bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reformed National Security Internal Whistleblowing Systems and External Whistleblowing as Countervailing Ethics Methods
Authors: Nielsen Richard P.
Published: March 2018

This article (a) reviews parts of the general literature on internal and external whistleblowing, (b) reviews parts of the national security whistleblowing literature and context, (c) discusses theoretical and legal reasons for considering whistleblowing as a countervailing ethics method, (d) discusses problems with the current national security internal whistleblowing system, (e) proposes developmental changes and reforms, (f) considers why potential reforms might reduce the need for ethically and legally problematic external whistleblowing, and (g) concludes that if reforms are not made, which may be likely, then what the Founders of the U.S. Constitution referred to as “unauthorized disclosures [external whistleblowing]” and even strengthened First Amendment protections remain necessary.
The Effects of Story Mapping Instruction on the Reading Comprehension of Students with Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Babyak Allison E. , Koorland Mark , Mathes Patricia G.
Published: March 2018

A repeated measures multiple baseline across subjects design was used to evaluate the effects of story mapping instruction on the reading comprehension of four upper-elementary school students with behavioral disorders. Individually administered story mapping instruction focused on teaching students to identify the characters, setting, problems, events, and outcomes inherent in narrative text. Over all, story mapping instruction improved students' abilities to comprehend narrative text. Performance on comprehension questions related to story settings, problems, and major events showed the greatest improvement, although proficiency in identifying story settings for all students and problems for two of the four was not demonstrated. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Emotional or Behavioral Disorders: Background and Current Status of the E/BD Terminology and Definition
Authors: Coutinho Martha , Conroy Maureen , Forness Steven R. , Kavale Kenneth A.
Published: March 2018

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, efforts were made to propose an alternative to the then existing definition and terminology of serious emotional disturbance (SED). The proposed terminology, emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD), was nearly adopted as an amendment to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A brief review of its development and current status is offered here, since several states are now beginning to revisit their own existing terminologies or definitions in order to respond to the change in terminology occasioned by the 1997 reauthorization of IDEA that dropped the term seriously from the SED terminology.
The First Step to Success Program: An Analysis of Outcomes with Identical Twins across Multiple Baselines
Authors: Golly Annemieke , Sprague Jeffrey , Walker Hill , Beard Kelli , Gorham Ginger
Published: March 2018

The investigation described here focused on effects of the First Step to Success early intervention program designed for kindergartners who show the early signs of emerging antisocial behavior at the point of school entry. First Step is a collaborative home and school intervention that was developed to address the needs of such children and was evaluated over a 4-year period. Two studies are reported herein, involving two sets of identical twins enrolled in regular kindergarten programs. The results of these studies indicated that exposure to the First Step program produced powerful behavior changes that were maintained throughout the program's duration. Limitations of the studies are discussed, as well as questions for future research.
Case Study of a Community Mental Health Collaborative: Impact on Identification of Youths with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Zanglis Iris , Furlong Michael J. , Casas J. Manuel
Published: March 2018

The participants in Santa Barbara County's Multiagency Integrated System of Care (MISC) have serious emotional or behavioral disorders that require collaboration among family members, health and safety-net agencies, education, and community-based organizations. This investigation compares the characteristics of students referred to school-administered special education services due to emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD) prior to initial opening into the system of care and those identified as having E/BD after the initial opening into MISC. At the time this study was conducted, serious emotional disturbance (SED) was the term use in California; however, to reflect current terminology the term E/BD is used throughout this article. The purpose of this study was to (a) investigate the influences of cross-agency coordinated service delivery on the frequency of special education eligibility both locally and statewide (California); (b) examine the psychosocial histories, presenting problems, and diagnostic information of E/BD-identified students in the MISC program; and (c) examine issues related to concerns that the implementation of collaborative systems of care will increase E/BD identification rates. During the implementation of a cross-agency, colocated service delivery system, the number of county youths who were eligible for public mental health services in Santa Barbara County increased from 956 to 1,826. At the same time, the number of youths residing in the county who were eligible for special education E/BD services increased from 101 to 204. Whether these youths with E/BD, who were identified by the schools after the system of care was in place, represent a distinct group is explored. Issues related to the interpretation of findings and for improving understanding of identification patterns for students with E/BD are offered.
Prevalence of Aggressive Behaviors among Preschoolers in Head Start and Community Child Care Programs
Authors: Kupersmidt Janis B. , Bryant Donna , Willoughby Michael T.
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study was to assess both the prevalence and structure of antisocial behavior among 4 year olds in a Head Start sample compared to a randomly sampled group of children in community child care. The findings were consistent with prior literature suggesting that Head Start children demonstrate higher levels of physical aggression compared to community child care children, whereas community child care children had higher levels of verbal forms of aggression compared to Head Start children. However, Head Start and community child care samples did not differ in the person prevalence of aggression. Across both samples and a range of types of aggressive behavior, boys exhibited aggressive behaviors more frequently than girls. The results of factor analyses on the aggression items with the Head Start sample suggest that a greater number of aggressive behaviors constitute the two aggression (i.e., antisocial, relational) factors than the number of behaviors that uniquely load on these factors for the normative sample. This suggests that aggression may be more complex and multifaceted in a concentrated sample of preschoolers from low-income backgrounds. Results are discussed in terms of (a) the multidimensional nature of aggression during the preschool years and (b) the need for increased mental health services within Head Start and community child care programs for aggressive preschoolers.
Primary Prevention with Children at Risk for Emotional or Behavioral Disorders: Data on a Universal Intervention for Head Start Classrooms
Authors: Serna Loretta , Nielsen Elizabeth , Lambros Katina , Forness Steven
Published: March 2018

