An Ecosystemic Approach to Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Schools

The ecosystemic approach offers a new perspective on emotional and behavioural difficulties in schools by offering a particular analysis of the interactional patterns observable in social systems. The authors describe the origins of this approach in the realm of family therapy and the field of general system theory, and demonstrate its application to emotional and behavioural difficulties in schools through a survey of relevant literature and the presentation of case study material.     

Aggressive Playground Behaviour in Children with Emotional and/or Behavioural Difficulties

This study takes the form of an action research project. The focus is on the aggressive playground behaviour demonstrated by a class of 10 7‐8 year old boys in a special school for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. An overview of the central issues is presented and potential strategies for behaviour improvement are identified. These strategies are evaluated and the most appropriate are identified for implementation in an attempt to remedy the aggressive playground behaviour. A non‐participant observation procedure is adopted and initial observations on the varying frequencies and levels of individual children's involvement in aggressive incidents are recorded. These findings are then analysed in order to identify the main types of aggressive actions and the children's individual roles within the incidents. The most appropriate strategies are then implemented, after which a second set of recordings of playground behaviour is taken. These show a marked decrease in the frequency of aggressive behaviours. Finally, the main findings are evaluated and a summary of procedures and central issues is offered.     

Improving Success in the Mainstream Setting for Pupils with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Pupils' perspectives are clearly a very significant element in seeking to understand and evaluate the educational process. In spite of this, research into 'the way pupils see it' has been limited. This paper focuses on a group whose views have so far suffered particular neglect. The writer sought the views of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties attending special schools. These pupils were asked what factors had influenced the way they had behaved in mainstream school. Their views on many aspects of their experience have implications which go beyond the education of this specific group. The paper concludes with a number of proposals for changes in mainstream education which might reduce the number of pupils currently educated outside the mainstream.     

The Development of Provision for Young People with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties: An activity theory analysis

In this article we consider aspects of past and continuing transformations in specific forms of social practice relating to educational services for young people now described as having emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). Our particular concern is the evolution of this provision and how historical dilemmas and tensions are relevant to explaining present and likely future developments. We believe that the framework of Activity Theory, not previously employed in this field, is a useful aid to analysis and facilitates wider understanding.     

Children with Behavioural and Emotional Difficulties: Complex Children,Complex Training for Teachers

This paper consists of two parents’ accounts of their experiences of having children with AD/HD. The article is divided into three distinct sections. In the first section the mother of ‘Simon’ describes her experience of bringing up a child who, from early infancy, presented challenging behaviour. She describes the effect of this on her family and her self esteem as a parent. She goes on to give an account of the process by which ‘Simon’ came to be diagnosed as having AD/HD and the effects of the ensuing treatment programme. In the second section the same writer describes the impact of her experience on her relationships with the extended family. The third section of the paper is provided by a second writer, who is also the mother of a child with AD/HD. This section focuses on the difficulties she experienced in dealing with her child's educational needs and the conflicts which arose between her and staff in her child's school.     

The Role of Play in Helping Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Access the Curriculum in a Mainstream Secondary School

In this discussion I aim to explore the use of ‘play’ with pupils with perceived emotional and behavioural difficulties in mainstream secondary schools and to provide practical examples of how this could be achieved. This will involve references to viewpoints regarding the value of play for its own sake, for therapeutic purposes, within child development, and within Primary education, and then the linking of these with discussions regarding the needs of children with perceived emotional and behavioural difficulties. The part on practice will focus on the use of play, in the sense of the provision of practical and concrete materials, as a means of accessing the curriculum in a mainstream secondary classroom, rather than on its use for emotional or social development, although the three can be shown to be interchangeable. This discussion is in no way meant to be considered as comparable to a piece of research or containing any empirical evidence as to the validity of the arguments within it. It is meant to present considerations, prompted by and deriving from personal perspectives and experiences.     

A Survey of Psychological Support for Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Special Schools in Great Britain

The research reported in this paper represents an attempt to discover the current state of psychological support, at a national level, for emotionally and behaviourally disturbed (EBD) children placed in special schools and units. There is little extant information about the levels of support such children receive. It is assumed these pupils have problems of a ‘psychological nature’ and are placed in special schools by collaboration between School Psychological Services and Special Education Departments. This survey examines this assumption and indicates what psychological resources are made available by local education authorities, child guidance clinics and independent agencies.     

