What is normal? What is aberrant? Notice the differences in definitions and notice that for each definition there is a unique way of measuring normal and aberrant. There is no single, standard way of measuring social or emotional functioning. Judgments are always required to determine whether or not behavior is "abnormal". What may be considered deviant behavior in one culture may actually be the norm in another.
Note: (9% of all students receiving special education services are classified as having behavior disorders). 80% of all students identified as having emotional and behavior problems are educated in regular schools. Taking into consideration the prevalence rate of emotional and behavior problems, classroom teachers have to deal more with these students than any other disability group except those with learning disabilities.
Note: Most individuals with behavioral disorders are
males.
Note: Behavior of students is cited as a primary reason
for deciding to leave the teaching profession. Teachers often respond that they
have to spend too much time on student behavior problems and not enough time on
instruction. Social skills training is not typically taught in school and many
schools have limited mental heath services for students.
Definition (IDEA)
Seriously Emotionally
Disturbed (defined in IDEA)
The term serious emotional disturbance 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 school problems
The term includes children who are schizophrenic or autistic. The term does not include children who are socially maladjusted unless it is determined that they are seriously emotionally disturbed. (IDEA, 1997, Federal Register, 42, (163), 42478)
This definition specifies three conditions that must be met: (a) chronicity (the behavior problem has existed over a long period of time (b) severity (the child's behavior differs from that of other children to a marked degree), and (c) difficulty in school (the student's behavior adversely affects educational performance) and it lists five types of problems that qualify. But in fact, the definition is extremely vague and leaves much to the subjective opinion of the authorities (e.g., teachers) who surround the child. How does one interpret such terms as satisfactory interpersonal relationships, normal, inappropriate, and pervasive?
Note: There is no generally agreed-on definition of behavior disorders. Definitions that appear 'theoretically sound' or 'legally defensible' on paper are often found wanting in practice. Why?
(a) Disordered behavior is a social construct; there is no clear agreement about what constitutes good mental health;
(b) Different theories of emotional disturbance use concepts and terminology that do little to promote meaning from one definition to another;
(c) Measuring and interpreting disordered behavior across time and settings is a difficult, exacting, and costly endeavor;
(d) Cultural influence is another issue. Expectations and norms differ across ethnic and cultural groups;
(e) Disordered behavior sometimes occurs in conjunction with other disabilities (most notably mental retardation and learning disabilities) making it difficult to tell whether one condition is the result or the cause of the other; and
(f) How often and with what intensity must a student engage in a particular behavior before he/she is considered disabled because of the behavior?
Individuals with emotional and behavioral disorders have been referred to with a variety of terms: emotionally disturbed, socially maladjusted, psychologically disordered, emotionally handicapped, psychotic, serious emotionally disturbed, and so forth. The term behavior disorder is currently and more frequently being used by many professional and parents for the following reasons:
1. It has greater utility for education than does the term seriously emotionally disturbed.
2. It is not associated exclusively with any particular theory of causation and therefore with any particular set of intervention techniques.
3. It affords a more comprehensive assessment of the population.
4. It is less stigmatizing than the term serious emotional disturbance.
5. It is more representative of the students who are disabled by their behavior and currently served under IDEA.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) published by the American Psychiatric Association, (1994) is often used to classify emotional problems. It is an elaborate classification system consisting of 230 separate diagnostic categories or labels to identify the various types of disordered behavior. The DSM-IV offers the following broad categories of behavioral disorders:
Conduct disorder: Students may seek attention, are disruptive and act out.
Socialized aggression: Students join a subculture group of peers who are openly disrespectful to their peers, teachers, and parents. Common are delinquency, truancy, and dropping out of school.
Attention problems -- Immaturity: These students may have attention deficit disorders, are easily distractible and have poor concentration. They may have the tendency to be impulsive and may not think about the consequences of their actions.
