Deviant Behavior in Learning Disabled and Behaviorally Disordered Students as a Function of Level and Placement

Abstract

Differences in the social behavior of learning disabled and behaviorally disordered students as a function of age and placement were investigated using teacher ratings of classroom behavior. Resource and special class teachers of the learning disabled and behaviorally disordered at the elementary and secondary levels reported the proportions of students in their classrooms exhibiting each of five patterns of deviant behavior: withdrawn-seclusive; anxious-fearful; hyperactive; aggressive; and rule-breaking. Their responses were categorized in an 8-cell, level x placement x classification matrix and separate statistical tests were conducted for each behavior pattern. Significant differences were obtained for classification on all five patterns, for level on rule-breaking, and for placement on anxiety and rule-breaking. Behaviorally disordered students exhibited more of each of the problem behaviors than did learning disabled students; secondary students exhibited more rule-breaking than elementary students; and more anxious, fearful behavior and rule-breaking were exhibited in special classes than resource rooms. These results are related to the literature on differential classification, developmental trends in behavioral disorders, and differential placement.

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