A classroom-wide universal intervention on direction following, sharing, and problem solving was embedded in a story and song format for Head Start children. The intervention covered a 12-week period with two 3-hour sessions in each experimental classroom weekly. Pretest and posttest data were collected on 53 children in three experimental classrooms and 31 children in two control classrooms. Results suggest significant improvements for the experimental group on adaptive behavior, social interaction, and attentional measures. Overall, children in the experimental group who were at risk for development of emotional or behavioral disorders prior to intervention either significantly improved or maintained their preintervention functioning. Implications of early detection and primary prevention efforts within a Head Start context are discussed.
The Development of Disruptive Behavioral Disorders and Correlated Constraints: Implications for Intervention
Authors: Farmer Thomas W. , Quinn Mary Magee , Hussey William , Holahan Thomas
Published: March 2018

A systems perspective of the development of disruptive behavioral disorders is presented and discussed with an emphasis on correlated constraints. The concept of correlated constraints suggests that behavior development involves the interconnected contributions of multiple factors working together as a system. Implications of this perspective are considered in relation to prevention and treatment, social skills interventions, and service delivery for youths with and at risk of developing emotional or behavioral disorders.
Effects of Choice-Making Opportunities on the Behavior of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Jolivette Kristine , Wehby Joseph H. , Canale Jennifer , Massey N. Gayle
Published: March 2018

Students with emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD) typically experience academic and social difficulties in school settings. One intervention, opportunities to make choices, has been implemented for students with E/BD to address inappropriate behaviors. Three elementary-aged students with E/BD from a self-contained special education classroom participated in this study. A multiple-baseline, across-students, single-subject design was used to compare the effects of Choice and No Choice conditions on multiple academic and social behaviors. All study sessions were conducted during regularly scheduled math activities in the special education classroom by the classroom teacher. Results suggest that opportunities to make choices during academic situations positively affected the academic and social behaviors of two of the three students. Limitations of and future research directions for opportunities to make choices for students with E/BD are provided.
Linking Self-Management Procedures to Functional Analysis Results
Authors: Kern Lee , Ringdahl Joel E. , Hilt Alexandra , Sterling-Turner Heather E.
Published: March 2018

Self-management procedures typically focus on decreasing an undesirable target behavior or increasing a behavior that is incompatible with an undesirable target behavior. Although it is effective, self-management generally is designed in such a way that reinforcement accessed through the program may not be functionally equivalent to reinforcement accessed by engaging in the target behavior. In this study, we examined the efficacy of self-management procedures designed to reinforce both behavior that was incompatible with the target behavior and appropriate replacement behavior that was functionally equivalent to the undesirable target behavior. Functional analyses were conducted with three participants. Each participant was then taught to self-manage incompatible appropriate behavior as well as appropriate requests for reinforcement (i.e., escape, attention, materials) identified as functionally related to the problematic target behaviors. Results indicated that the self-management procedures resulted in lower rates of problem behavior and participants appropriately requested functionally relevant reinforcement.
The Effects of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies on the Beginning Reading Skills of Young Children with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Falk Katherine B. , Wehby Joseph H.
Published: March 2018

