Peer‐mediated interventions with elementary and secondary school students with emotional and behavioural disorders: a literature review

Peer‐mediated interventions (PMIs) have been shown to be effective for increasing adaptive social and academic behaviours of children and youth. Although PMI efficacy is generally well supported, there have been relatively few published intervention studies that focus on elementary, middle and high school students with emotional and behavioural disorders (EBD). The present review examines selected empirical literature in order to identify characteristics and relative efficacy of PMI. Findings of 12 peer‐reviewed journal papers including research designs and outcomes were examined. Results provide support for the efficacy of PMI for improving behavioural and social skills of students with EBD. Recommendations include further research on PMI for high school students and longitudinal research of PMI.     

Perspectives on select field-based experiences for pre-service teachers of students with emotional and behavioural disorders

The proficiency with which teachers of students with emotional and behavioural disorders (EBD) plan for, provide instructional activities, and address the challenging behaviour of their students is influenced by the nature of their preservice teacher preparation. The purpose of this study was to examine educators’ perceptions of the importance of preservice field-based experiences. Results indicate that educators of students with EBD consider student teaching of both students with EBD and students without disabilities very important experience. Educators with more than 10 years experience also indicated that the observation of police, parole, and judicial services concerned with students with EBD was an important preservice experience. Limitations of the study and implications for preservice teacher preparation are discussed.     

Difficulties associated with the coding and categorization of students with emotional and behavioural disabilities in Alberta

In Canada, there is a recent trend toward non-categorization of services of students with emotional and behavioural disabilities (EBD). Yet in Alberta, the coding of students with EBD provides opportunities to diagnose students' learning difficulties but is hindered in this process, in large part, by being tied into special needs funding. Current coding and subsequent funding practices favour a medical model approach that provides opportunity to over- and misidentify students for higher funding levels. Though this is likely done with good intentions to get services otherwise denied, it may have led to a perverse situation of the practice of ‘coding for dollars’ for these students. In this article we discuss the Alberta EBD coding and funding model using administrative data as well as conclusion remarks from a seminar participated in by different stakeholders. Recommendations for policy changes will be addressed.     

Towards systemic support of pupils with emotional and behavioural disorders

Children with emotional and behavioural disorders (EBD) vary in many respects. In school, specific conditions have to be fulfilled in order to deal adequately with EBD. This study addresses the question how mainstream primary schools design different instructional situations to support pupils with EBD in practice, and how this design could be improved to enhance positive effects on the functioning of pupils with EBD in particular. Theoretically, three sets of educational conditions seem most relevant; the instructional and social–emotional environment, the system of detection and intervention, and the support given to teachers and schools. Case studies were conducted at twelve mainstream primary schools in five different regions in the Netherlands. The results show that the schools focus on providing an adequate social–emotional environment and a corresponding system to detect and manage EBD. However, they lack a coherent pedagogical–didactic structure to integrate diagnosis, special or mainstream curricular levels and materials, and reliable or valid evaluation of social learning results. In addition, they mostly lack a systematic approach to obtaining information from and collaborating with parents and other professionals or external agencies. Specific educational and instructional changes are suggested as concrete possibilities to improve early detection, intervention, and prevention with respect to EBD in mainstream primary schools.     

Inclusion of students with emotional and behavioural disorders in general education settings: a scoping review of research in the US

ABSTRACT

Inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings has been an international focus for over two decades. In the US, federal laws [e.g. Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA). 2004. H.R. 1350, 108th Congress] mandate access to the general education curriculum for all students, including those with disabilities. These mandates codify a philosophical orientation of least restrictive environment, within a free appropriate public education, while explicitly requiring evidence-based practices. The policies support and protect inclusive practices for individuals with emotional and behavioural disabilities, yet the state of the empirical literature is unknown. A review is needed to provide an overview of the research and reveal the breadth of the literature. To this end, scoping review methodology was used to map the state of the literature. This particular approach is recommended for topics with myriad and complex definitions and issues, as is the case with inclusive education. Results map six themes (professional and student experience, strategy effectiveness, policy and programmes, perception of influencing factors, teacher training, teacher knowledge) and reveal several gaps in the literature. Recommendations are made for systematic review, meta-analyses, and individual studies to address the gaps in the literature.     

