Emotional Disturbance

Cornell Law School (34 CFR § 300.8 - Child with a disability)  Describes Emotional Disturbances as follows:

• "...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:

  • An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

  • An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

  • Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

  • A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

  • A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.” 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Southern Arizona puts this very well:

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. (4)

Some of the characteristics and behaviors seen in children who have an emotional disturbance include:

• Hyperactivity (short attention span, impulsiveness);

• Aggression or self-injurious behavior (acting out, fighting);

• Withdrawal (not interacting socially with others, excessive fear or anxiety);

• Immaturity (inappropriate crying, temper tantrums, poor coping skills); and

• Learning difficulties (academically performing below grade level).

Emotional Disturbances (Illinois State Board of Education) have many umbrella terms like the following (but are not limited to):

• anxiety disorders

• bipolar disorder (sometimes called manic-depression)

• conduct disorders

• eating disorders

• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

• psychotic disorders

Clarifications for Emotional Disability

• Best practice would be to involve a clinical and/or school psychologist to assist with the decision regarding emotional disability.

• A diagnosis alone does not qualify a student for special education under IDEA or Ch. 60

• If there is no adverse impact on educational performance, a student’s out of-school behavior is not a basis for eligibility, no matter how disordered.

• A student who is socially maladjusted (i.e., continued misbehavior outside acceptable norms; see *Social maladjustment for further clarification) is not emotionally disabled, unless it is determined that he/she has an emotional disability.

Social maladjustment: A social maladjustment is a persistent pattern of violating societal norms, such as multiple acts of truancy, substance abuse, or sex abuse, and is marked by struggle with authority, low frustration threshold, impulsivity, or manipulative behaviors. A social maladjustment unaccompanied by an emotional disability is often indicated by some or all of the following:

• Unhappiness or depression that is not pervasive.

• Problem behaviors that are goal-directed, self-serving, and manipulative.

• Actions that are based on perceived self-interest even though others may consider the behavior to be self defeating.

• General social conventions and behavioral standards are understood, but are not accepted.

• Negative counter-cultural standards or peers are accepted and followed.

• Problem behaviors have escalated during preadolescence or adolescence.

• Inappropriate behaviors are displayed in selected settings or situations (e.g., only at home, in school, or in selected classes), while other behavior is appropriately controlled.

• Problem behaviors are frequently the result of encouragement by a peer group, are intentional, and the student understands the consequences of such behaviors.

Required Evidence

The following conditions "Must be in existence for a long period* of time, or to a marked degree**":

• Emotional conditions that interfere with learning

  • An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors

    • Examples: Exhibits significantly limited self-control, including an impaired ability to pay attention not due to ADD/ADHD)

    • Out of touch with reality; presence of auditory and visual hallucinations, thought disorders, disorientation, or delusions

• Emotional conditions that significantly interfere with social development

  • An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers

    • Social development involves those adaptive behaviors and social skills that enable a student to meet environmental demands in an educational setting

    • Examples: Withdrawal, avoidance of social interaction and/or lack of personal care to an extent that maintenance of satisfactory interpersonal relationships is prevented

    • Displays consistent pattern of aggression toward objects or persons to an extent that development or maintenance of satisfactory relationships is prevented

• Displays of unexpected and atypical affect for the situation.

  • Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances

    • Examples: Out of touch with reality; presence of auditory and visual hallucinations, thought disorders, disorientation or delusions

    • Cannot get mind off certain thoughts or ideas; cannot keep self from engaging in repetitive and/or useless actions

    • Pervasive oppositional, defiant, or non-compliant responses

    • Persistent patterns of bizarre and/or exaggerated behavior reactions to routine environments

• Unhappiness or depression

  • A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression

    • Examples: Exhibits pervasive sad affect, depression, and feelings of worthlessness; cries suddenly or frequently

• Physical symptoms or fears

  • A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems

    • Examples: Persistent physical complaints not due to a medical condition

    • Excessive fear and anxiety

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• *Long period of time

  • A range of time from two to nine months, assuming preliminary interventions have been implemented and proven ineffective

    • Record review of developmental, medical, and social history.

    • Cumulative school records.

• **Marked degree

  • The frequency, duration, or intensity of a student’s behavior in comparison to the behavior of his peers. This can be indicative of either degree of acuity or pervasiveness. (OSEP,1989)

  • Record review of developmental, medical, educational, and social/behavioral history.

  • Observation of behaviors in comparison to peers.

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• Adversely affects educational performance

  • All findings should lead to the conclusion that the unique behaviors/challenges the student is experiencing is associated with the disability and are occurring frequently and at a level of intensity that adversely affects performance in the PRESENT educational setting or natural environment.

• Exclusionary Factors

All questions must be answered and considered when determining the primary cause for the student’s learning difficulties.

• Was the information gathered from a variety of informants and measured using various tools? One test or one source of information must not be used in the determination of special education eligibility.

