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For years, the research and policy focus on Black students with emotional disturbance (ED) has been on racial disproportionality. The disproportionality issue has sparked professional debate and raised major questions about racial bias, cultural fairness, appropriateness of assessment instruments, the adequacy of special education programs, poverty, exposure to risk factors, and research approaches. Unfortunately, minimal progress has been made on understanding the overrepresentation of Black students in ED programs. The purpose of the present study was to initiate research on the emotional and behavioral functioning of Black students with ED, by comparing the teacher-completed ratings from the Scales for Assessing Emotional Disturbance for Black students with ED ( n = 139), Black students without ED ( n = 421), White students with ED ( n = 271), and White students without ED ( n = 1,218). The results demonstrated that (a) Black students with ED were judged to demonstrate significantly higher levels of emotional and behavioral problems than their Black and White peers without ED, and (b) Black students with ED differed minimally from White students with ED. Research limitations, directions for future research, and implications for assessment and service delivery are discussed.

Approximately one in 10 children in the United States is diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a disability that can negatively affect academic achievement, yet relatively few children with ADHD are in special education. To better understand factors that determine which students with ADHD are in special education, we analyzed students in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011 (ECLS-K: 2011). Using logistic regression, we looked to see which sociodemographic, academic, executive functioning, and behavioral skills, all measured in kindergarten, significantly influenced the odds a student would receive special education services for ADHD in fourth grade ( N = 220). Results showed that higher conflict with teachers and lower working memory significantly increased these odds. Furthermore, even when controlling for academic and social skills, students who are girls, Hispanic/Latinx, and/or living in a home where a language other than English is spoken were less likely to receive special education services for ADHD. Findings suggest early identification of students with ADHD and special education needs is possible and that sociodemographic characteristics play a significant role in determining who receives special education services for ADHD.

Ensuring the provision of a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to students qualified for services under the disability category of emotional disturbance (ED) has been both challenging and controversial. Examining this population in light of the five characteristics listed in the federal definition may provide useful insights to address needs and improve outcomes. The purpose of this study was to use latent class analysis to examine profiles across the five characteristics of the federal definition of ED for a sample of 491 students school-identified with ED. Key findings include that (a) students with ED are a heterogeneous group with distinct and qualitatively different subgroups; (b) latent classes representing the severe problems and the externalizing problems typologies tended to consist of younger students; (c) greater proportions of Black, Hispanic, and English-language learner students were found in the severe and externalizing latent classes; and (d) students in the externalizing and severe latent classes spent more time in special education classrooms and had worse ratings on social maladjustment. The findings highlight important implications for practice in regard to assessment, program differentiation, and preservice teacher training. Research limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.

Peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) are an effective support for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) for improving targeted behavioral skills. As one of the most important strategies in PMI, peer prompting and reinforcement (PR) provides an effective approach for developing and maintaining positive behavior. This article provides practitioners serving elementary school students with and/or at risk for EBD with a step-by-step process for implementing PMI using PR strategy, including steps for intervention intensification when data suggest that as a path forward.

Positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) is a widely adopted framework to support the social, emotional, and behavioral growth of all students. This article addresses two key questions related to supporting students with disabilities through PBIS: (a) Why focus on universal classroom PBIS practices?—without support, students with disabilities experience poor outcomes—and (b) How do you implement PBIS in classrooms that support all students?—differentiate and intensify supports.

This study examined the internal structure of the Scales for Assessing Emotional Disturbance-3 Rating Scale (RS), a teacher-completed RS developed to measure emotional disturbance (ED). As defined in U.S. law and regulations, ED involves five characteristics or patterns of behavioral and emotional maladaptation. RS data obtained on a sample of students with ED were used to examine validity evidence based on the internal structure of the assessment. Of particular interest was the extent to which multivariate factors derived from the RS data conform to the five characteristics of ED stated in the definition. Results indicate that the RS data fit a 5-factor model reasonably well. A subsequent bifactor analysis identified a considerable proportion of common variance across factors, suggesting the presence of a strong general ED factor, two distinct group factors (Inability to Learn and Inappropriate Behavior), and three weak group factors. The findings provided evidence of the validity of the SAED-3 RS based on internal structure and pointed to support for use of the RS in contributing to the process of determining whether a student qualifies for the ED education disability. Implications for improved research on the nature of ED and how students with ED can be better served are discussed.