Anxiety/Withdrawal: These students are self-conscious, reticent, and unsure of themselves. They typically have low self-esteem and withdraw from immediate activities. They are also anxious and frequently depressed.
Psychotic behavior: This student displays more bizarre behaviors than others do. They may hallucinate, may deal in a fantasy world, and may even talk in gibberish.
Motor Excess: Students with motor excess are hyperactive. They cannot sit still nor listen to others nor keep their attention focused.
Note: There is
strong criticism with these classifications in the DSM-IV. First, the
classifications lack reliability and second, there are no guidelines for
education & treatment.
Biological Factors: There is growing evidence that behavior and emotional health appears to be influenced by genetic, neurological, or biochemical factors, singly or in combination. However, even when a clear biological impairment exists, no one has been able to say with certainty whether the physiological abnormality actually causes the behavior problem or is just associated with it in some unknown way.
Environmental Factors: Environmental factors are considered important in the development of emotional and behavioral disorders in all conceptual models. However, professionals and researchers view what behavior is important and how it is analyzed differently. Dodge (1993) has identified three primary causal factors that contribute to the development of conduct disorder and antisocial behavior: (a) an adverse early rearing environment, (b) an aggressive pattern of behavior displayed on entering school, and (c) social rejection by peers. Further research supports contention that these causal factors operate in temporal sequence. The family or home, school, and society environments have major influence on the behavior of individuals.
· Family - The relationship children have with their parents, particularly during the early years, is critical to the way they learn to act. Interactions between parents and their child influences the child's opinions, behaviors, and emotions. One factor associated with emotional problems is child abuse. Child abuse may result in poor impulse control and poor self-concepts. Aggression and anger are often noticed in children who have been abused.
Caution: the relationship between parent and child is dynamic and reciprocal; in other words, the behavior of the child affects the behavior of the parents just as much as the parents’ actions affect the child’s actions. Therefore, it is not practical, at the least, and wrong, at the worst, to place the blame for abnormal behavior in young children on their parents.
· School - School is where children spend the largest portion of their time outside the home. Teacher expectations and actions greatly affect a student’s life and behavior.
· Society - Societal problems can impact on a student’s emotional and behavioral status. An impoverished environment, including poor nutrition, a disrupted family, and a sense of frustration and hopelessness may lead to aggressive, acting-out behaviors.
Intelligence and achievement - Contrary to one popular myth, most children with emotional and behavioral disorders are not bright, intellectually above-average children who are simply bored with their surroundings. Many children score in the slow learner or mildly mentally retarded range on IQ tests than normal children. The following academic outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders have been reported in the research literature (Chesapeake Institute, 1994; Valdes, Williamson, & Wagnor, 1990).
· Two thirds could not pass competency exams for their grade level these children
· These children have the lowest grade point average of any group of students with disabilities.
· Forty-four percent failed one or more courses in their most recent school year.
· They have a higher absenteeism rate than any other disability category (missing an average of 18 days of school per year).
· Forty-eight percent drop out of high school, compared with 30% of all students with disabilities and 24% of all high school students.
· Over 50% are not employed within 2 years of exiting school.
Social skills and interpersonal relationships - The ability to develop and maintain interpersonal relationships during childhood and adolescence is an important predictor of present and future adjustment. Many students with emotional and behavioral disorders often experience great difficulty in making and keeping friends.
Antisocial behavior - The most common pattern of behavior consists of antisocial behavior, sometimes called externalizing behavioral disorders (e.g., out of seat, runs around the room, disturbs peers, hits or fights, ignores the teacher, complains excessively, steals, destroys property, argues, distorts the truth, and so forth).
Withdrawn behavior - Some children are anything but aggressive. Their problem is just the opposite, too little social interaction with others. They are said to have internalizing behavioral disorders. They seldom play with children their own age. They lack many social skills to make and keep friends. They retreat into day dreaming, are fearful of things without reason, frequently complain of being sick or hurt, and go into deep bouts of depression. Since students who manifest internalizing behaviors may be less disturbing to teachers than antisocial students, these withdrawn students may be in danger of not being identified and helped.
