability

Difficulty with relationships

Complaints about physical illness

Poor attendance or performance in school

Poor concentration

Major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns

Talk or efforts of running away from home

Thoughts or expressions of suicide or any self destructive behavior

Subtopic

Twice as likely to develop in girls than boys during adolescence.

Untreated can lead to suicide, which is the third leading cause of death among adolescents.

Social Characteristics

If a student doesn't understand certain social skills, teach them.

Cognitive and Academic Characteristics

The question of cause and effect

Although there is no direct link between intelligence and emotional problems, these students do tend to have low average to average intellectual abilities. Teachers will often assume these students have an intellectual disability and that the behavioral problems are just some of the effects.

There is no clear answer as to what causes what. Both academic and behavioral struggles are likely to effect one another.

Emotional and Behavioral Disorders and Comorbidity

Many students with emotional disturbance also have other disabilities.

Recognizing comorbid/additional disorders is necessary to implement proper interventions.

Assessment

Formal assessments

There are several types of formal assessments that help professionals decide whether a student has an emotional or behavior disorder

Rating scales can be used to determine nature and extent of a student's

Intelligence tests help determine whether a student's cognitive level might be affecting their emotions and behavior

Classroom Assessments

An essential part of an assessment for emotional and behavior disorders is observation in the classroom, lunchroom, PE class, etc. so professionals can see what students do in a variety of settings and activities.

Other Assessment Strategies

Medical Information

If a student is under the care of a physician or psychiatrist, school professionals will request the info from those medical professionals

Strengths-Based Assessment

measuring students' social and emotional strength, the characteristics that give them confidence and the traits that help them cope with adversity

Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria

1. Does this student have one or more of the characteristics in the definition of emotional disturbance?
2. Do the student's characteristics, as assessed, adversely affect educational performance?
3. Can social maladjustment be eliminated as the sole cause of the student's behavior problems?

Early Childhood

Young children generally not labeled with specific disorders

Risks of mother prenatal alcohol, nicotine, and drug use

Early intervention can change course of lives

Effective intervention

Pre-correction combined with close supervision

Increased instructional pacing by increasing students opportunities to respond during classroom instruction

Increased rate of praise for students when they behave as expected

Development and implementation of clear classroom rules

Collaboration between professionals and parents

Home and school communication

Elementary and Secondary School Services

Majority of these students (between 70-80%) students with these disorders in general ed

Depending on the state, may be in special education classroom

Day treatment programs - special schools that include sped in small classes and strong emphasis on individualized instruction

Residential programs - usually attended by students with the most serious or dangerous emotional problems, students live at schools and attend/participate in therapeutic/recreational activities

Inclusive Practices

1. Curriculum - students with emotional/behavioral disorders can have further problems, need emphasis on social skills, emotional development, and anger management

2. Social rejection - difficulty making friends, general ed teachers can be negative, teachers need professional development to learn how to support students

3. Mental health treatment - often need comprehensive services with mental health and academic support

Co-teaching and other resources used in case by case

Transition and Adulthood

Only 51% graduate from high school

Better and more effective interventions made more widespread

Transition programs with measurable goals

Several factors made it hard to study children with emotional and behavior disorders
1. no consistent set of terms existed to describe these children
2. mental illness and intellectual disabilities were confused and addressed as if they were the same disorder
3. Professionals were reluctant to openly admit that children could have mental illness because this view contradicted the long held view that only adults were affected

-Individuals with emotional/behavioral disorders are referred to as those with an "EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE"(ED). (Term used by IDEA). Federal law defines emotional disturbance as "a condition exhibiting 1 or more of these characteristics over a long period of time and that adversely affects the child's educational performance.": "1) An inability to learn that can't be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. 2) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships w/ peers/teachers. 3) Inappropriate types of behaviors/feelings under normal circumstances. 4) A general pervasive (unwelcome) mood of unhappiness or depression. 5) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems."

SOCIALLY MALADJUSTED= Students who intentionally act out/break rules. These students are NOT considered to have (ED) unless they meet 1 or more of criteria.