Changing attitudes: supporting teachers in effectively including students with emotional and behavioural difficulties in mainstream education

Pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) are often considered the most challenging group to manage within mainstream education. The challenges perceived by teachers may be due, in part, to negative attitudes towards this cohort of pupils, which may exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and impact negatively upon direct interactions with pupils. The current study comprised a combination of implicit (i.e. the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure, IRAP) and explicit (The Opinions Relative to Mainstreaming Scale, ORMS) technologies to assess the attitudes of teachers (N = 25) and teachers in training (N = 20) towards pupils with EBD. When these attitudes proved to be negative (relative to typically developing pupils), the utility of a combined behaviour intervention (BI) and stress-management intervention (SMI), in conjunction with a series of pre and post measures, was examined. The IRAP results for teachers indicated that the SMI enhanced their implicit positivity towards pupils with EBD (EBD PUPIL) to a considerable extent (0.025-0.175), and this was greater than the impact recorded with the BI. The teachers in training showed implicit negativity towards EBD PUPIL (0.13) and this decreased, albeit marginally, at post-BI (0.05) and post-SMI (0.06). Significant differences were recorded in teachers’ general attitudes towards inclusion (p < 0.001) and efficacy (p < 0.008). Significant effects were recorded for teachers in training in relation to their attitudes towards having a child with EBD and having a previously excluded child with EBD in their classrooms (all ps < 0.001). For this latter group, reductions were also recorded in their levels of depression, anxiety and stress (p < 0.001) and there was an increase in their psychological flexibility (p < 0.001). The current results indicate that a range of positive implicit and explicit outcomes was associated with the current BI and SMI package in terms of fostering more effective inclusion of pupils with EBD in mainstream education.     

Perceptions of students with emotional and behavioural difficulties

Abstract

The study explored prospective teachers’ concerns about KEYW ORDS pupils’ emotional and behavioural difficulties, their perceptions of self-efficacy in dealing with them and their coping strategies. The modification of prospective teachers’ perceptions across four levels of teacher training was also examined. Two hundred and eighty-four Greek prospective teachers completed an inventory presenting vignettes on pupils’ behaviour problems. It was found that prospective teachers were concerned about conduct and mixed difficulties, felt efficient in dealing with emotional difficulties, and suggested supportive coping strategies to handle them. These findings were consistent across the four levels of teacher training. The study is discussed in terms of its contribution to understanding prospective teachers’ decisions about emotional and behavioural difficulties, with regard to teacher training programmes.     

Educational transition outcomes of children and adolescents with clinically relevant emotional or behavioural disorders: results of a systematic review

Educational transitions are associated with significant changes. If students cannot overcome these challenges, their well‐being and motivation may be impaired. Students with clinically relevant emotional or behavioural disorders (EBDs) are at risk for negative transitional experiences. We conducted a systematic review summarising transitional outcomes of students with EBDs. After an electronic search in eight scientific databases, 4,930 publications were screened against six inclusion criteria. Two coders assessed the eligibility of 181 full‐texts. We included k = 22 studies published in English or German (1988–2017). Students with autism (k = 15) and transitions out of school (k = 13) were examined most frequently. Well‐being, achievements, social participation, support and expectations were observed. Poor well‐being and social difficulties were prevalent, but often adjusted over time. The results are limited by the inclusion criteria and search procedures. Nevertheless, the review closes a research gap and has implications for the implementation of interventions and a supportive transition environment for students with clinically relevant EBDs. Further research on individual changes and supportive approaches during transitions is needed.     

Response-to-intervention (RTI) as a model to facilitate inclusion for students with learning and behaviour problems

Many students with learning and behaviour problems are routinely excluded from regular education. Although calls have been made to educate students with these problems in the same settings as their typically developing peers, it remains unclear how best to support their needs for academic and behavioural support. We address this question first by describing response-to-intervention (RTI), a specific model of prevention and early intervention for learning and behaviour problems. A comprehensive summary of the RTI literature is provided. Second, we will discuss the feasibility and applicability of RTI as one approach to facilitate inclusion of students with learning and behaviour problems. Specifically, we will demonstrate how RTI can be used to address at least four barriers to inclusion by (1) providing a clear implementation strategy for inclusion practices; (2) clearly defining the roles, responsibilities and collaboration of general and special education teachers; (3) enabling the allocation of resources for instruction and intervention; and (4) avoiding early and unnecessary labelling of students with learning and behaviour problems. Third, limitations of RTI as a model to facilitate inclusion will be discussed.     

