PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Created by
- Callie Boyle
- Amanda Burgstrom
- Sam Dent
- Sara Bielen
what are emotional disturbances
What are Emotional Disturbances?
- IDEA’s definition:
"(A) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. (B) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers. (C) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. (D) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression. (E) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.” .
IDEA adds that "emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance"
Six Types of emotional disturbances
- Anxiety Disorders
- Bipolar Disorders
- Conduct Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
- Pyschotic Disorders
Emotional Disturbances are not:
- Temper tantrums
- Attention-seeking
- Sulking
- Short-term
- Hormonal
No one really knows the cause. There may be many factors, including heredity, environment, diet, head trauma, as well as stress and family dysfunction
But regardless of the cause, emotional disburbances are not the result of a"bad family", poverty, or character weakness.
Signs and Symptoms
- 1. Acting Out Behaviors
2. Internalizing (Withdrawn) Behaviors
3. Poor Academic Performance
4. Intelligence (Slow Learner)
5. Lacking Social Skills
Acting Out
- Ignoring teacher
- Interrupting teacher
- hitting or fighting
- destroying things
- disrupting class
Withdrawn behaviors
- Suffer from depression
- Immature for age
- Isolated from classmates
- Frequent daydreaming
- Complaints of sickness or pain
- Self-injury
Poor Academic Performance
- May perform a full grade level below peers
- 50% drop out of high school
Intelligence
- May perform poorly on IQ test
- More likely to be a low learner or on the mentally disabled range
Lacking Social Skills
- Struggle with peer relationships
- Misunderstand social cues
Other Signs to Look For:
- Harming or threatening themselves, other people or pets
Lying or stealing
Skipping school
Early smoking, drinking or drug use
Early sexual activity
Frequent tantrums and arguments
Consistent hostility toward authority figures
Statistics from 1976-2014
- ages in study 3-21
- number of students with emotional disability 283-489
- this number peaked in 2003-2005
- The % effected was between .6-1%
DIAGNOSIS
- Often isn’t a clear distinction between troubling behavior and a severe emotional disturbance.
- A diagnosis represents a “best guess” based on the child’s behavior
- Interviews with the child, parents, and other family members are vital in helping professionals arrive at a diagnosis.
- Interpretations can vary from professional to professional
DSM-5
- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is how medical professionals diagnose emotional disorders.
- It is advised that this manual is not used to self diagnose, as only a trained medical professional can use proper clinical judgement.
- The manual uses a series of questionnaires to aid in diagnoses.
Section Works Cited Continued:
Section Works Cited Continued:
Treatment:
- Play Therapy
- Art Therapy
- Animal Assisted Therapy
- Cogitative Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Medication
Play Therapy:
- Treats ODD, ADHD, Anxiety, & Depression
- Child communicates using toys to express emotions
Art Therapy:
- Treats ADHD, Anxiety, & Depression
- Child creates art to express emotions
- Therapists link colors and emotions. Ex. Red=Anger
Animal-Assisted Therapy:
- Treats: Anxiety and depression
- Reduces stress and calms the child.
CBT Therapy:
- Thought, emotions, and behaviors are all related.
- Series of activities to change negative thought patterns
An IEP for Emotional disturbed student:
- May include behavioral interventions
- May include psychological counseling
- Should be coordinated between school, home, and community
Don't assume everyone is well-informed about the specific diagnosis. Keep lines of communication open between parents, school, and mental health professionals.
wHEN deciding an IEP:
- Make Annual as well as short term goals
- Make measurable objectives
- Focus on transitional, obtainable goals rather than prioritize a standard
When deciding an iep:
- Consider the student's strengths, as well as their needs
- Example: Strong listening comprehension skills, but acts out destructively in group situations
IEP ACCOMADATION:
- One on One Instruction to achieve short term objective
- Behavioral counseling to achieve long term objective
A diagnosis of "emotionally disturbed" may carry a social stigma that educators and mental health professionals must be sensitive to
Some special education teachers may treat ED students differently
Teachers may struggle with these students and make assumptions about socioeconomic status
In addition, teachers may have biases that prevent them from recognizing symptoms of emotionally disturbed
Girls, for example, are more likely to exhibit symptoms of self-harm, withdrawal, and suffer from eating disorders
Some parents and teachers may assume that these behaviors are "typical" for a pre-teen or teenaged girl and fail to recognize them as symptoms of emotional disturbed
Furthermore, special education teachers, who are more likely to be female, may struggle with ED male students who exhibit violent outburst
It is imperative that teachers are educated with evidence-based information on the best-practice methods of dealing with emotionally disturbed students