Assessing Teacher Opinion on the Inclusion of Children with Social,Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties into Mainstream School Classes

Abstract

This study used a mixed methods approach to determine mainstream teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) considering the influence of age, experience, qualifications and the support they receive. The study further considered whether there was a link between attitudes and willingness to work with such children in mainstream classrooms whilst identifying the barriers to successful inclusion. A sample of 50 primary teachers (14 males; 36 females) volunteered to take part in the study. The results indicated that age, time in profession and support received were significant predictors of teacher attitudes, with time in the profession as the strongest predictor. Attitudes also had a significant effect on willingness to include when controlling for support received. Qualitative responses suggested teachers felt they lacked necessary training to include children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and lack of consistent resources and support were commonly cited as barriers.     

Including Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Pupils in a Mainstream Comprehensive: A study of the behaviour of pupils and classes

A group of twelve pupils from an emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) school were transferred to a mainstream comprehensive school. They were supported by a specialist teacher and two Educational Support Assistants. The behaviour of the pupils was monitored. The behaviour of the EBD pupils was found to be very similar to that of the other pupils in the school. Only two of the EBD boys showed behaviour significantly worse than their peers. On the whole, the EBD pupils behaved extremely well in well-run classes, but their behaviour deteriorated in less well-organised lessons. Their behaviour tended to decline over the course of the school day, and the behaviour of all the pupils in the school was shown to be worse for the last period of the day. The implications of this research on the whole concept of EBD is discussed, as is the role, attitudes and practice of both teachers and educational psychologists.     

Ethnic Minority and Gender Distribution Among Staff and Pupils in Facilities for Pupils with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in England and Wales

This article describes the ethnic and gender make up of a substantial (60%+) sample of the staff and pupil population of schools and units for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties in England and Wales. The data presented is taken from a questionnaire survey. This is the first large sample study of this topic to be conducted in educational establishments of this type in England and Wales. Notable findings are: (1) the imbalance in gender distribution in these facilities, with the boys far outweighing the number of girls; (2) the over representation of pupils of Afro‐Caribbean origin, particularly among the boys; and (3) the under representation of teachers from ethnic minorities among the teaching staff in these schools. These findings are shown to be generally consistent with the findings of related studies, and are discussed in terms of social and educational issues.     

Positive narratives: the stories young people with Social,Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD) tell about their futures

This research drew on positive psychology in order to offer an optimistic way of conceptualising the lives of young people who are often described as having ‘SEBD’ (social, emotional and behavioural difficulties), now SEMH (social, emotional, mental health) in the English 2014 Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice. Positive psychology places emphasis on: the future, strengths, resources and potential, and suggests that negative experiences can build positive qualities. The young people in this research identified a range of strengths and resources in their lives that they had built as a result of earlier negative experiences. Narrative Oriented Inquiry (NOI) was used to analyse the themes of potential and growth in their stories which reveal their hopes and aspirations for the future. By giving these young people the opportunity to tell their stories this research permitted them to focus on where they were going, rather than where they had been.     

Behavioural Interactions within Chinese Families with Children Exhibiting Emotional Difficulties in Adlerian Family Play Therapy: Implications for Counselling Professionals

This study explores behavioural interactions between Chinese parents and emotionally disturbed children in Taiwan by conducting behavioural interaction analysis of five sessions each of Adlerian family play therapy involving two families. Emerging themes included behavioural displays of discouragement, control, aggression, intimacy, and conflicts. Implications are drawn and recommendations made on how counselling professionals may use behavioural interaction assessment through family play therapy as an intervention tool.     

Coping Styles,Learning Environment and Emotional and Behavioural Problems

This article analyses and compares the learning environment in smaller and bigger rural schools by focusing on the arenas of both formal and informal learning; the lessons and the recesses between. Relational patterns are both analysed using complete network data from 19 schools in four different municipalities in four Norwegian counties and by comparisons based on data from 80 pupil interviews. The analyses are replicated and followed up by comparison of schools in two additional municipalities. The smaller and bigger rural schools offer radically different learning environments. The aspects of individual and collective agency in learning, self‐centrism, intimization, social exclusion, independence and control as part of everyday life in schools are analysed and discussed. Mechanisms shaping the differences in the learning environments are identified. Needs for further research are formulated.