Utilising the Boxall Profile within the Scallywags service for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties

In this article, Moira Broadhead, Roy Chilton and Victoria Stephens offer an in‐depth analysis of a targeted intervention, Scallywags, aimed at children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Scallywags, based in Cornwall, offers an early intervention package for children and their families based upon an initial Boxall Profile analysis. Moira Broadhead is a senior educational psychologist for the Scallywags service and both Roy Chilton and Victoria Stephens held split posts as assistant psychologists and support workers within the intervention service. Moira, Roy and Victoria offer practitioners new to the Boxall Profile a compelling account of how it can be used to inform practice for learners with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and conclude with a series of insightful questions about the use of the Boxall Profile and the role of interventions of this nature.     

Peer relations and emotion regulation of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties with and without a developmental disorder

Children with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) and those who also have developmental disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), can experience the same adverse consequences in their peer interactions and relationships. This present study compared the emotion regulation and peer relationships of children aged 8–12 years (M = 9.86 years, SD = 1.49) with EBD (N = 33) and children with EBD plus a diagnosed developmental disorder (N = 28). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with Bonferroni adjusted alpha levels revealed no significant main effect for emotion regulation according to EBD status. There was, however, a multivariate main effect for sex, with females presenting with higher levels of negative emotional intensity (e.g., frustration, anger, aggression) than males. A second MANOVA revealed no significant main effect for peer relationships according to EBD status and sex. Significant correlations revealed that the EBD-only group experienced greater adverse peer interactions than the EBD-plus-developmental disorder group. These findings are important for educators and researchers involved in the development and evaluation of prevention and intervention programms for children with EBD.     

Academic growth expectations for students with emotional and behavior disorders

Computer adaptive assessments were used to monitor the academic status and growth of students with emotional behavior disorders (EBD) in reading (N = 321) and math (N = 322) in a regional service center serving 56 school districts. A cohort sequential model was used to compare that performance to the status and growth of a national user base of more than 7,500,000 students without disabilities. Consistent with numerous previous findings, status or level of performance of students with EBD was consistently low relative to their nondisabled peers. However, for the most part the students with significant EBD demonstrated rates of growth similar to the nationwide sample of nondisabled peers. There was considerable variability in the academic growth of students across grades and between treatment programs, and this variability is described and discussed. Implications for policy and practice in student progress monitoring and teacher evaluation systems are discussed.     

Challenges and management frameworks of residential schools for students with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties in Hong Kong

This study by Stella Suk‐Ching Chong, an assistant professor, and Ka‐wai Leung, a teaching fellow, both at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, focuses on the perspectives of hostel staff from six residential schools for students with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties. Individual or focus group interviews were conducted to explore the range of challenges perceived by staff and the strategies they employed to address the needs of the students. The software N‐Vivo was used to analyse both qualitative and quantitative data. This study finds that staff met a multiplicity of challenges, of which 67.9% were management‐related rather than student‐related (32.1%). In relation to effective strategies for staff, co‐ordinated and concerted efforts are frequently used between different stakeholders, such as intra‐hostel‐staff‐student collaboration (84%), inter‐hostel‐community collaboration (8.6%), inter‐hostel‐home collaboration (5.1%), and finally inter‐hostel‐school collaboration (2.2). In summing up the findings of various approaches deemed favourable by different residential staff, a residential school management framework is conceptualised and presented in this article. Implications and future research directions are also highlighted.     

An exploration of teachers' current perceptions of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties

Difficulties exist in identifying and providing services for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). As teacher referral is an essential link in service delivery this study investigated teachers' current perceptions of SEBD by examining characteristics of children nominated by their teachers as having SEBD. While the majority of children were nominated for externalizing behaviours, teachers rated girls as having more severe externalizing difficulties than boys. In contrast, there was no significant difference between teachers' internalizing ratings of boys and girls, despite the fact that girls reported more severe depressive symptomatology. Moreover, teachers rated gender‐contrary behaviours more severely than gender‐consistent behaviours. Consistent with achievement results, teachers rated the majority of children as having moderate to severe academic difficulties. Little agreement was found between characteristics reported by teachers and children. Implications are discussed within the context of the school psychologist's role in working with teachers to increase awareness of the profile of these children.     

