Most definitions of emotionally disturbed youngsters suggest that disturbances in the child's behavior patterns cause academic and social problems which affect the child and his peers. While the process of identification may be facilitated by operational criteria within a definition, these factors are noticeably absent from definitions of…

This is a quiet rant. A request to revisit an article reprinted in this issue prompted it and I focus on context and purpose of the original article, lack of developments in the field since the article was published, and favored directions to take in the future related to the focus of the original work. [This classic article was indexed in ERIC in…

Numerous studies have demonstrated the comorbidity of achievement and behavior problems in students identified with learning disabilities and emotional disturbance. The causal basis for this relationship has not been demonstrated, but several theories regarding the association have been posited, and potential benefits related to prevention keep…

Ecological theorists have suggested that "disturbance" may result from an interaction between a child's behavior and reactions to that behavior within ecosystems such as schools. In this context, behavior is viewed as "disturbing" rather than "disturbed" and equal emphasis is given to the child and to individuals with whom the child interacts when…

Reviewed are studies investigating the relative validity of the construct of differential disturbingness of behaviors in children. Among findings cited is that individuals' ratings of the disturbingness of behavior were highly predictive of subsequent ratings of a hypothetical child as a function of the child's behavior. (SBH)

Forty special education teachers were asked to make some decisions about a fourth-grade boy portrayed as learning disabled or emotionally handicapped and whose work samples were representative of high or low levels of competence. Placement decisions and future performance predictions were a function of the child's perceived competence. (Author)

Among findings of a study investigating the effects of labeling children as learning disabled (LD) or emotionally disturbed (ED) on the assessment by 128 Ss of four case studies was that behaviors of emotionally disturbed children were more disturbing and less accepted when they were thought to be exhibited by a LD child than by an ED child. (IM)

Three major problems are discussed in relation to helping disturbed children: assessment practices, the nature of emotional disturbance, and the treatment of emotional problems. The need for objectively defining emotional problems and rationally designing programs to meet individual child needs is stressed. (Author)

Two versions of the Disturbing Behavior Checklist (DBC), an indicator of the relative disturbingness of behaviors characteristic of mildly handicapped (emotionally disturbed and learning disabled) students were field tested with 250 and 150 university students, teachers, supervisors, and school psychologists. Both checklists were relatively…

The relationship between the diagnostic label either emotionally disturbed (ED) or learning disabled (LD) assigned to a child and the type of behavior exhibited by that child was investigated with a group of advanced undergraduate students. (Author)

Through analysis of behavior checklists completed by 90 teachers' 30 supervisors and psychologists, and 100 university students, behavior indicative of deviance in children was studied with respect to the relative degree of "disturbingness" which each was judged to reflect. (Author/SBH)

In the study, regular classroom teachers with different levels of tolerance for immature behaviors were asked to rate a hypothetical child thought to exhibit immature or defiant behaviors. (Author)

Teachers rated the likelihood of mainstreaming success of a hypothetical disturbed child according to their tolerance for socially defiant behaviors. (Editor)

Caseloads of teachers of students with serious emotional disturbances/behavior disorders were examined to compare current service delivery across states. Caseloads ranged from 3 to 35 students per teacher. Evaluation of hypothetical relations between caseload and predicted student achievement showed that predicted achievement decreased as caseload…