Students with emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD) often exhibit reading problems that contribute to a progressive pattern of academic underachievement and school failure. However, limited research exists concerning effective reading interventions for students with E/BD. One reading program that has been validated in the literature with students who have learning disabilities (LD) is Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS), which consists of teacher-led and peer tutoring components. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Kindergarten PALS (K-PALS) in increasing the beginning reading skills of kindergarten students identified as having E/BD. Results indicated that the peer tutoring phase of K-PALS led to increases in student scores on letter-sound correspondence and blending probes. Consistent with the literature on the efficacy of PALS with the LD population, these findings suggest that K-PALS is a promising approach in increasing the reading performance of students with E/BD who are at risk for reading failure.
Ignoring the Odds: Hazards of Not Adding the New Medical Model to Special Education Decisions
Authors: Forness Steven R. , Kavale Kenneth A.
Published: March 2018

Although the traditional medical model has been vilified by special educators, new evidence on treatment and comorbidity of psychiatric disorders suggests a more relevant and effective version of this model. This evidence is reviewed briefly with the purpose of suggesting odds that a child with behavioral disorders may indeed have a disorder that is responsive to psychopharmacologic treatment. Merging the medical and behavioral models is suggested as critical to certain special education decisions in functional behavioral analyses and positive behavioral intervention.
Developing Emotional Intelligence in Learners with Behavioral Problems: Refocusing Special Education
Authors: Obiakor Festus E.
Published: March 2018

To a large measure, students are not identified with behavior problems when they achieve high test scores and when they come from supposedly good homes and attend good schools that are located in good neighborhoods. This kind of underidentification creates myriad problems for students, classmates, teachers, parents, and communities. In addition, current reform and restructuring efforts appear to emphasize academic performance and ability measures to the detriment of other educational outcomes. One potentially useful measure for students with behavior problems is emotional intelligence, and general and special educators are urged to focus on this type of intelligence. This article explains the operational conceptualizations of emotional intelligence and discusses the roles of general and special educators in developing such intelligence in students with behavior problems.
Prologue Exploring the Meaning of Science and Defining Rigor in the Social Sciences
Authors: Crockett Jean B.
Published: March 2018

This special issue of Behavioral Disorders seeks to elucidate, rather than debate, the meaning of science and to define, rather than defend, the notion of rigor in the social sciences addressing the quality of life for students with emotional or behavioral disorders. The goal is to foster a deeper understanding of the meaning of science and the definition of what constitutes legitimate knowledge for the social sciences, with reference to special education and the field of behavioral disorders in particular. This prologue describes the conceptual framework that guides this special issue and provides a brief overview of each contributing researcher's article.
The New Medical Model and Beyond: A Response to Forness and Kavale
Authors: Oswald Donald P. , Coutinho Martha J. , Conroy Maureen
Published: March 2018

The new medical model proposed by Forness and Kavale (2001) is an important step toward more effective intervention with children with emotional or behavioral disorders. The model is limited primarily in that it does not go far enough. Incorporating other evidence-based approaches to intervention could lead to the adoption of a new comprehensive treatment model that holds even greater promise for success.
Teaching Students with Severe Emotional or Behavioral Disorders to Use a Musical Mnemonic Technique to Solve Basic Division Calculations
Authors: Cade Tammy , Gunter Philip L.
Published: March 2018

A multiple-baseline across-subjects design using a multiple-probe technique was employed to functionally assess the effects of teaching three students with severe emotional or behavioral disorders to use a mnemonic to solve basic division fact calculations. The results of this pilot study indicate that instruction in the use of the technique did increase the percentage of correct basic division facts calculated on independent work samples for all three students. The discussion reflects the authors’ optimism about the potential of the use of mnemonics with students with emotional or behavioral disorders and suggests the need for further research, as well as methodological considerations for that research.
Effects of Teaching a Problem-Solving Strategy on Preschool Children with Problem Behavior
Authors: Hune Jennifer Buie , Nelson C. Michael
Published: March 2018

This study was conducted to determine whether a problem-solving strategy would affect children's alternative solutions to social interaction conflicts and to assess whether this skill would generalize to typical preschool settings. An A-B single-subject design was replicated four times with four preschool children who exhibited aggressive methods for resolving social interaction conflicts. A nontreatment group was added for comparison. Children's stories provided the context for teaching the strategy. Individual probe sessions measured the effect of the strategy on the types of solutions that children generated. The treatment group's frequency of aggressive responses decreased, and a corresponding increase in prosocial responses was observed during individual probes. The treatment group's rates of aggressive behaviors also decreased in typical play activities. In contrast, the nontreatment group's solutions showed little or no change in prosocial or aggressive solutions. The implication is that children's aggressive behaviors are affected when a context for problem-solving is paired with the problem-solving strategy.
An Observational Study of Teachers’ Reading Instruction of Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Levy Shari , Vaughn Sharon
Published: March 2018

