School Mobility and Students with Emotional Disturbance

We examined the school mobility of a cross-sectional sample of 70 secondary-age youth with emotional disturbance (ED). Data were collected through an archival review of school records. Students’ school mobility histories were examined in terms of the overall number of schools attended in the elementary school years, as well as the timing of the moves that were made. Findings indicate that sample students experienced high rates of school mobility with 66% having changed schools at least once by the end of 2nd grade and 89% having changed schools at least once by the end of 5th grade. Strategies for minimizing school mobility and the impact of high rates of school mobility are reviewed.     

Strengthening the Capacity of Schools and Communities to Serve Students with Serious Emotional Disturbance

Target 2 of the National Agenda for Improving Results for Children and Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance stipulates that communities and schools serve children and youth with emotional needs in their neighborhood homes and regular classrooms by developing the capacity of teachers, schools, and communities to provide supports and resources. This statement is partially based upon the idea that children and youth who are placed out-of-district for special needs and services are often alienated from their neighborhoods and their communities. The Westerly, RI, and Alliance, OH, school districts, service delivery agencies and families collaborated to implement system-wide change, so as to accomplish two main goals. First, they intended on retaining students with emotional needs in their neighborhood schools and in regular classrooms. Second, they aimed to increase their effectiveness in addressing the needs of all students by providing a range of integrated resources. Both communities were strongly driven by the underlying objective: to improve the educational, economic, and social outcomes for all children.     

School Context and the Problem Behavior and Social Skills of Students with Emotional Disturbance

Variability in the social and behavioral characteristics of students with emotional disturbance (ED) in the public schools may impact special education effectiveness; yet very little evidence exists on how such variability may express itself from school to school. One place to begin such investigation involves school context as expressed by income level and academic performance. In this study, we selected 140 children (grades kindergarten through 6) receiving special education services for ED in schools in a large east-coast urban area. We gathered school-wide test results from state achievement testing and school poverty levels from eligibility for free or reduced lunch on each school. For each child, we collected teacher ratings of problem behavior and social skills. Findings from regression analyses revealed significant relationships between school context and children’s externalizing and internalizing behavior. We discuss the implications of these findings for the concept of ED as a unitary disability category in special education research and practice.     

A Review of Self-Management Interventions Targeting Academic Outcomes for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

The purpose of this review was to report on the effectiveness and focus of academic self-management interventions for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders. Twenty-two studies published in 20 articles and involving 78 participants met inclusionary criteria. The overall mean effect size (ES) across those studies was 1.80 (range –0.46 to 3.00), indicating effects were generally large in magnitude and educationally meaningful. Self-monitoring interventions were the predominant type of self-management technique used by researchers. The mean ES for intervention types were self-evaluation (1.13), self-monitoring (1.90), strategy instruction techniques (1.75), self-instruction techniques (2.71), and multiple-component interventions (2.11). Interventions targeted improvement in math calculation skills more than any other area. The mean ES by academic area were math interventions (1.97), writing (1.13), reading (2.28), and social studies (2.66). There was evidence to support a claim of the generalization and maintenance of findings. Implications, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.     

Academic Processing Speed Mediates the Influence of Both Externalizing Behavior and Language Skills on the Academic Skills of Students with Emotional Disturbance

The results from previous research suggest that there is a relatively small (albeit statistically significant) relationship between the externalizing behavior and academic skills of students with emotional disturbance (ED). Researchers have also found that the majority of these students have language deficits that hinder their academic performance. The purposes of this study were to investigate the mediating role of academic processing speed (i.e., academic fluency) on the relationship between: (a) The externalizing behavior and academic skills of K-12 students with ED; and (b) language skills and academic skills of students with ED. Results indicate that academic processing speed mediated the influence of both language skills and externalizing behavior on academic skills of this population. The findings, limitations, and implications were discussed.     

Improving Classroom Quality with The RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning: Proximal and Distal Outcomes

The RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning (“RULER”) is designed to improve the quality of classroom interactions through professional development and classroom curricula that infuse emotional literacy instruction into teaching–learning interactions. Its theory of change specifies that RULER first shifts the emotional qualities of classrooms, which are then followed, over time, by improvements in classroom organization and instructional support. A 2-year, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted to test hypotheses derived from this theory. Sixty-two urban schools either integrated RULER into fifth- and sixth-grade English language arts (ELA) classrooms or served as comparison schools, using their standard ELA curriculum only. Results from multilevel modeling with baseline adjustments and structural equation modeling support RULER’s theory of change. Compared to classrooms in comparison schools, classrooms in RULER schools exhibited greater emotional support, better classroom organization, and more instructional support at the end of the second year of program delivery. Improvements in classroom organization and instructional support at the end of Year 2 were partially explained by RULER’s impacts on classroom emotional support at the end of Year 1. These findings highlight the important contribution of emotional literacy training and development in creating engaging, empowering, and productive learning environments.     