• Appropriate instruction and English proficiency – Both must be ruled out as the primary cause of the learning difficulty.

  • Appropriate Instruction - Did the student receive appropriate instruction in reading and math? (Consider attendance, standards based

instruction, targeted interventions tried and results of interventions, etc)

(Preschool students: “appropriate Instruction” means exposure to appropriate developmental and early literacy /numeracy activities.)

•  English Proficiency - Was English proficiency addressed and ruled out as the primary cause of the learning difficulty? • Is the student socially maladjusted? (*See Social Maladjustment below.) If yes, the student cannot be identified as ED.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Need for special education and related services

  • Connect the student’s performance and needs to the eligibility category selected 

    • Summarize findings with a concluding statement that connects the disability with the impact on education and the need for special education.

  • Determine and identify the specially designed instruction needed to make progress in the general education curriculum.

    • Describe the nature and extent of the student’s need for specially designed instruction. What does the student need in the areas of instruction, curriculum, and/or environment?

  • (Specially designed instruction means that the student must have adapted content, methodology or delivery of instruction.)

    • Identify the instructional strategies, accommodations, and modifications that the student needs to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum.

Strategies

Sample IEP: IEP ED 

• Learning and Academics

  • Use data to inform decision-making.  (Data Sources: Dynamic Assessment )

  • Post a general class schedule that indicates what students should be expected to do as they enter your classroom, when homework is collected, etc.

  • Before your students enter class, write on the board what will happen during that specific class period and how long each activity will take.  

  • Develop and maintain an active schedule with evenly intermixed direction instruction, individual seatwork, and cooperative learning activities.     

  • To prevent student frustration, intersperse more challenging, acquisition-oriented learning activities with review / maintenance-enhancing activities.  

  • Provide time for the student to catch up on missed work or to review concepts that they are struggling with. 

*For more strategies click on this link: Emotional Disturbance: Learning and Academics 

• Socialization

  • Use data to inform decision-making.  (Data Sources: Dynamic Assessment )

  • Explicitly and frequently teach social rules and skills.

  • Model appropriate responses to social situations.

  • Engage student in role-play opportunities to practice appropriate responses. 

  • Explain rules/rationales behind social exchanges.

  • Target perspective-taking skills.

*For more strategies click on this link: Emotional Disturbance: Learning and Academics 

• Behavior

  • Arrange observation and data collection system to monitor student’s behavior across all school contexts.

  • Use data to inform decision-making. (Data Sources: REF HAR CH 60)

    • Functional behavior assessment.

      • Identify and define problem and replacement behaviors

      • Collect data

      • Identify the function of the behavior

      • design a function-based intervention

      • Maximize intervention success

      • Implement the intervention

      • Evaluate the intervention

    • Behavior rating scales.

    • Checklists.

    • Observations in natural environment Standardized assessments. Social/emotional assessments.

  • Regularly communicate with family members and teachers to ensure consistent response to student’s behavior. 

  • Model tolerance and acceptance. 

  • Provide opportunities for the student to assume responsibilities, such as distributing papers.

**For more strategies click on this link: Emotional Disturbance: Learning and Academics 

• Affective Characteristics

  • Regularly communicate with family members, guidance counselors, community-based service providers, counselors, etc.

  • Be aware of fears (through communication with the student, teachers, and parents).  

  • Be aware of medication schedules and what the medication effects may be. 

  • Be positive and supportive.

  • Introduce opportunities for freewriting, journaling, or drawing to express feelings.

**For more strategies click on this link: Emotional Disturbance: Learning and Academics 

Reference: Academic Accommodations 

• Best Practice

  • Instructor, student, and disability support service professional work cooperatively in establishing, understanding and implementing accommodations

• Functional Limitations

  • Difficulty with medication side effects

  • Screening out environmental stimuli

  • Sustaining concentration

  • Maintaining Stamina

  • Handling time pressures and multiple tasks

  • Interacting with others

  • Fear of authority figures

  • Responding to negative feedback

  • Responding to change

  • Severe test anxiety

• Instructional Strategies

  • Address a variety of learning styles

    • E.g. auditory, visual, kinesthetic, experiential, or combination of styles

  • Incorporate experiential learning activities

  • Be prepared to set behavioral expectations for all students

  • Embrace diversity to include people with emotional disturbance

• Classroom accommodations

  • Preferential seating

    • E.g. near the door to allow leaving class for breaks

  • Assigned classmate as volunteer shoulder partner (assistant)

  • Beverages in class

  • Prearranged or frequent breaks

  • Recording device (for notes, teachers lectures etc.)

  • Notetaker or photocopy of another's notes

  • Early availability of syllabus and textbooks

  • Alternate means of course materials (lectures, handouts)

    • Shared drive, thumb drive, etc.

