Introduction to Emotional Disturbance

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Introduction to Emotional Disturbance

• NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

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IDEA

• IDEA, is the abbreviation for Individuals with
  Disabilities Education Act.
• IDEA is the federal special education law
• IDEA ensures that the rights of children and
  youth with disabilities (and their parents) are
  protected
• Special Education is guided by the principles and
  guidelines under IDEA
• The definition of Emotional Disturbance that we
  use for special education purposes is found in
  IDEA

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Controversy Surrounding the Term and Definition
of Emotional Disturbance

• The definition of emotional disturbance, like
  most definitions in special education, is the
  source of much debate and discussion.
• Furthermore, the term emotional disturbance has
  been challenged at the federal level many times.
• A number of professionals believe that the term
  emotional or behavioral disorder should be used
  instead and have proposed several changes to the
  definition.
• Many parents are also uncomfortable with having
  their children classified in special education
  with the title of emotional disturbance

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IDEA Definition of Emotional Disturbance

• According to IDEA 2004, Emotional Disturbance is
  defined as the following
• a condition exhibiting one or more of the
  following characteristics over a long period of
  time and to a marked degree that adversely
  affects a child's educational performance

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IDEA Definition of Emotional Disturbance

1. An inability to learn that cannot be explained
   by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
2. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory
   interpersonal relationships with peers and
   teachers.
3. Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings
   under normal circumstances

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IDEA Definition of Emotional Disturbance

• (D) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or
  depression.
• (E) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or
  fears associated with personal or school
  problems.
• (ii) Emotional disturbance includes
  schizophrenia.
• The term does not apply to children who are
  socially maladjusted, unless it is determined
  that they have an emotional disturbance

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Definition of Emotional Disturbance

• Emotional disturbance means a condition
  exhibiting one or more of the following
  characteristics
• In determining eligibility of Emotional
  Disturbance under IDEA, it must be determined if
  the student has an emotional condition that is
  manifested by one or more of the five
  characteristics listed in the definition of
  emotional disturbance.

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What is Over a Long Period of Time?

• Long Period of Time The standard for duration is
  not precisely specified.
• The literature frequently makes reference to
  several months (normally at least 6) as an
  appropriate standard.
• The intention is to avoid labeling a student who
  is temporarily reacting to a situational trauma.
  The characteristic(s) must also be evident over
  time and situations.
• (end
  lecture 1)

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What is a Marked Degree?

• Marked Degree The problems are significant and
  apparent to school staff members who observe the
  student in a variety of settings and situations.
• the problems must be more severe or frequent than
  the normally expected range of behavior for
  individuals of the same age, gender and cultural
  group.

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What is Adversely Affects a Childs Educational
Performance?

• Indicators of educational performance include
  present and past grades, achievement test scores
  and measures of ongoing classroom performance
• Adverse effect on educational performance implies
  a marked difference between the students
  academic performance and reasonable (not optimal)
  expectations of performance.

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A. What is an inability to learn that cannot be
explained by intellectual, sensory, or health
factors?

• This means that reduced intellect or sensory or
  health impairment cannot be the primary cause of
  the behavioral/emotional problem.
• The language an inability to learn that cannot
  be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health
  factors serves as an exclusion factor
• All other possible causes for why the child is
  unable to learn must be excluded

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A. What is an inability to learn that cannot be
explained by intellectual, sensory, or health
factors?

• There are problems inherent in the use of the
  phrase inability to learn
• Inability to learn is inconsistent with a
  philosophy that all children can be characterized
  as learners.
• Therefore, the inability to learn
  characteristic should be appropriately
  interpreted as serious difficulties in learning.

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B. What is an inability to build or maintain
satisfactory interpersonal relationships with
peers and teachers?

• This characteristic requires documentation that
  the student is unable to initiate or to maintain
  satisfactory interpersonal relationships with
  peers and teachers.
• Satisfactory interpersonal relationships include
  the ability to demonstrate sympathy, warmth and
  empathy toward others establish and maintain
  friendships be constructively assertive and
  work and play independently.
• This characteristic does not refer to the student
  who has conflict with only one teacher or with
  certain peers. Rather it is a pervasive inability
  to develop relationships with others across
  settings and situations.

