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…

The number of children estimated to suffer mental health disorders, and therefore, creating the need for special education services for children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), is between 5% and 25% of children under the age of 18 (Brauner & Stephens, 2006). Admittedly, not all children with EBD have been identified and served,…

Upon reading vignettes portraying a student's sibling as behavior disordered (BD), 64 special education teachers were asked to recommend placement for the student. Ss indicated that a BD placement was more appropriate for the student with a disturbed sibling than for an identically described student with a nonhandicapped sibling. (CL)

The author affirms the benefit of appropriate special education programing for behaviorally disordered students, particularly those with accompanying academic achievement problems, but cautions that problems with roots in other environments than the school may be best addressed by non-school agencies. (CL)

The survey found, among other things, that--contrary to common practice--conduct-problem children were not ranked high. Rather, the hypersensitive, easily hurt child was considered most in need of services. (Author/DLS)

A review of files of 45 elementary students revealed that the majority of the identified data used to make eligibility decisions were related to the behavioral and social aspects of the child, suggesting that appropriate and comprehensive assessment practices for identifying students with behavioral disorders are lacking within some public…

The study investigated differences between physically separated second-grade children and their classmates with regard to social position, attitude toward school, and self-concept. The results supported the assumption that the social positions of physically separated children are different from those of the nonphysically separated children.…

One hundred nineteen regular and special education teachers judged placement in a class for emotionally disturbed students more appropriate for Mexican American students than White students when they were given a fictitious case study on an 8 year old child functioning slightly below grade level with mild behavior problems. (CL)

This study examines how adding strength-based data to traditional data for a student with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) impacts multidisciplinary team (MDT) members' perceptions. The participants received either a mock Traditional Report, which included only traditional data, or a mock Combined Report, which included traditional and…

The placement of learning disabled and behaviorally disordered children in the least restrictive setting requires consideration of both environmental conditions and psychological factors which contribute to the handicap. (DB)

This study of 103 students with behavioral disorders found that a much higher proportion of students had dropped out of school than had been graduated. Those who had dropped out of school were found to have experienced significantly more changes in educational service placements, school transfers, and previous releases than had their graduated…

A discriminant analysis of characteristics of students with behavioral disorders in three progressively more intensive placements indicated that age at time of diagnosis was the strongest discriminating variable contributing to placement outcomes. Younger, brighter students tended to be mainstreamed, and older students with more externalizing…

This study compared 41 students with severe behavioral disorders (attending either day or residential programs) on language measures. No significant differences were found between groups; both groups showed receptive and expressive language deficits. However, teachers rated students in the day program higher on conversational skills. Also,…