Self-Monitoring of Attention Versus Self-Monitoring of Performance: Examining the Differential Effects Among Students with Emotional Disturbance Engaged in Independent Math Practice

Although students with emotional disturbance are commonly known for their social behavior deficits, they often have academic deficits as well. Unfortunately, most of the intervention research and many of the practices used with this population focus upon their social behavior deficits and fail to recognize the need to improve their academic skills. Therefore, there is a need for identifying research-based interventions that focus on ameliorating social and academic deficits often exhibited by students with emotional disturbance. The purpose of this study was to examine the differential effects of self-monitoring of attention versus self-monitoring of performance on the academic and social behaviors of three minority students identified as having emotional disturbance while independently engaged in practicing mathematical calculations. The findings suggest that students with emotional disturbance may perform better socially and academically during math practice while self-monitoring their academic performance. Social validity data also suggest that students rated self-monitoring of academic performance more favorably than self-monitoring of attention. In addition, all target students in this study exhibited levels of on-task behavior more similar to their peers while self-monitoring academic performance compared to self-monitoring attentive behavior.     

The Prevalence of Serious Emotional Disturbance: A Re-Analysis of Community Studies

The goal of these analyses was to use existing data to provide an empirically-based estimate of the prevalence in the population of Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) in children and adolescents, to assist States in their task, required under PL 102-321, of including such estimates in their applications for Block Grant funds. Seven data sets were identified that could provide estimates of SED. The principal investigators agreed on common definitions of the key components of SED: a psychiatric diagnosis and significant functional impairment. Two definitions of impairment were used: domain-specific (impairment in one or more of three areas of functioning) and global (in the worst 10% over all). They also defined a set of correlates and risk factors for SED: age, gender, race/ethnicity, and poverty. Investigators then reanalyzed their own data, using these standard definitions, and calculated the proportion of SED youth who received mental health care. The median estimate of SED with global impairment was 5.4%, with a range from 4.3% to 7.4%. Estimates of SED with domain-specific impairment ranged from 5.5% to 16.9% (median 7.7%). Rates were slightly higher in boys. There were no clear ethnic differences. Poverty doubled the risk of SED. Only one SED child in four had recently received mental health care. Estimates of SED are critically dependent on the method used to define diagnosis and functional impairment. Using common definitions, seven studies produced fairly consistent estimates, which were similar to the estimate of prevalence of Serious Mental Illness (SMI) in adults. Implications for the estimate of State-by-State prevalence rates are discussed.     

The Color-Vision Approach to Emotional Space: Cortical Evoked Potential Data

A framework for accounting for emotional phenomena proposed by Sokolov and Boucsein (2000) employs conceptual dimensions that parallel those of hue, brightness, and saturation in color vision. The approach that employs the concepts of emotional quality. intensity, and saturation has been supported by psychophysical emotional scaling data gathered from a few trained observers. We report cortical evoked potential data obtained during the change between different emotions expressed in schematic faces. Twenty-five subjects (13 male, 12 female) were presented with a positive, a negative, and a neutral computer-generated face with random interstimulus intervals in a within-subjects design, together with four meaningful and four meaningless control stimuli made up from the same elements. Frontal, central, parietal, and temporal ERPs were recorded from each hemisphere. Statistically significant outcomes in the P300 and N200 range support the potential fruitfulness of the proposed color-vision-model-based approach to human emotional space.     

The Emotional Impact of Ambivalent Sexism: Forecasts Versus Real Experiences

Research on affective forecasting indicates that people regularly mispredict the emotional impact of negative events. We extended this work by demonstrating several forecasting errors regarding women’s affective reactions to ambivalent sexism. In response to a survey about sexism against women, students at a university in the Central U.S. (N?=?188) overestimated the negative impact of hostile sexism, and underestimated the negative impact of benevolent sexism, relative to women’s reports of their actual experiences. Moreover, people mispredicted both the intensity of women’s initial affective reactions to, and the duration of women’s recovery following, ambivalent sexism. The data supported a model in which inaccurate estimates of initial intensity fully accounted for people’s inaccurate estimates of recovery duration following ambivalent sexism.     

Interrelations among Regulation Focus,Authenticity and Emotional Responses to Frustration of Self-Related Experiences among University Students in Turkey

The aim of this study is to investigate the possible interrelation of regulatory focus, authenticity and negative emotional responses to the frustration that surrounds relational and independent self-aspects in Turkey, both of which are witnessing a rise among the educated-urbanized population. Previous findings show that both independent self-aspects and relational self-aspects may be experienced authentically, while authenticity of self appears to be associated more closely with promotion focus than prevention focus. We proposed a model in which authenticity mediates the relationship between promotion focus and emotional responses to independent and related self-frustration, while prevention focus directly predicts emotional responses to relational self-frustration, and promotion focus directly predicts emotional responses to independent self-frustration. The proposed model is tested on self-reported data collected from Turkish university students (N?=?317). The results reveal that promotion focus was a direct predictor of emotional responses to frustration of the independent self-aspect, while prevention focus predicted directly the emotional responses to frustration of the relational self-aspect. Authenticity was found to mediate the relationship between promotion focus and the emotional responses to frustration of the relational self-aspect. These results suggest that relational goals, such as safeguarding the interests of significant others, may be regulated not only with prevention strategies, but also with promotion strategies, through perceived authenticity.     