The authors documented reading instructional practices for students with emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD) as well as strategies used by teachers to redirect behavior and provide positive support during reading. Six teachers of students with E/BD were observed during reading instruction and interviewed. Three of the six teachers provided some reading instruction that was documented as effective and designed to meet the instructional needs of students. Controlling student behavior through isolating students, providing extensive time for worksheets, and negative feedback dominated four teachers’ reading instruction. Teachers reported limited knowledge about how to teach reading.
General Classroom Teachers’ Information and Perceptions of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Bussing Regina , Gary Faye A. , Leon Christina E. , Garvan Cynthia Wilson , Reid Robert
Published: March 2018

The authors used survey methods to examine three sources of teachers’ ADHD information—exposure to students with ADHD, self-study, and formal ADHD training—as well as perceived teacher confidence in instructional tasks for successful inclusion of students with ADHD and perceived barriers to such instruction. Participants represented a random sample of general elementary classroom teachers in five school districts in a southeastern state (N = 365). Almost all teachers had taught at least one student diagnosed with ADHD in the last 2 years. Virtually all teachers had read at least one article, and about 60% had read a book about ADHD. Half of the teachers had received some preservice ADHD training during their education, and three fourths had received inservice training after graduation, mostly of a brief nature. Of the teachers surveyed, 94% wanted more ADHD training. Teachers expressed lowest confidence in their ability to manage stress related to instructing students with ADHD. Class size and time requirements of special interventions were rated as the greatest barriers. General education teachers should receive preservice and inservice ADHD training, including skill-based teaching, and stress management. Smaller class size and the allocation of resources are essential to ensure high-quality student education.
Psychotherapy Services for Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders: A Legal Analysis of Issues
Authors: Etscheidt Susan
Published: March 2018

Psychotherapy has been advocated as a critical mental health service for students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Yet there are several questions concerning the provision of psychotherapy services: (a) Is psychotherapy a related service as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act? (b) Who can provide psychotherapy services? (c) Under what conditions must psychotherapy be provided? (d) How is a child's need for psychotherapy established? and (e) Must the school district assume the costs (e.g., tuition, room and board) if the psychotherapy is provided in a psychiatric hospital, residential setting, or private school? This article examines the legal basis for the provision of psychotherapy services and presents an analysis of the litigation concerning psychotherapy. The author addresses each question and discusses several policy implications.
Discipline Provisions of IDEA: Misguided Policy or Tacit Reform Initiatives?
Authors: Etscheidt Susan
Published: March 2018

The author examines the controversy surrounding the discipline provisions of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and suggests that the provisions may serve to encourage systemic reform capable of dramatically impacting the educational and postschool careers of students with emotional or behavioral disorders. The IDEA discipline provisions may assist in curbing traditional exclusionary practices and in developing alternatives to suspension and expulsion. Thus, they may fortify a pedagogically sound and efficacious approach to addressing problem behavior, enhance teacher effectiveness, and improve the schools’ accountability for all students. Such reform is capable of reconciling the competing goals of educational equity and excellence.
Discriminant Validity of a DSM-IV-Based Teacher Checklist: Comparison of Regular and Special Education Students
Authors: Mattison Richard E. , Gadow Kenneth D. , Sprafkin Joyce , Nolan Edith E.
Published: March 2018

Special educators are increasingly called upon to communicate with community mental health professionals about problem behaviors in terms of DSM-IV psychiatric symptomatology. The teacher version of the Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4T) is a screening instrument for DSM-IV emotional and behavioral disorders. This study used the CSI-4T to investigate the prevalence of DSM-IV symptoms in four groups of 6- to 12-year-old boys: students with E/BD who were referred for psychiatric consultation, students in special education, students referred to an outpatient clinic (42% receiving special education), and general education students. Results showed that the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder occurred the most commonly across the groups. The general pattern of symptom severity was, in order of decreasing severity, E/BD consultation, outpatient clinic, special education, and general education. Overall, characteristics for all groups of boys appeared consistent with clinical expectations. Findings also provide preliminary support for the discriminant validity of the CSI-4T.
Measuring Problem Behaviors in Young Children
Authors: Konold Timothy R. , Hamre Bridget K. , Pianta Robert C.
Published: March 2018

