This article examines definitions state education agencies use to describe the federal education disability called "emotional disturbance." State definitions were collected so that various aspects of them could be analyzed and compared with results of similar studies completed in the 1970s and 1980s. Among results are that state definitions have…

African American students are disproportionately likely to be identified with the emotional disturbance (ED) education disability. To investigate how teachers' perceptions of students might vary by race, we analyzed Black and White teachers' ratings of 769 students with ED, subdivided by race and grade level, on six emotional and behavior problem…

A study involving elementary students with (n=336) and without (n=548) emotional disturbance (ED) found students with ED exceeded controls on the five ED characteristics stated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which are inability to learn, relationship problems, inappropriate behavior, unhappiness or depression, and physical…

This study reports on the standardization of the Scale for Assessing Emotional Disturbance. Data collected on 2,266 typical students (ages 5- 18) and 1,371 students with emotional disturbances led to the identification of six behavioral problem factors that correspond to the federal definition of emotional disturbance and were highly internally…

A study examined comorbidity of the five federal definition characteristics among 1,352 students already identified as having emotional disturbance (ED). The extent of comorbidity of ED characteristics was related to the criterion for deviance and to each of the selected student variables, particularly school level and educational placement.…

The authors investigated the five eligibility characteristics of the federal education disability emotional disturbance (ED): inability to learn, relationship problems, inappropriate behavior, unhappiness or depression, and physical symptoms or fears. Participants were 1,210 middle or high school level students with or without ED, of three…

Three studies are reported addressing the reliability of the Scale for Assessing Emotional Disturbance (SAED), a standardized, norm-reference measure linked to the federal definition of emotional disturbance (ED). Results indicate the SAED possesses acceptable test-retest reliability and reasonable interrater reliability and can assist in the…

Behaviorally disordered (N=727) and nonhandicapped (N=1116) students of three age levels were assessed for adjustment problems, using a teacher-completed checklist. Results showed that on most checklist items significantly more behaviorally disordered students experienced problems than nonhandicapped students. Among the behaviorally disordered Ss,…

Responses received from 47 nationally recognized authorities in behavior disorders revealed that setting generalization of intervention effects, durability of treatment program and effects, and adolescent programing were the most frequently cited issues needing research attention. Implications for future research and funding activities are…

Behavior rating scale data on the adjustment problems of 146 behaviorally disordered elementary school boys were factor-analyzed. Five factors of adjustment problems were identified: Aggression-Disruption, Social Incompetence, Social Maladjustment, Attention Disorder, and Anxiety-Inferiority. The relation of these five factors to those identified…

Social comparison (i.e., an applied behavior analysis procedure) was used to evaluate a reading program with behaviorally disordered elementary school students. Behaviorally disordered students in a self contained special classroom were compared to average readers in a regular classroom on oral reading performance. (SEW)

The study assessed 237 seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) students and 577 nondisabled students (ages 6-18) on measures of depression, hyperactivity, social status, intelligence, school placement, and aspects of educational achievement. SED students showed greater depression than the nondisabled sample. Patterns of intercorrelations were…

This article reviews the psychoeducational, behavioral, and ecological models underlying educational services to students with behavior disorders. Models are compared for their explanatory nature, implications for intervention, and how they address the scientific approach to behavior disorders. (DB)

This comparison of a nationally representative sample of 269 adolescents with severe emotional disturbances and 49 nonhandicapped students focuses on subjects' personal characteristics (family structure, medication status), educational characteristics (placements, extent of mainstreaming, related services, years in special education), and…