TO QUALIFY FOR SERVICES AS A PERSON WITH "EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE": 1) Student's problem has to occur for an extended amount of time & be negatively effecting educational performance. 2) Only those meeting 1 or more of the criteria (listed by law) are eligible. 3) Some students are explicitly prohibited from being identified as having emotional disturbance (like the "socially maladjusted".)

Biological factors

Genetics play a part in a disorder being inherited

Brain injury could be another factor in the development of emotional and behavior disorders.
Ex: mothers that smoke or drink during pregnancy put their children more at risk of developing a disorder.

Psychosocial factors

The people around them, events they experience, and their living conditions are all factors in developing an emotional and behavior disorder

Chronic stress-frequent fighting, physical abuse, not enough income, frequent moving, homelessness, bad community with shootings and drug dealings

Stressful life events- death of a parent and divorce, violence in homes and communities

Childhood maltreatment- physical and psychological abuse

Additional family factors- depression, peers, extreme sibling rivalry

Making sense of the factors contributing to emotional and behavior disorders

Correlated constraints- when children's lives are permeated with risk factors, those factors collectively promote maladaptive behavior patterns and subsequently constrain the development of positive adjustment

Resilience- children tend to be able to recover and not experience long-term harm from brief episodes of stress or single negative experiences

Problem of Access

Only 20% of youth with this disorder receive treatment

Medicaid isn't accessible to everyone

Creating a Promising Future

Lobbying politically for more awareness and care for emotional and behavioral disorders

More emphasis on recognizing students emotional and behavioral disorders, responding to them appropriately, and providing access through the use of the best practices

Use of Restraints and Seclusion

Physical restraint - occurs when teacher or another professional restricts a student's freedom of movement, physical activity, or access to his body

Seclusion - occurs when a student is involuntarily confused to a room. left alone, a nd prevented from leaving

Concerns: usually prevented unless emergency occurs, little research backs up these practices, professionals question it's placement in schools

The Impact of Having a Child with an Emotional or Behavioral Disorder

Barriers

The stigma of having a behavioral or emotional disorder may cause parents to hesitate to label their child as such. The stigma also can cause stress to the child.

Students with this disorder are likely to have a parent with this or another psychosocial disorder.

Teachers may have negative perceptions of the family because of their frustrations with the child in school.

Parents may feel anxious about working with the school or powerless to help their child.

Advocacy groups

Building Positive Relationships

Parent Education

Teach parents strategies to address child's behavior at home.

Offer programs at times that are convenient for parents.

Support Groups

Learn about local resources and services

Trade ideas for addressing specific problems

Reassurance in knowing they are not alone

The Importance of Prevention

Early Intervention

If early interventions are implemented with young children at risk for developing a behavior disorder then they will not experiences later problems

May address the child's behavior as well as their language and communication skills

Positive Behavior Supports (PBS)

Expectations are set for behavior in all settings (classroom, hallway, gym, cafeteria, etc.) and children are rewarded for following the rules

The Effectiveness of Collaboration

The needs of students with emotional and behavior disorders are so complex that they need to create systems for effective interagency collaboration (wraparound services)

System of care- an approach to interagency collaboration based on a coordinated network of service providers that is child and family centered, community based, and sensitive to cultural diversity

Requirements for Intervention in IDEA

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)

multidimensional and research-based problem-solving strategy for analyzing the student's behavior within the context of the setting in which it is occurring

Five steps of FBA
1. Identify the problem behavior
2. Describe in detail the settings in which the behavior occurs
3. Gather information about the behavior using interviews, rating scales, observation, student records, and other techniques
4. Review the data
5. Form a hypothesis about the function of the behavior based on the data gathered

Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

a set of strategies designed to address the function of the behavior in order to change it

Examples of Specific Interventions

Peer-Mediated Instruction

Peer tutoring- each student works together to practice math facts, review vocabulary, or complete other tasks. One student is the tutor and one student is the tutee

Cooperative learning-students work in groups of three or four and have a specific task to complete, play assigned roles, and take accountability for the learning

Teacher-Led Instruction

Teachers of students with emotional disabilities must have strong sense of confidence in their abilities to help these students and the capacity to care deeply about these students