Despite difficulties in measuring problem behaviors in toddlers and preschoolers, there is increased interest in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and behavioral disorders in young children. One of the primary methods for assessing behavior problems involves having parents and other caretakers complete standardized behavior checklists. The Child Behavior Checklist/1½–5 (CBCL/1½–5; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000) is commonly used to obtain parents’ ratings of the problem behaviors of young children. This study examined whether the items located on the CBCL/1½–5 provide reasonable indicators of the seven first-order behavioral dimensions purportedly measured by this instrument in a national sample of 2-year-old typically developing children. In addition, multigroup methods of confirmatory factor analysis were used to evaluate the invariance of these item loadings across gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Results support the presence of six factors that were reasonably invariant for boys and girls. Ethnic and socioeconomic group comparisons failed to reveal factorial invariance on all dimensions. These results are discussed in light of issues related to assessment, screening, and diagnosis of problem behavior in young children.
Establishing the Technical Adequacy of Functional Behavioral Assessment: Conceptual and Measurement Challenges
Authors: Gresham Frank M.
Published: March 2018

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is being used increasingly in schools as a potentially effective means of matching intervention strategies to behavioral function. The unqualified use of FBA often is driven more by legal and policy decisions than by sound empirical data dictating its efficacy in all cases. Two fundamental questions have not been adequately answered by the FBA literature: (a) Are interventions matched to the operant function of behavior more effective than interventions not matched to the function of behavior? and (b) Can researchers and practitioners determine behavioral function reliably and accurately? The author presents conceptual and measurement challenges surrounding the use of FBA in school settings, as well as evidence for the technical adequacy of FBA procedures in terms of reliability and validity. The research to date has not marshaled adequate empirical evidence for the reliability of determining behavioral function, investigation of the conditions under which behavioral function is stable or unstable over time, the convergent validity of indirect and direct FBA methods, validity generalization, decision validity, and social validity of FBA. Finally there is insufficient empirical evidence to suggest that interventions matched to behavioral function are more effective than behavioral interventions not based on an FBA. Future research agendas and strategies are discussed to improve the technical adequacy of FBA in school settings for students with emotional or behavioral disorders.
Teachers’ Rationale and Procedures used during Lesson Script Deviations
Authors: Alvarado José Luis
Published: March 2018

This study addressed the rationale that teachers of students with emotional or behavioral disorders, specific learning disabilities, and moderate to severe academic difficulties offer for deviating from mathematics lesson scripts and the alternative procedures they use during script deviations. Results from analysis of interviews indicated that teachers deviated from lesson scripts so that lessons would become “their own” and they could employ their own personal style of delivery. However, when these instructors deviated from scripts, they primarily engaged in academic behaviors and delivered instruction using wording similar to the lesson scripts, and they maintained a similar style of lesson presentation. The rationales that teachers offered for engaging in script deviations were grouped into four distinct themes: student level of performance, set-up for success, prevention, and management. Teachers’ supplementary procedures were categorized into (a) academic and (b) disciplinary. This study provided insight into the thought processes that teachers engaged in as they considered script deviations and the methods they used to integrate effective instructional and management practices into their mathematics instruction.
Truth and Consequences
Authors: Mostert Mark P. , Kauffman James M. , Kavale Kenneth A.
Published: March 2018

Ideas influencing teacher education and services to children with disabilities in schools have palpable, far-reaching consequences. Recently, several authors have taken special education to task for relying on practices established through the tenets of Western science, proposing the antidote of postmodern thought to redress the alleged positivistic failure of special education. While using the obtuse rhetoric of power relations, oppression, and the denial of disability, they offer little to address what teachers should do in classrooms. We briefly address and comment on some issues they raise and conclude that what these postmodernists have to offer is a regrettable step backward in the discourse surrounding what it means to educate and support people with disabilities.
An Investigation of the Characteristics of K–12 Students with Comorbid Emotional Disturbance and Significant Language Deficits Served in Public School Settings
Authors: Nelson J. Ron , Benner Gregory J. , Rogers-Adkinson Diana. L.
Published: March 2018

