Emotional & Behavioral Disorders

Courtney Wall, Valerie Kozora & Nicole Kosanovich

08 July 2015

What is an emotional/behavioral
disorder?

An emotional/behavioral disorder is a persisting condition

that is often characterized by behaviors that are significantly
different from the age norm and community standard to such
an extent that educational performance is negatively
affected.
Emotional Disturbance: A term that is used when referring to
individuals with emotional or behavioral disorders.

Knowing the Definitions

Socially Maladjusted: Individuals whose social behaviors are

atypical; often regarded as chronic social offenders.
*What does it mean to be atypical?

Someone who exhibits unusual, or qualitatively different

behaviors for ANY age. Examples include: uncontrollable
motor movements (tics) or inappropriate comments.

Understanding Emotional &

Behavioral Disorders

According to Scheuermann & Hall, behavior is separated into four

dimensions to help define emotional or behavioral disorders.

(1) the frequency of which the behavior occurs

(2) the intensity of the behavior

(3) the duration of the behavior

(4) the age-appropriateness of the behavior

Children and youth with emotional or behavioral disorders are most

likely to have elevated levels across two or more dimensions, rather
than just one.

Quay & Petersons Dimensions of

Problem Behaviors (Table 9.1)
Dime Beha
nsion vior
Conduct
Disorder

Physical
aggression,
difficulty
controlling
anger, open
disobedience,
and
oppositionality.

Socialized
Aggression

Similar to
conduct
disorders
except that
children and
youth display
these with
others.
Stealing,
substance
abuse, abuse
in the company
of others,
truancy from
school, gang
membership,
lying.
Associated

Disturbing vs. Disturbed

While some behaviors may be deemed inappropriate, there is

a very important difference between disturbing and
disturbed. This is highly due to the environment you are in.

Disturbing behaviors occur in a certain place and time and in

the presence of certain individuals.

Disturbed behaviors occur in many settings, are habitual, and

are part of the individuals behavior pattern.

Lets play a game!

Question #1

Is the use of slang terms (i.e. squad,

cruising, or on fleek) to a
professor in a school setting
considered a disturbing or disturbed
behavior?

ANSWER!

A disturbing behavior! While the

behavior is inappropriate for the
setting, it is not entirely inappropriate.
Therefore, though teachers would find
this language unacceptable for the
classroom, it is not necessarily
inappropriate for all places.

Question #2

Is stealing from multiple stores on

several, separate occasions over a
period of time considered disturbing
or disturbed behavior?

ANSWER!

A disturbed behavior! The behavior is

habitual and occurs on multiple
occasions over an extended period of
time- - not just once.

Question #3

Is the consumption of alcohol during

adolescence through peer pressure
considered disturbing or disturbed
behavior?

ANSWER!

Disturbing behavior! Drinking alcohol

during adolescence is considered a
relatively common occurrence. This
action is also highly influenced by
ones peers. Though this behavior
may be disturbing to adults, it is not
considered a disordered behavior.

The Cultural Aspect

The social and cultural definitions of a type of behavior differs drastically, as does how that
culture views said behaviors.
Behaviors not socially accepted in some cultures such as hitting others, swearing, sexual
behavior, and physical aggression are all behaviors that sit on varying levels of normality
across cultural barriers.
There are only a few behaviors that are considered to be universally recognized as
abnormal.

muteness

serious self-injury

eating ones feces

murder

Classification/How to Classify

Since there are a variety of disorders that are summed into emotional or
behavioral disorders, classifications help to provide more clarity and
specificity of the students disability.
Clinically Derived Classification System: A system frequently used by mental
health professionals to describe childhood, adolescent, and adult mental
disorders.

This includes the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders). It is the most widely used psychiatric classification system
in the United States.
These systems group behaviors into diagnostic categories to provide
criteria to help make diagnoses. The behaviors are then observed in
multiple settings over time and compared to the criteria.
Include descriptions of symptoms, indicators of severity, prevalence
estimates, and info about variations of disorders.

Classification (Contd)

Statistically Derived Classification System: A

system developed to analyze patterns of behaviors
based on statistical procedures that characterize
children and youth with emotional or behavioral
disorders.

This system has been useful to identify and

develop normative standards across
dimensions to help make important decisions
such as the eligibility for special education.

Externalizing & Internalizing

Disorders

Externalizing Disorder: A behavior disorder characterized by aggressive, disruptive, actingout behaviors.

Internalizing Disorders: Behavior disorders characterized by anxiety, withdrawal,

fearfulness, and other conditions reflecting the individuals internal state.

This is considered to be undercontrolledbehavior and is disturbing to others as well

as a classroom disruption. Men tend to be more at risk.

This is considered overcontrolled. Students with internalizing disorder are much

less likely to be identified by teachers or parents as having a disorder since they do
not create a sense of chaotic environment.
THIS DISORDER IS EQUALLY AS SERIOUS. Lack of treatment can result in suicide or
other negative long-term outcomes. Women tend to be more at risk.

