Most definitions of emotionally disturbed youngsters suggest that disturbances in the child's behavior patterns cause academic and social problems which affect the child and his peers. While the process of identification may be facilitated by operational criteria within a definition, these factors are noticeably absent from definitions of emotional disturbance. The State of Florida has adopted a definition for emotionally handicapped children which has potential for operationalization. That definition and its components as well as a discussion of implications relative to its use are presented here. [This classic article was indexed in ERIC in 1978 ("Behavioral Disorders," v4 n1 p48-52 Nov 1978--EJ196224.]