A plethora of research has indicated that emotional disturbance (ED) and language deficits frequently co-occur. Scant research, however, has examined the characteristics of public school students with comorbid ED and language deficits. Furthermore, researchers have not studied children with IQ and language skill discrepancies. The overall purpose of this cross-sectional study conducted with students in grades K through 12 (N = 69) with ED and comorbid language deficits was to detail the academic and social adjustment characteristics of students with an IQ/language skill discrepancy (i.e., a negative standard deviation difference or greater between IQ and total language score). In addition, the types of dimensional behaviors that predict the language skills of these students was explored. Forty-five percent (n = 69) of the original 152 randomly selected students with ED evinced a language deficit. Students with language deficits were likely to exhibit comorbid written language (46%), reading (41%), and math deficits (31%). Delinquent behavior predicted total and receptive language discrepancy scores of students. Results and limitations are discussed.
Bridging the Research-to-Practice Gap: Improving Hallway Behavior Using Positive Behavior Supports
Authors: Leedy Amanda , Bates Perianne , Safran Stephen P.
Published: March 2018

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a positive behavior support (PBS) intervention in a rural elementary school. Through this use of clear, consistent behavioral expectations, grade-level assemblies, and complimentary reinforcement, there was a substantial improvement in hallway behavior, with an overall increase of 134.9% for compliance across six positive behaviors. These results demonstrate that, through the implementation of appropriate interventions and consistent reinforcement of established rules and expectations, the use of PBS can be applied in all schools, even those with limited resources. Based on these and related findings, research-validated practices exist to transform schools into safer and more favorable learning environments. The current challenge is for public schools to demonstrate a commitment to preventative practices to help bridge the research-to-practice gap.
Using Functional Behavior Assessment in General Education Settings: Making a Case for Effectiveness and Efficiency
Authors: Scott Terrance M. , Bucalos Anne , Liaupsin Carl , Nelson C. Michael , Jolivette Kristine , Deshea Lise
Published: March 2018

Under the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, schools have a legal obligation to conduct functional behavior assessments (FBAs) when developing intervention plans for students with disabilities whose behaviors lead their individualized education program teams to consider a change in educational placement, including suspension and expulsion. However, FBA also holds significant promise as a procedure to be used proactively with students with behavioral challenges who are educated in part, or wholly, in general education classrooms. Unfortunately, current conceptualizations of FBA as a methodologically rigorous procedure pose significant and possibly insurmountable barriers to proactive implementation in general education settings. The authors analyze these barriers through a targeted review of the literature, an examination of how the characteristics of general education settings promote the use of less demanding FBA methodologies, and a consideration of situations in which certain FBA procedures generally are contraindicated. Finally they advocate an active research agenda that is responsive to the particular challenges of public school settings and FBA students with and at risk for mild disabilities.
A National Perspective on Children with Emotional Disorders
Authors: Bradley Renée , Henderson Kelly , Monfore Dorotha A. “Mike”
Published: March 2018

Improving the services for children with emotional or behavioral problems has been one of the priorities of the Department of Education for the last four decades. Since its implementation, the Office of Special Education Programs has been dedicated to funding and supporting research in the area of emotional disorders. Despite increased attention to students with emotional disorders, their educational, behavioral, and social outcomes continue to be the worst of any disability group. This article provides a national perspective on children with emotional disorders by looking at data provided by three federally funded studies, descriptions of current supported research and development activities, and future directions for investigation.
Social Skills Training for Children and Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Validity Considerations and Future Directions
Authors: Gresham Frank M. , Cook Clayton R. , Crews S. Dean , Kern Lee
Published: March 2018

This article provides an analysis of the current knowledge base of social skills training (SST) with students with, or at risk for, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD). This knowledge base is evaluated with respect to issues regarding construct, internal, external, and social validity of the SST literature. Research syntheses investigating construct validity suggest that the three domains of social interaction, prosocial behavior, and social-cognitive skills adequately represent the social skills construct. Internal validity analyses based on the results of six meta-analyses suggested that SST is an effective intervention strategy for students with EBD, showing a 64% improvement rate relative to controls using the Binomial Effect Size Display. External validity analyses showed that SST is effective across a broad range of behavioral difficulties, such as aggression externalizing behaviors, internalizing behaviors, and antisocial behavior patterns. Some weaknesses were noted in the social validity of SST outcome measures, and recommendations are made for improvement in this area. Overall, SST is an effective and essential part of a comprehensive intervention program for students with EBD.
A Look at Current Validity Issues of School-Wide Behavior Support
Authors: Kern Lee , Manz Patricia
Published: March 2018