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What is an inability to build or maintain
satisfactory interpersonal relationships with
peers and teachers?

• Examples of unsatisfactory student
  characteristics include
• physical or verbal aggression when others
  approach him or her
• lack of affect or disorganized/distorted emotions
  toward others
• demands for constant attention from others and
• withdrawal from all social interactions

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C. What is inappropriate types of behavior or
feelings under normal circumstances?

• This characteristic requires documentation that
  the students inappropriate behavior or feelings
  deviate significantly from expectations for the
  students age, gender and culture across
  different environments.
• Verbal threats of physical harm to people or
  animals
• Fighting for the sake of fighting
• Making loud or distracting noises in class for
  attention
• Wanting to hurt someone badly when not given
  his/her way
• rapid changes in behavior or mood
• low frustration tolerance, emotional
  overreactions, and impulsivity

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C. What is inappropriate types of behavior or
feelings under normal circumstances?

• When considering normal circumstances, the IEP
  Team should take into account whether a students
  home or school situation is disrupted by stress,
  recent changes, or unexpected events.

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What is a general pervasive mood of unhappiness
or depression?

• This characteristic requires documentation that
  the students unhappiness or depression is
  occurring across most, if not all, of the
  students life situations.
• The student must demonstrate a consistent pattern
  of depression or unhappiness in keeping with the
  criterion, long period of time (i.e., several
  months).
• In other words, this pattern is not a temporary
  response to situational factors or to a medical
  condition.

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What is a general pervasive mood of unhappiness
or depression?

• Examples of characteristics associated with
  depression or unhappiness are
• persistent feelings of sadness
• feeling hopeless or helpless
• suicidal thoughts
• having low self-esteem and feeling inadequate
• excessive guilt
• feelings of wanting to die
• anhedonia
• difficulty with relationships

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What is a tendency to develop physical symptoms
or fears associated with personal or school
problems?

• This characteristic requires documentation that
  the student exhibits physical symptoms or fears
  associated with his or her personal or school
  life.
• Persistent physical symptoms must have a negative
  impact on learning.
• Data needs to be obtained across settings and
  over time, and medical evidence needs to be
  obtained to document that the problem does not
  have a physical origin
• E.g., headaches, panic attacks, stomach pains,
  separation anxiety

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What is Schizophrenia?

• The federal definition of emotional disturbance
  under IDEA includes students with schizophrenia
• Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder
  characterized by psychotic symptoms - thought
  disorder, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia -
  and impairment in job/school and social
  functioning.
• Contrary to the common misconception,
  schizophrenia does not mean "split or multiple
  personality." And, although people with
  schizophrenia often are portrayed as violent on
  television and in movies, that is seldom the
  case.
• Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling and
  puzzling mental disorders. It is a very rare
  childhood disorder

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What is Social Maladjustment?

• The federal definition of emotional disturbance
  under IDEA does not include students with social
  maladjustment.
• "social maladjustment"a term that is not
  specifically defined under IDEA .
• Under IDEA, one category receives special
  education services (emotional disturbance), while
  the other (socially maladjusted) receives none.

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Social Maladjustment

• IDEA implies that socially maladjusted students
  choose to break societal rules but that
  students that students with ED break those rules
  because of their disability
• In other words, IDEA regards students with
  emotional or behavioral disorders as victims of
  their impairments (they have a disability), but
  considers socially maladjusted students those who
  consciously choose to make these destructive
  decisions
• Obviously, this is a very controversial issue 

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Final Point on Definition of Emotional
Disturbance

• Since the passage of P.L. 94-142 (Education
  for All Handicapped Childrens Act) in 1975,
  only 2 changes have been made to the definition
  of emotional disturbance
• Autism, originally included in this category,
  became a separate disability category in 1990
• 2. Prior to 1997, the term used was Serious
  Emotional Disturbance Under IDEA 97, the name
  was changed to Emotional Disturbance
• note--Public Law 94-142 became known as IDEA
  in 1990.