Behavioral Disorders

This national study of 859 teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) provides a profile of their characteristics and preparedness to teach and compares these teachers with 3,687 other special educators. Teachers of students with EBD were disproportionately male, were more diverse, and had significantly fewer years of teaching experience than other special educators. A smaller percentage of teachers in the EBD group was certified and a greater percentage entered through alternative programs than the other special educators. Only a small percentage of respondents teaching in grades 6–12 holds certification in the core academic areas defined under the No Child Left Behind Education Act (2001). Respondents felt least prepared to meet the needs of students from culturally and linguistically different backgrounds and to use technology in instruction.

A multiple probe design was employed for this study to assess the effectiveness of the Corrective Reading program (Engelmann et al., 1999) on students' reading fluency and behavior during reading-related instruction. Direct observations assessed the effect on students' behavior in both general and special education classrooms. Reading fluency measures were included on within-program passages and grade-level text oral readings. The study revealed reading gains for within-program and generalization passages. Both students and teachers indicated positive perceptions of the Corrective Reading program.

Although many psychopharmacologic treatments and behavioral or cognitive behavioral interventions have been established as evidence-based practices, they have seldom been directly compared to one another as to outcome in children with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD). In this paper, we present findings from 6 recent randomized clinical trials that made such direct comparisons. Three involve children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 3 involve children or adolescents with depression or anxiety disorders. Findings suggest that combined treatments are probably most efficacious but that psychopharmacologic treatments may be somewhat more effective than behavioral or cognitive behavioral interventions in at least 5 of the 6 trials. These results are discussed in reference to pursuit of evidence-based practice in special education.

This article synthesizes findings from previous research on instructional interventions in mathematics for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). A systematic search of the literature from 1985 through December 2005 yielded 13 studies that met the criteria for inclusion in this review. The review yielded several findings: (a) mathematics interventions examined in previous research targeted basic skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, decimals, and fractions; (b) interventions examined in the studies included student-directed strategies, teacher-directed instruction, peer tutoring, and computer-assisted instruction; and (c) research that examines instructional interventions in mathematics problem-solving for students with EBD is almost nonexistent. Implications for practice based on this review are limited by the few studies across a diverse array of interventions. Findings from this review highlight the need for systematic research of mathematics interventions for students with EBD.

This study examined preliminary effectiveness of one of the first Project Re-ED (Re-education of Emotionally Disturbed children) residential treatment centers for children. Data were collected at admission, at discharge, and up to 6 months postdischarge. Findings show substantial decreases in problem behaviors and improvements in personal strengths during treatment for children ages 6-12. Despite some deterioration of outcomes in the postdischarge period, improvement compared to baseline continued to be evident at 6 months postdischarge. Multivariate analysis showed that relatively few factors were associated with differential change while in treatment. Younger age, however, was related to more substantial change during treatment and longer length of stay was associated with more positive outcomes by 6 months postdischarge.

Frequently, students with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD) exhibit academic underachievement combined with high levels of externalizing behaviors and resistance to instructional efforts. Regardless of the present reading initiatives, research focusing on interventions for teaching reading to students with EBD continues to be limited. This article extends previous efforts to review literature concerning reading instruction interventions for students with EBD. Specifically, this review focuses on interventions employed in primary grades. Because of the paucity in research and documented issues related to late and misidentification of students with EBD, studies including students at risk of antisocial behaviors were included. Eleven studies were found and carefully reviewed. Results demonstrate the efficacy of several reading interventions, including Direct Instruction, peer tutoring, and behaviorally based procedures such as time delay prompting, trial and error, and differential reinforcement.