Patient and Family Experiences and Opinions on Adding 22q11 Deletion Syndrome to the Newborn Screen

22q11 deletion syndrome (22qDS) has recently been proposed for addition to the newborn screening panel in Wisconsin and it seems likely that it may soon be considered in other states as well. Input from patients with 22qDS and their family was gathered from 21 phone interviews. Cardiac, palate, hypocalcemia, and multiple anomalies were common reasons for involved patients to be diagnosed, though age at diagnosis ranged from birth to adulthood. Many commented on their struggles with 22qDS, including worries about the future and the patient’s independence. In general, respondents favored newborn screening for 22qDS because it would help prevent some medical problems, increase access to services, explain existing problems, and identify mild cases. However, a minority expressed reservations, including concerns that it would disrupt bonding, could be too costly, and would not be useful for mild cases.     

Description and Formative Evaluation of the Kentucky IMPACT Program for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance

The Kentucky IMPACT Program is described and formative evaluation results are reported. This information suggests that the Program has value for children and youth with serious emotional and behavioral disorders.     

Classroom Behavior and the Ability to Decode Nonverbal Cues in Boys With Severe Emotional Disturbance

Abstract

Nonverbal decoding skills are important for successful social functioning, particularly for emotionally disturbed children. Boys with severe emotional disturbance (n = 25) and a control group of boys (n = 22) were compared regarding the relationship between ratings of classroom social behaviors and nonverbal decoding skills. Participants were predominantly African American. The Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy (Nowicki, 2001; Nowicki & Duke, 1994) was administered individually to the boys while teachers completed ratings of their social behavior in the classroom. The 2 groups of boys did not differ in nonverbal skills. However, aggressive classroom behaviors were associated with specific nonverbal skills only for the boys with severe emotional disturbance. These findings suggest that nonverbal abilities may have a greater impact on the social behavior of emotionally disturbed boys. Future research is needed to better understand the social difficulties of boys with severe emotional disturbance.     

Alexithymia, Irrational Beliefs, and the Rational-Emotive Explanation of Emotional Disturbance

In recent discussions of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Ellis has argued that unconscious processes supplement irrational beliefs in explaining psychopathology. The hypothesis of this investigation was that these unconscious processes reflect alexithymia. University students responded to the three factors from the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Malouff and Schutte Belief Scale (MSBS), 5 subscales from the Survey of Personal Beliefs, and instruments recording depression, anxiety, and neuroticism. As hypothesized, alexithymia and irrational beliefs predicted greater emotional disturbance while also displaying some small positive correlations with each other. In multiple regressions, both types of variables combined to predict emotional disturbance, with alexithymia explaining the greater amount of variance. Alexithymic difficulties in identifying emotions had uniquely negative mental health implications. The MSBS and the Low Frustration Tolerance subscale were the most noteworthy measures of a pathogenic irrationality. These data supported the claim that the unconscious processes of REBT could be conceptualized in terms of alexithymia.     

Use of the CAFAS to Evaluate Outcome for Youths with Severe Emotional Disturbance Served by Public Mental Health

Outcomes are reported for youths with serious emotional disturbance receiving customary services from community mental health service providers who receive state mental health funds. Various outcome indicators for the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) are described, as well as a procedure for categorizing youths into client types based on the CAFAS subscale scores. The youth's intake assessment was compared to the last CAFAS evaluation that the youth received. A statistically significant reduction in mean CAFAS total score was observed for the entire sample and for each client type. In addition, the mean number of subscales on which the youth was rated as severely impaired significantly decreased for the total sample and for each client type. The proportion of youths who experienced a clinically meaningful improvement in functioning was 58.6%. For the subset of youths who were rated as severely impaired on one or more subscales at intake, 53.1% left services without any severe impairments. The pattern of outcome results differed for subgroups based on type and extent of impairment. Implications of these findings and suggestions for using outcome monitoring to improve services in the public mental health sector are discussed.     

Implications of the National Agenda to Improve Results for Children and Youth with or at Risk of Serious Emotional Disturbance

Abstract

Fragmented, agency-centered services contribute to poor educational and social outcomes. The National Agenda to Improve Results for Children and Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance targets approaches that are knowledge-based and have a high likelihood of improving outcomes. This article explores the implications of the Agenda's seven targets andthe importance of early identification and prevention.