Externalizing and internalizing disorders are two of the most consistently identified
dimensions.

Definitions
Internalizing disorder- behavior disorders characterized by anxiety,withdrawal,
fearfulness, and other conditions reflecting an individuals internal state
Child maltreatment- the neglect and/or physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of
a child
Primary evention- activities aimed at eliminating a problem or condition prior
to its onset
Secondary prevention- efforts focusing on minimizing or eliminating potential
risk factors in regard to persons with emotional or behavioral disorders
Tertiary prevention- efforts that attempt to limit the adverse consequences of
an existing problem while maximizing a persons potential
Strength-based assessment- an assessment model that looks at an individuals
strengths, abilities, and accomplishments rather than focusing on his/her
deficits

Society & E/B Disorders

1817-first private psychiatric hospital opens in
Pennsylvania operated by Quakers
1892-American psychological association founded
1908- Clifford W. Beers authors A Mind That Found
Itself
1909- National Committee for Mental Hygiene
established
1909- Juvenile psychopathic institute opens in
Chicago to investigate causes of juvenile
delinquency

Society & E/B Disorders

1914- First special education teacher training
program established in Michigan
1922- Forerunner of the Council for Exceptional
Child organized at Teachers College, Columbia
University
1923- American orthopsychiatric association
founded
1928- First training program in school psychology
offered a New York University
1931- First psychiatric hospital specializing in
treatment of children and adolescents with E/B
disorders opens in Rhode Island

Society & E/B Disorders

1934- Lauretta Bender begins her pioneering work
with children with schizophrenia at the Bellevue
psychiatric clinic in New York City
1936- Leo Kanner publishes Child psychiatry
1944- Pioneer house for delinquent and emotionally
disturbed boys opens in Detroit
1944- Bruno Bettelheim serves as the director of an
orthogenic school

Society & E/B Disorders

1960- Eli Bower offers an early definition of
emotional disturbances
1960s- Emergence of conceptual models guiding
educational programs, practices, and curricula for
children and youth with emotional or behavioral
disorders
1964- Council for children with behavioral disorders
becomes a division within the council
1975-Herbert Quay & Donald Peterson develop an
assessment tool for identifying children with E/B
disorders
1975- Public law 94-142 enacted

Biological Risk
Factors

Psychosocial Risk
Factors

~Genetic Influence
~Injury
~Infection
~Lead Poisoning
~Poor Nutrition
~Exposure to Toxins
~Infant Temperament
~Parental Depression

~Parental Discord
~Parents mental
illness/criminal behavior
~Over crowding
~Large family size
~Early maternal
rejection
~Neglect/Abuse
~Poverty

Learning
characteristics

Social
Characteristics

~Perform one or more years

below grade-level
~Fare much worse than average
in terms of
*Grades
*Grade Retention
*High school graduation rates
*Dropout rates
*Absenteeism

~Difficulty building & maintaining

satisfactory interpersonal
relationships
~Experience rejection by peers &
adults
~Presence of aggressive behavior
~High rates of incarceration

Contemporary Assessment
Approach
NICOLE

Difference between disturbing and disturbed

Difficult to differentiate disorder of child

development

External behaviors- hard to overlook

Internal behaviors- often overlooked

3 Initiatives:
1.Person-centered planning:

students future vision

2.Strength-based assessment:

strengths>deficits

3.Functional behavioral assessment:

inappropriate behavior
i. Physiological factors
ii. classroom environmental factors
iii.curriculum & instructional factors

reasons for

Intervention Categories
Ph
ysi
cal
en
vir
on
me
nt
int
erv
ent
ion

Aca
de
mic
and
Inst
ruc
tion
al
inte
rve
ntio
n

Be
hav
ior
al
and
Co
gni
tive
beh
avi
ora

Services offered over a

lifespan:
First Steps to Success
Intervention Program
Kindergarten

Wraparound Plan

elementary to adulthood

EXIT
1. What are two behavior characteristics of an externalized disorder?
2. True or False: Children and youth with emotional/behavioral disorders are
most likely to have elevated levels along the line of one dimension that
helps define problem behaviors.
3. Name 6 risk factors of Emotional/Behavioral disorders.
4. Explain strength-based assessment.
5. What intervention service for emotional and behavioral disorders is offered
beginning during elementary years and continuing through adulthood?
a. Ring-a-round plan
b. Round-up plan
c. Wraparound plan
d. Wrapping plan
6. Name an example of a physiological factor that affects a childs behavior.

Work Cited

Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center. (2013). Family-Centered Principles and Practices. Retrieved from:
http://ectacenter.org/topics/families/famctrprin.asp
Gargiulo, R. M. (2015). Special Education in Contemporary Society 5e. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Institute of Education Sciences. (2012). First Step to Success. Retrieved from: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=179
National Parent Center on Transition and Employment. (2015). Person-Centered Planning. Retrieved from:
http://www.pacer.org/transition/learning-center/independent-community-living/person-centered.asp
Powell, S. D. (2015). Your Introduction to Education. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.