The present study explored the psychometric properties of ratings made using the Scales for Assessing Emotional Disturbance–Third Edition: Rating Scale (SAED-3 RS), a scale developed for use in identifying school-age students with emotional and behavioral problems. The purposes of the study were to assess differential item functioning (DIF) for SAED-3 RS items between White and Hispanic students and to assess the impact of DIF on SAED-3 RS scale scores. The sample consisted of 979 students without disabilities who were identified as White/Non-Hispanic (71.91%) and Hispanic (28.09%). The data indicated that SAED-3 RS items demonstrated small to negligible levels of DIF and that DIF did not saliently impact scores. The data suggest that items and scores yielded from the SAED-3 RS are consistent in measuring the emotional and behavioral functioning of school-age students from diverse backgrounds. Research limitations, future research directions, and practical use implications for school personnel are discussed.

The co-occurrence of social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties (SEBD), maltreatment, and language disorders (LD) is recognized in school-age children; however, the nature of the interaction between them remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore associations between LD and SEBD in children with and without suspected histories of maltreatment. Forty-one primary school students enrolled at a specialist unit for children with SEBD are described with respect to language skills, maltreatment history, and comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders. Two thirds of students who met criteria for SEBD also met criteria for LD. Children with higher levels of internalizing problems were found to have stronger expressive language scores, but otherwise the severity of LD did not correlate with severity of SEBD. SEBD was similar in students with and without a history of maltreatment, and this did not increase the likelihood or severity of LD, except for pragmatic language skills. There is considerable overlap between SEBD, LD, and suspected maltreatment in this group. Students with SEBD and/or a suspected history of maltreatment need additional support to ensure that the interaction of their behavior and communication difficulties are understood so they make steady progress in social and academic skills and remain engaged in school.

The purpose of this article was to examine the relationships between (a) youth and facility characteristics and (b) youth risk and resilience factors (i.e., mental health, self-determination [SD]) in juvenile justice facilities. Extant self-report data from 205 nationally representative correctional facilities and 7,073 youth, collected as part of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Survey of Residential Placement, were analyzed. Youth charateristics included sex, race, disability classification, mental health status, traumatic events/abuse encountered, offense committed, and SD. Facility factors included facility climate and counseling services. Results indicated that both prior abuse and victimization in the facility were positively correlated with mental health symptoms and SD. Positive perceptions of facility climate were associated with lower mental health symptoms. Youth who were female, younger, with a learning disability, and had committed a violent offense, reported more mental health symptoms. Positive perceptions of facility climate and receipt of counseling in the facility were associated with higher SD. Contrary to expectations, prior abuse and victimization in the facility were associated with higher SD. Recommendations include creating positive facility climates, developing targeted SD instruction, and providing tailored counseling services to facilitate successful transitions out of juvenile justice.

This article presents the findings of a 2-year-long quasi-experimental study of post-release engagement and recidivism for youth with disabilities. The effects of specialized Reentry Intervention and Support for Engagement (RISE) for youth with disabilities were compared with two other groups: (a) youth with disabilities who received traditional special education services, and (b) youth without disabilities who received traditional general education services in a juvenile correctional facility. Regardless of group, participants who were engaged in the community 30 days post-release were more likely to be engaged at 120 days and less likely to recidivate than nonengaged participants. However, compared with the two other groups, participants who received RISE services were more likely to be engaged in the community at 120 days post-release and have significantly lower rates of recidivism. We conclude our study by examining limitations, suggestions, implications for practice and policy, and future research.

