Research and policy reports estimate that 10%-40% of U.S. children and adolescents currently have or very recently have had at least one significant mental health condition. Students who exhibit substantial behavior and emotional problems in school often show less severe problems when younger. Screening for less severe problems at younger ages can…

Although the construct of social maladjustment has been used for the last six decades, relatively little research has addressed secular trends in socially maladjusted behaviors over time, and even fewer studies have addressed trends for students identified with emotional disturbance (ED). The purpose of this study was to use two U.S. nationally…

In this study, we sought to determine if the "Scales for Assessing Emotional Disturbance -- Third Edition" ("SAED-3"; Epstein et al., 2020) demonstrated adequate validity using criterion validation techniques. The associations between the "SAED-3" subscales and composite scores were examined in relation to similar…

Students are often placed in alternative education schools or settings (AES) for behavioral issues that cannot be effectively supported in a general education setting. A large portion of students educated in AES have a diagnosed emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD). An AES teacher is required to provide students with the most effective behavior…

This study reports findings from a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for the Readiness and Access to Inclusive Instruction for Students with Emotional Disturbance (RAISE). The RAISE is a survey measure that can be used to obtain information on educator self-reported knowledge, use, and perceived effectiveness of classroom-based inclusive…

The purpose of this study was to provide deeper insight into the substantive nature of the friendships of students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. We examined the friendship nominations of Kindergarten to third grade students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (focal students), and their classmates, to…

The purpose of this study was to provide deeper insight into the substantive nature of the friendships of students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. We examined the friendship nominations of a group of U.S. kindergarten to third grade students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (focal students), and their…

Most students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have challenging classroom behaviors and poor postschool outcomes. Self-determination promotes positive classroom behavior and successful postschool outcomes. By incorporating choice-making, an element of self-determination, teachers across grade levels can address behavioral issues and…

Many autistic adolescents and young adults present with aggressive behaviours, which can be challenging for caregivers. The present study aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms between social communication understanding and aggressive behaviours in autistic and non-autistic adolescents, specifically the role of emotional dysregulation and its…

For many students, when considering eligibility for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the primary (though not only) classification at issue is emotional disturbance (ED). Despite continuing professional controversy concerning the IDEA's definitional criteria for the emotional disturbance…

Assessing the extent to which interventions might generalize involves an understanding of for whom and in what contexts interventions have succeeded. Identifying the characteristics of service recipients as well as observers, teachers, and other members of implementation teams involved in intervention research represents an emerging consideration…

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…

High-quality single-case design research should include measures that assess the social significance of intervention goals, the social importance of intervention outcomes, and the acceptability and feasibility of procedures. We conducted a systematic review to examine the inclusion and use of social validity metrics in academic and behavioral…

TikTok has gained in popularity across teachers. One TikTok trend related to classroom management is called "Secret Student." Secret Student aims to improve classroom behavior by rewarding an anonymous, randomly chosen student. In this article, I describe common practices and variations of the Secret Student intervention as well as…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are at an increased risk for poor outcomes (e.g., dropout, unemployment, mental health problems). These risks are heightened for students placed in juvenile justice and/or alternative placement settings. Increasing college and career readiness (CCR) opportunities may potentially lead to…