School-wide behavior support has experienced recent interest among educators. This approach has been embraced because of its potential for decreasing school violence and improving school climate. In this paper we examine issues related to construct, internal, external, and social validity of school-wide support as it has been conceptualized in recent years. Although the literature to date suggests a highly promising approach, additional research is needed with added experimental rigor to fully determine its effectiveness and acceptability.
Research on Preventing Behavior Problems Using a Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention: Preliminary Findings, Challenges, and Future Directions
Authors: Smith Stephen W. , Daunic Ann P.
Published: March 2018

One goal of prevention research in the field of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) is to improve social and academic outcomes for students with the highest risk behavioral profiles before they are identified for special education programming. Teaching students with EBD alongside typically functioning peers can minimize stigmatization, facilitate monitoring and social skill reinforcement, and maximize generalization throughout the school day. Using a theoretically based, randomized, controlled prevention trial approach, we are studying the effects of a universal cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to help students develop positive solutions to social problems in anger-provoking situations. Our research, however, requires a blend of requisite social science with practical considerations. In this research brief, we describe our work, the challenges we encounter as researchers in collaborative environments, and some thoughts about directions for future study.
Urban Educators’ Perceptions of Interventions for Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Graczyk Patricia A. , Atkins Marc S. , Jackson Maudette M. , Letendre Joan A. , Kim-Cohen Julia , Baumann Barbara L. , Mccoy Jon
Published: March 2018

This study examined urban educators’ attitudes toward commonly recommended interventions for students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Participants included 358 pupil personnel services (PPS) professionals—school psychologists, social workers, and counselors—and 70 classroom teachers from urban elementary schools. On average, PPS professionals and classroom teachers expressed little confidence in the effectiveness of commonly used classroom, mental health, and pharmacological treatments for ADHD. For PPS professionals, a moderately positive correlation was found between self-confidence and effectiveness ratings for classroom interventions and mental health interventions, and a small positive association was found between knowledge of ADHD and effectiveness ratings for medication. Teacher self-confidence was positively associated with effectiveness ratings for classroom interventions. Knowledge of ADHD was negatively correlated with teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of classroom and mental health interventions. Neither child gender nor ADHD subtype influenced effectiveness ratings. Results are discussed in regard to the urgent need for urban educators to experience greater success in their efforts to implement interventions for students with ADHD and for research focused on the unique needs of children residing in urban, low-income communities.
Effects of a Dependent Group Contingency on the Verbal Interactions of Middle School Students with Emotional Disturbance
Authors: Hansen Spencer D. , Lignugaris/Kraft Benjamin
Published: March 2018

This study examined the effects of a dependent group contingency to increase positive verbal interactions among nine middle school-aged males in a self-contained classroom. Prior to implementing the group contingency, the students received social skills instruction. A withdrawal experimental design was then used to evaluate the effects of the dependent group contingency. Students’ positive verbal interactions increased and negative verbal interactions decreased with the implementation of the dependent group contingency. When the group contingency was faded, positive and negative interaction levels were maintained. The results are discussed in terms of developing positive interaction skills among youth with emotional disturbance and the application of dependent group contingencies with these students.
Do Race of Student and Race of Teacher Influence Ratings of Emotional and Behavioral Problem Characteristics of Students with Emotional Disturbance?
Authors: Cullinan Douglas , Kauffman James M.
Published: March 2018

African American students are disproportionately likely to be identified with the emotional disturbance (ED) education disability. To investigate how teachers’ perceptions of students might vary by race, we analyzed Black and White teachers’ ratings of 769 students with ED, subdivided by race and grade level, on six emotional and behavior problem variables. Results did not support the position that, among students with ED, overrepresentation of African Americans arises from racial bias in teacher perceptions of emotional and behavioral problems; however, there were several interesting main and interaction effects. Discussion focused on implications of present results for the continuing issue of race disproportionality among students with ED, as well as several lines of research that might clarify race disproportionality and related issues in identification of students with ED.
Students Educated in Self-Contained Classrooms and Self-Contained Schools: Part II—How Do They Progress over Time?
Authors: Lane Kathleen L. , Wehby Joseph H. , Little M. Annette , Cooley Cristy
Published: March 2018

