Meeting the Needs of Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders During the COVID-19 School Closures

The COVID-19 global pandemic left many educators making an emergency transition to remote instruction when schools were initially closed. Although this transition was likely difficult for most students, it may have been particularly difficult for students with emotional or behavioral disorders who have complex and resource-intensive social, emotional, and behavioral needs. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which special educators and related service providers felt they were able to meet those needs in the context of the pandemic occurring in the Spring of 2020. Results indicated respondents’ perceptions of their ability to meet students’ needs and implement their students’ individualized education programs (IEPs) were moderated by policies on remote instruction and students’ access to technology. In addition, respondents suggested district- and school-level response strategies, professional development on remote instruction, access to the internet at home, and additional technology would be helpful in future school closures. Implications and limitations are discussed.

The Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Emotional and Behavioral Health’s Position Statement on Solitary Confinement

This document, from the Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Emotional and Behavioral Health (DEBH), provides clear and compelling support for the abolishment of solitary confinement with incarcerated youth and young adults in juvenile and adult correctional facilities. This is the first position statement from DEBH on the topic, and the information includes (a) a definition of solitary confinement, (b) discussion of its use, (c) an explanation of the impacts of solitary confinement on youth, (d) identification of systemic issues that perpetuate the use of solitary confinement, (e) an examination of U.S. laws concerning the use of solitary confinement, (f) a declaration of principles, and (g) recommendations for policy and practice.

Comparison of Educationally Labeled and Nonlabeled Adolescents With Emotional and Behavioral Needs

Epidemiologic research suggests a gap between prevalence estimates of students with emotional or behavioral problems and the actual number of students identified under the federal category of emotional disturbance (ED). To better understand issues related to the identification gap, we investigated the academic and behavioral functioning, school-based services, frequency of discipline incidents, and predictors of labels among 626 secondary age students referred for participation in a larger study due to emotional and behavioral difficulties. Students with special education labels (i.e., ED, specific learning disability [SLD], other health impairment [OHI]) were compared to those who did not have a school label. Analyses indicated that there were no significant differences between groups on standardized measures of emotional and behavioral functioning. Academic performance was the only distinction, with students with learning disabilities scoring significantly lower in reading and math than students with other and without disabilities. Students without an ED label received significantly fewer services whereas students with an ED label received significantly higher rates of disciplinary actions. Finally, demographic data examined did not differentially predict receipt of a label.

A Positive Version of the Good Behavior Game in a Self-Contained Classroom for EBD: Effects on Individual Student Behavior

A within-participant withdrawal design was used to examine the effects of a positive version of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) for three students in an elementary special education classroom for students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD). Results indicated immediate improvements in disruptive behavior and academic engagement for all three students when the GBG was implemented which was generally replicated in the second intervention phase for academic engagement. Tau- U effect sizes ranged from .76 to .95 indicating large and very large effects for both behaviors for two students and academic engagement for the third student, but Tau- U for the third student’s disruptive behavior was .32 (considered not effective). Two students exhibited slight decreasing trends in academic engagement behavior and increasing trends in disruptive behavior near the end of intervention phases. A preliminary within-session analysis also suggested students’ behavior was generally better in intervention phases both during and not during the GBG when compared with their baseline levels of behavior. Social validity information suggested generally positive teacher and student perceptions about the GBG initially, with less positive student perceptions 10 weeks following the conclusion of the study. The teacher reported implementing the GBG 5 times over the 10 weeks following the conclusion of the study.

Services for Juveniles With Emotional Disturbances in Secure-Care Settings: An Exploratory Analysis of Racial Disparities and Recidivism

This study examines associations between recidivism rates and groups/programs for legally mandated education, behavioral, and mental health services that court-ordered juvenile youth (“juveniles”) with identified Emotional Disturbance or related conditions receive in secure-care juvenile facilities. Using statewide agency data in Minnesota, this exploratory analysis investigates whether there are racial/ethnic and county disparities in residential placements or secure-care settings via programs and groups for court-ordered juveniles ( n = 1,092). The study also considers whether program and group placements contribute to racial/ethnic patterns of recidivism. This study finds that recidivism rate differences by program/group level are largely attributed to differences in racial/ethnic compositions. Findings suggest placements lack strong effects on recidivism, and assignments may perpetuate inequalities. In addition, from this exploratory analysis examination, this article offers considerations for future research-to-practice partnerships to strengthen legally and policy-mandated program and service delivery with practices that increase training to juvenile justice system professionals, access to secure-care setting services, and transition services for juveniles.

Instructional Level and Engagement in Students With Behavioral Disorders

This study examined the effects of adjusting the difficulty level of instructional materials on the time on-task and comprehension of four students with emotional and behavioral disorders. All participants previously exhibited low rates of on-task behavior during reading assignments. Students were presented with reading materials at their instructional, frustration, and independent levels to assess the effect on time on-task and comprehension. All four students demonstrated the highest percent of on-task behavior when presented with reading materials at their instructional level. Comprehension scores were highest for all four students at the independent level and lowest at the frustration level.

CCBD’s Position on Eliminating the Use of Seclusion in Educational Settings

This document provides recommendations of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) regarding the use of seclusion in schools. It updates the CCBD’s position on this topic first published in 2009 and includes (a) key definitions, (b) a summary of problems with the use of seclusion, (c) strategies to eliminate the use of seclusion, (d) a summary of law and policy related to seclusion, (e) a summary of research on seclusion, (f) a declaration of principles, and (g) recommendations regarding the elimination of seclusion in educational settings. A parallel document provides recommendations related to the use of physical restraint procedures in educational settings, which is often associated with the use of seclusion procedures.

Profiles of Emotional Disturbance Across the Five Characteristics of the Federal Definition

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 comprise 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.

Empowering School Staff to Implement Effective School Mental Health Services

In this article, we follow up on recommendations from the Council for Children With Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) for providing school mental health (SMH) services by offering additional implementation suggestions for teachers and school staff. We highlight the need for and urgency of SMH services, particularly during and after the pandemic, and also consider broad issues that interfere with the success of SMH. We then provide a number of specific recommendations for integrating the delivery of SMH services within a tiered system of supports that are intended to empower school staff to move toward implementation. Last, we address how effective implementation can be facilitated by strong administrative support along with capacity building.