Coping styles and emotional and behavioural problems among Norwegian grade 9 students

The main purpose of this study was to explore the relations between coping styles and emotional and behavioural problems among adolescent students. The study was conducted as a survey among a representative sample of 2006 Norwegian 9th graders. The results show that emotional problems are associated with self-blaming as well as aggressive coping. Off-task orientation was associated with little use of planning and frequent use of aggressive coping. Finally, aggressive coping was the main predictor of externalizing problems, with infrequent use of planning and frequent use of behavioural disengagement as other significant predictors.     

The effects of teaching self-determination skills on the externalizing behaviors of students with emotional behavioral disorders

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of teaching self- determination skills on the externalizing behaviors of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. The Research method was quasi experimental with pre and post- test and control group. To achieve our goals, thirty students who received high scores in the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) were selected and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (N = 15) or the control group (N = 15). Students in the experimental group participated in 16 sessions (1 session per week) receiving Self determination curriculum (Field and Hoffman’s model) intervention, and the control group did not receive any training. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) by participants was completed before and after intervention. MANOVA was used for data analysis. The findings showed that the effects of teaching self- determination skills on decreasing the externalizing behaviors of students with emotional and behavioral disorders was significant. The emerged finding can have clinical applications in prevention and treatment of student’s behavioral disorders. Implications and future directions for research and practice are discussed.     

Academic and social attributions as predictors of emotional and behavioural difficulties in students referred for learning disabilities and typically achieving students: the female profile in Oman

Identification of children who exhibit emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBDs) has been prioritized in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region including Oman. Research showed that cognitive attribution processes are biased and defective in atypical populations such as students with learning disabilities (LD). The current study examined the relationship between school-based attributions including academic and social attributions and the display of EBDs in students referred for having LD and typically achieving students. The Student Academic Attribution Scale (SAAS), Student Social Attribution Scale (SSAS), and the Arabic version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (A-SDQ) were administered to 135 typically achieving students and 89 students referred for LD. The participants were all females from middle school. Stepwise regression analyses showed that academic and social attributions were more predictive of EBDs in students referred for LD compared to typically achieving students. The attribution profile of students with LD reflected negative symptoms that lead to the display of internalizing and externalizing EBDs. The study findings are discussed in relation to how schools can utilize the cognitive process of attribution to support students with EBDs.     

Perceptions of sleep duration,patterns and emotional and behavioural difficulties: a study of Greek adolescents

The study investigated adolescent students’ perceptions of sleep duration and patterns, and the way they relate to emotional and behavioural difficulties. Five hundred and two students from public schools in Greece completed the Sleep Questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). It was demonstrated that consistency in sleep duration and quality in sleep patterns were associated with a reduction in adolescents’ reports of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Sleep duration was similarly distributed across gender, while sleep patterns were gender‐specific. Distinct differential effects of gender, sleep duration and patterns to adolescents’ emotional and behavioural difficulties were also found. These findings and their implications for research and practice are discussed, within the scope of the biopsychosocial framework in education.     

The influence of occupational socialisation upon the teaching of pupils experiencing social and emotional behavioural difficulties (SEBD) in physical education

Research within physical education (PE) utilising the occupational socialisation framework indicates that the childhood phase of socialisation is the most powerful phase of socialisation. However, for most teachers working with pupils experiencing special educational needs (SEN), the childhood phase often lacks direct experience of SEN and thus ceases to exist as a socialising force. Consequently, the higher education and workplace phases form a ‘salvaged’ phase upon which to base pedagogical approaches (Pugach). In light of this dichotomy, the aims of this case study were to (1) examine how one PE head of department (HOD) in a specialist social and emotional behavioural difficulties (SEBD) school taught year 9 pupils games; (2) identify factors that led to such instruction and (3) consider the influence of the three phases of occupational socialisation on her pedagogical approaches. Data collection methods consisted of formal and informal interviews and lesson observations. The data were inductively analysed, and themes were drawn from this process. Using a systematic learning approach, lessons were game orientated based around pupil decision‐making and limited technical practice. Factors influencing this practice were her exploratory outdoor activity experiences and the nature of the pupils. In contrast to Pugach, this research indicates that the childhood phase of socialisation can provide an ‘apprenticeship of observation’ for those teaching PE to pupils experiencing SEBD. That such perceptions can be strongly held suggests that prior examination of the childhood biographies of those recruited to PE teacher training and/or PE teachers teaching pupils who experience SEBD appears warranted.