This dissertation addresses a significant gap in existing research by exploring lived experiences of cisgender female adolescents (Grades 7-12) diagnosed with emotional disturbance (ED) in the U.S. Current statistics indicate that 28% of students in special education with an ED diagnosis are girls; yet, their perspectives remain largely absent…

This study examines the disproportionality in special education, regarding African American students being overrepresented, specifically under the disability category of Emotional Disturbance (ED) within the state of Pennsylvania. Demographic information was collected with the use of secondary data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of…

Increasingly, mixed methods research (MMR) is used in special education, although the extent to which MMR is used in intervention research in the field of emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD) remains unknown. The purpose of this article is to examine the use of MMR in EBD intervention research to describe its application within the field. We…

General labels tend to obscure objective realities upon which disability rights are based and can deny individuals with disabilities their educational and civil rights. Undoubtedly, stigma can come from labels unnecessarily categorizing people into separate groups. However, stigma does not reside primarily in disability categories/terms but in…

Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) are placed outside of their public school more frequently than other students with disabilities, yet there are gaps in the literature on reintegration processes and the possible negative impact when collaboration between schools is minimal. Public schools rely on private placements in…

Ill-defined behaviors related to emotional disturbance (ED) classification and a lack of cultural competence have contributed to the over-representation of Black children in special education. Several meta-analyses and systematic reviews of the literature have been conducted to examine the topic of over-representation, but to date, there remains…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether teachers working with students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are familiar with the resources shown to be most effective at improving student outcomes in this population and to what extent they are utilizing evidence-based practices in their classrooms. It also sought to gather…

Providing transition planning and services to students with emotional disturbance (ED) can enhance their success in postsecondary education, employment, and independent living. This qualitative study explores how special educators in Riyadh, the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), perceive the necessity of promoting transition…

The importance of student-teacher relationships is well established. However, research suggests that students in special education tend to experience lower quality student-teacher relationships than their peers in general education. Of particular importance is the developing research indicating that students with emotional and behavioral disorders…

Childhood trauma is a significant public health issue in the United States. The experiencing of traumatic events can result in deficiencies in developmental, social, emotional, and behavioral self-regulation, impairing academic progress. The functional core aspects or primary domains of impairment (academics, relationships, self-regulation, and…

A majority of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), particularly those served in alternative educational settings, have a history of trauma exposure before placement. Evidence-based interventions such as Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) may be more effective for these students if the interventions are systematically adapted to include…

African American Students with disabilities have been disproportionately represented in special education under the labels Intellectually Disabled (ID) and Emotionally Disturbed (ED) (Garwood & Carrero, 2022; Skrtic et al., 2021; Green et al., 2021; Artiles, 2019). As a result of these labels, African American students with disabilities have…

Self-advocacy skills enable active student involvement in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning process. However, some students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) lack appropriate self-advocacy skills and may require specific instruction in how to prepare for and participate in their own IEP. Special educators may have…

Many students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) engage in challenging behavior on a daily basis. Such behaviors can have negative impacts on students, teachers, and families. In an effort to support students with EBD, this article provides general and special education teachers with a five-step process for teaching replacement…

The purpose of this non-experimental correlational quantitative study was to examine the relationship between race and special education under the disability category of ED for kindergarten through 12th-grade students in four school districts in the greater Houston area. The study had three research questions regarding racial representation, the…