In this article, we open with a discussion of stress and its potential impact on the teaching profession. We then follow with an empirical rationale for and steps in the implementation of potentially promising mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions for teachers, particularly teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Body scan, calm breathing, focused attention, and relaxation are highlighted. A list of resources for further use of MBSR is included.

This article describes the findings of a qualitative investigation that provide some of the first detailed information from the caregiver’s perspective about utilizing hippotherapy for children with a wide range of needs. In contrast to prior studies that focused primarily on the benefits of hippotherapy for children with cerebral palsy (CP) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this study included children with a broader range of congenital disorders, developmental disabilities, and medical issues. Many research studies have looked at the benefits of hippotherapy for those with CP and ASD. There is limited research on the impact of this form of therapy on various other childhood diseases or disorders. This multiple case study identified patterns of caregivers’ responses to semi-structured interview questions as to the impact of hippotherapy on their children. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 11 caregivers. Thematic analysis of the qualitative interviews identified four themes; caregiver life concerns for their children, benefits of hippotherapy, quality of life improvements, and use of other therapies. The findings of this study represent a valuable first step in gaining a better understanding of the benefits of hippotherapy for these children. They are consistent with and expand upon findings of earlier studies that found therapeutic benefits for children with ASD and CP who participated in hippotherapy.

Although global associations between language and behavioral development are well established, relations among components and subgroups within these disorders remain unclear. The primary aim of this study was to explore whether language components differed by behavioral subtypes: internalizing only, externalizing only, or both. To control for confounding factors identified in prior studies related to sampling and measurement, we conducted profile analyses of receptive, expressive, pragmatic, semantic, syntactic, or higher order language skills in 46 boys with emotional disturbance (ED) using one comprehensive language measure. On average, the internalizing-only group outperformed all other behavioral subgroups. Absence of interaction effects indicated similar patterns of performance, with all groups performing lowest in pragmatic language. We also report prevalence rates of language deficits in the sample and analyze results using two different grouping strategies. Discussion includes the importance of considering comorbidity and establishing independent behavioral subgroups in research, as well as implications for assessment and intervention in practice.

In the past decade, the number of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has steadily increased. A common characteristic of ASD is the presence of stereotypical behaviors (e.g., hand flapping, echolalia), which some have suggested may be associated with heightened arousal and/or anxiety. The purpose of this study is to compare antecedent interventions that have been used to decrease stereotypical behaviors in three elementary students with ASD by modulating arousal. Using a single-case alternating treatments design across participants, we compared the relative efficacy of antecedent exercise with two forms of deep-pressure therapy (DPT; compression vest and weighted blanket). Results of the current study found mixed effects for the interventions, with DPT providing little reduction of stereotypical behaviors and antecedent exercise (riding a stationary bike) providing improvement in two of three cases. Implications for practitioners and future research are provided.

Calvin is a student who will not stay in his seat. He calls out constantly. Calvin does not complete his class work, and his homework is rarely returned. Do you have a student like Calvin? Does he fail to turn in homework, or act disrespectfully toward teachers and peers? Easy to implement, the Daily Behavior Report Card is an empirically based behavioral intervention that can help busy teachers better manage their classroom.

Check, Connect, and Expect (CCE) is a secondary tier behavioral intervention that provides students with levels of support including a dedicated “coach” for check-in and check-out procedures, and social skills instruction. Elementary students ( n = 22) in an alternative education school setting received CCE for 13 weeks following 4 weeks of baseline data collection. Measures included (a) daily progress reports (DPR), (b) direct observation of academic engagement, and (c) curriculum-based measures of academic growth (math calculation and oral reading fluency). These measures were used to examine the relationship between CCE and student outcomes using an interrupted time series design and multilevel growth curve modeling. This quasi-experimental within-subjects design compared the slopes and intercepts of baseline student data with intervention student data. Results demonstrate that students displayed statistically significant improvement on DPRs at the onset of CCE and demonstrated positive behavioral growth during CCE. There was also a statistically significant improvement of academic engagement at the onset of CCE. There was no statistically significant change in academic performance. A description of potential moderating variables, future research directions, and practical significance is presented.