Little attention has been dedicated to monitoring the educational progress of students with EBD receiving services in restrictive settings, using empirically validated tools and procedures. This study compared the progress of students with EBD receiving special education services in either a self-contained school or self-contained classrooms to determine if these students were benefiting from placement in their respective settings. Progress was assessed using behavior rating scales, standardized measures, curriculum-based measures, and school record data. Results revealed limited academic improvement in either setting with no significant differences between groups on any of the standardized or curriculum-based measures, with the exception of written expression. In addition, there was limited progress in the behavioral and social domains. There were no significant differences in the progress of students in either setting in social skills, externalizing behavior, and disciplinary contacts. However, the internalizing behaviors were able to differentiate between groups. Implications of these findings were discussed in light of the limitations and directions for future research were offered.
Academic and Behavioral Outcomes for Students at Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Montague Marjorie , Enders Craig , Castro Marcelo
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study is to describe academic and behavioral outcomes for adolescents who were identified when they were in kindergarten and first grade as being at risk for developing emotional and behavioral disorders. Results indicated that primary school academic achievement and teacher ratings of academic competence were highly predictive of middle school reading achievement and moderately predictive of math achievement. Teacher ratings of behavior across time were consistent and reliable, and behavioral ratings by primary school teachers were predictive of students' behavioral ratings by middle school teachers. These findings suggest that young students with academic and behavioral problems continue to display problems into adolescence, placing them at serious risk for school failure and dropping out. Results have implications for early identification and prevention/intervention programs for at-risk students.
Repeated Reading for Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders: Peer- and Trainer-Mediated Instruction
Authors: Staubitz John E. , Cartledge Gwendolyn , Yurick Amanda L. , Lo Ya-Yu
Published: March 2018

This study evaluated the effects of a repeated reading (RR) intervention on the oral reading fluency and comprehension of six urban fourth and fifth-grade students with and at risk for emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD). A multiple baseline design across subjects was used to study RR effects according to gains in reading fluency, comprehension, and generalization to unpracticed passages under covert and overt timing conditions. Results indicated that all students improved both reading fluency (i.e., speed and accuracy) and comprehension when participating in RR. Improvements were also observed on the unpracticed generalization passages; the addition of overt timing and charting produced the greatest improvements. These gains were confirmed through administration of standardized tests in reading. Findings are described according to the beneficial effects of RR and the relative advantages of peer-mediated interventions with students with EBD.
Social Skills Training for Teaching Replacement Behaviors: Remediating Acquisition Deficits in At-Risk Students
Authors: Gresham Frank M. , Van Mai Bao , Cook Clayton R.
Published: March 2018

Social skills training has been recommended as an intervention for students having difficulty establishing meaningful social relationships with peers and teachers in school settings. Several meta-analyses of the relevant literature have shown weak to moderate effects, whereas other syntheses have shown somewhat larger effects. The meta-analyses show that the typical social skills intervention averages 2.5–3.0 hours per week for 10–12 weeks for a total of approximately 30 hours, which may be insufficient to remediate long-standing social skills deficits. The current study identified students who were homogenous on the type of social skills deficit (i.e., acquisition deficits) and provided them with intense (60 hours) social skills training and classroom-based interventions. Students receiving intense social skills instruction showed rather large decreases in competing problem behaviors that were maintained at two-month follow-up and that were socially validated by substantial pretest/posttest changes in teacher ratings of social skills and competing problem behaviors.
Effects of Sound-Field Amplification to Increase Compliance of Students with Emotional and Behavior Disorders
Authors: Maag John W. , Anderson Jean M.
Published: March 2018

This study investigated the efficacy of sound-field amplification (SFA) for improving the speed with which students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) follow teacher directions. We used a multiple baseline design across six students in general education classrooms. Latency data were collected under nonamplified and amplified conditions for two types of directions: (a) task demand and (b) high interest. Results indicated that SFA substantially increased the speed with which students complied with task demand directions but had minimal effect on compliance with high interest directions. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.
Reading Instruction for Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in a Juvenile Correctional Facility
Authors: Allen-Deboer Robyn A. , Malmgren Kimber W. , Glass Mary-Elizabeth
Published: March 2018

This study examined the effects of a systematic, phonics-based reading intervention on the oral reading fluency and accuracy of adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) receiving educational services in a juvenile correctional facility. A multiple-baseline design across four participants was used to calculate the effect of daily, one-on-one, 30-minute reading instructional sessions provided over nine weeks. Oral reading fluency increased markedly and error rates decreased for each participant in the intervention phase. Participants also experienced improvements in reading as measured pre- and postintervention on a standardized reading assessment. Findings underscore the promise of systematic reading intervention for improving academic outcomes for adolescents with EBD confined to juvenile correctional facilities who are also struggling readers.