1. Environmental conflicts: aggression and/or self-injurious behavior such as fighting, bullying, violating rules, overactive, impulsive, stealing, truancy, and other socially maladjusted behaviors.
2. Personal disturbances: anxiety disorders such as crying and statements of worry. The student may withdraw socially. In addition, the student may exhibit excessive fear and anxiety.
3. Academic deficits in basic academic skills and educational achievement. Typically, the student performs below expected grade level.
4. Social deficits: students are unpopular and are actively rejected by their peers.
5. Irresponsibility: irresponsibility is common. Students will deny they did anything wrong and when confronted with evidence blame other students.
Increased academic performance comes from: 1) actual time teaching (time spent on instruction) and, 2) student on-task behavior. When teaching is interrupted by inappropriate behavior or students are not on task, the question is how do we manage behavior? The teacher has two overall goals: First, to stop inappropriate behavior, and second, to increase appropriate behavior.
1. Define teacher expectations
Problems occur where there is a discrepancy between what the teacher expects and what students do (Give examples). Thus, we are dealing with two dimensions: teacher expectations and student behavior.
If we want to increase appropriate behavior, a necessary first step is for the teacher to explicitly, clearly, and fairly define behavioral expectations.
Where do expectations come from? Such expectations evolve from the teacher's values and beliefs about how students should behave in the classroom. It is important to note that the same behavior can be seen differently in different situations and by different people.
Note: the polar position of the two views. There is no right or wrong view. Each may be appropriate under different circumstances. Teachers need to be consistent with their personality and instructional style.
2. Set Rules
Clear rule setting is helpful for all students. Expectations should be explicit, fair, and within the student’s range of achievement.
1) Rules should be reasonable, but to whom? Teachers, administrators, parents, students? The most effective rules are developed by all.
2) Rules should be objective. They should be stated in behavioral terms. What is meant by behavioral?
3) Use as few rules as possible. Consider important aspects and ignore the minor aspects.
4) Be consistent with consequences for breaking rules. Use positive reinforcement for compliance with rules and use negative consequences for breaking rules.
In summary, at the beginning of the school year, involve parents and students in setting rules if possible. Put rules in writing and post them in class. Review rules with your students on a periodic basis to discuss any needed changes. The four rules mentioned above have equal weight. Only in combination will they be effective in controlling behavioral problems.
3. Preventive Discipline
Experience tells us that the most effective means of working with students who display emotional or behavioral disorders is preventive in nature. Rather than responding to inappropriate behaviors, use positive interactive approaches that removes the need for inappropriate behaviors.
Ten components to a
preventive discipline program (Sabatino, 1987)
1. Inform pupils of what is expected of them
2. Establish a positive learning climate
3. Provide a meaningful learning experience
4. Avoid threats
5. Demonstrate fairness
6. Build and exhibit self-confidence
7. Recognize positive student attributes
8. Time the recognition of student attributes
9. Use positive modeling
10. Structure the curriculum & classroom environment
Notes: Students with emotional disorders do well in educational programs that stress positive behavior management, self-direction, and the development of interpersonal skills. Teachers must "concentrate on getting disruptive behavior under control before any academic work can be presented"
Like anyone else, students with emotional disorders usually respond to positive, corrective feedback when they make an error. Teachers need to communicate care and concern rather than a desire to punish when reacting to inappropriate behaviors. Social skills training are a critical need of this group. Positive role models are requisite. Social skills are best learned naturally, from observing others who display appropriate skills. Other ways of teaching social skills include direct instruction, prompting, and role-playing.
Consider:
(a) Seating arrangement and traffic rules,
(b) Grouping,
(c) Involving the student in class activities,
(d) Using non-verbal cues, (raise the issue of "touching")
(e) Time Management,
(f) Cooperative learning.