  • Private feedback on academic performance

  • "Calm Corner" where a student can take a moment to reset with different healthy strategies provided like fidgets, deep breathing, jumping jacks, etc

• Assessment accommodations

  • Alternate means of assessment

    • E.g. multiple choice, essay, oral, presentations, role-play, or portfolio

  • Use of adaptive computer software

  • Extended time for assessments

  • Assessments individually proctored in a separate, quiet and non-distracting environment/room

  • Increased frequency of assessments

• Assignment Accommodations

  • Substitute assignments in specific circumstances

  • Advance notice of assignments

  • Permission to submit assignments handwritten rather than typed or vice versa

  • Written assignments in lieu of oral presentations or vice versa

  • Assignments completed in dramatic formats

    • E.g. demonstration, role-play, and drawing, painting or other artistic forms

  • Assignment assistance during hospitalization

  • Extended time to complete assignments

• Documentation

  • Use jargon free language

  • Documentation must be from a variety of sources

  • Identify the sources of information and explain evidence

• Emotional conditions that interfere with learning

  • Clearly state how ALL data leads to the conclusion that the emotional difficulties are significant and interfering with the ability to learn.

  • Documentation must include evidence that behaviors have been in existence over a long period of time and to a marked degree.

• Emotional conditions that significantly interfere with social development

  • Clearly state how ALL data leads to the finding that the emotional condition significantly impacts the student’s ability to build or maintain social relationships.

  • Documentation must include evidence that behaviors have been in existence over a long period of time and to a marked degree.

• Displays of unexpected and atypical affect for the situation

  • Clearly state how ALL data leads to the finding of inappropriate types of behaviors or feelings in normal situations.

  • Documentation must include evidence that behaviors have been in existence over a long period of time and to a marked degree.

• Unhappiness or depression

  • Clearly state how ALL data leads to the finding of a general mood of unhappiness or depression across various settings and situations.

  • Documentation must include evidence that behaviors are pervasive and have been in existence over a long period of time and to a marked degree.

• Physical symptoms or fears

  • Clearly state how ALL data leads to the finding of a

  • tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

  • Documentation must include evidence that behaviors have been in existence over a long period of time and to a marked degree.

• Long period of time

  • A range of time from two to nine months, assuming preliminary interventions have been implemented and proven ineffective

  • Record review of developmental, medical, and social history.

  • Cumulative school records.

  • include documentation of time period along with description of behaviors.

• Marked degree

  • The frequency, duration, or intensity of a student’s behavior in comparison to the behavior of his peers. This can be indicative of either degree of acuity or pervasiveness. (OSEP,1989)

  • Record review of developmental, medical, educational, and social/behavioral history.

  • Observation of behaviors in comparison to peers.

  • Documentation that behaviors are pervasive and occurring beyond what is typically expected when compared to peers should be included with description of behaviors.

• Adversely affects educational performance

  • All findings should lead to the conclusion that the unique behaviors/challenges the student is experiencing is associated with the disability and are occurring frequently and at a level of intensity that adversely affects performance in the PRESENT educational setting or natural environment.

  • Explain how the Emotional Disability is adversely affecting the student’s performance in the educational setting or natural environment. (see * Identifying the adverse effect ...”)

Identifying the adverse effect of the disability on education and the connection to the need for special education

• Challenges because of the disability

  • What are the unique challenges the student is experiencing because of the Emotional Disability?

• Area(s) affected

  • Is academic learning affected?

  • Is communication affected?

  • Is independent functioning affected?

• How areas are affected

  • In what ways are the defined areas affected?

    • Must be unique to the student

• Need for specially designed instruction

  • Does the student need interventions that significantly differ in intensity and duration from what can be provided solely through general education resources and services currently in place?

Essential conditions and need for special education

• Exclusionary Factors

All questions must be answered and considered when determining the primary cause for the student’s learning difficulties.

• Was the information gathered from a variety of informants and measured using various tools? One test or one source of information must not be used in the determination of special education eligibility.

• Appropriate instruction and English proficiency – Both must be ruled out as the primary cause of the learning difficulty.

  • Appropriate Instruction - Did the student receive appropriate instruction in reading and math? (Consider attendance, standards based

instruction, targeted interventions tried and results of interventions, etc)

(Preschool students: “appropriate Instruction” means exposure to appropriate developmental and early literacy /numeracy activities.)

• • English Proficiency - Was English proficiency addressed and ruled out as the primary cause of the learning difficulty? • Is the student socially maladjusted? (*See Social Maladjustment below.) If yes, the student cannot be identified as ED.

  • Is the student socially maladjusted? If yes, the student cannot be identified as ED.

• Need for special education and related services

  • Connect the student’s performance and needs to the eligibility category selected.

  • Determine and identify the specially designed instruction needed to make progress in the general education curriculum.

  • (Specially designed instruction means that the student must have adapted content, methodology or delivery of instruction.)

  • Summarize findings with a concluding statement that connects the disability with the impact on education and the need for special education.

  • Describe the nature and extent of the student’s need for specially designed instruction. What does the student need in the areas of instruction, curriculum, and/or environment?

  • Identify the instructional strategies, accommodations, and modifications that the student needs to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum.