Sp. Ed. Chart

Introduction

Disturbing behavior is constituted of many contributing factors. In this particular society, potential causative elements may include variables related to biological, family, school, social, and community factors (Smith, Polloway, Patton, & Dowdy, 2004). A medical history from past and present medical providers should be established and their credentials should be examined as part of the whole picture. It is imperative that interviews and any existing documentation be included in evaluation and recommendations.

Biological Factors

Biological factors may be able to account for causal explanations where psychological hypotheses fall short. Children are born with a certain biological or psychological predisposition (Rothbart, 2006; Rothbart & Bates, 2006), but both are malleable to educational and social influences. There is also evidence of genetic links in some behavioral and emotional disorders such as schizophrenia (Cardno, Rijsdijk, & Sham, 2002). Research has shown that antisocial children tend to come from homes where parents use excessive punishment, spend little time in pro-social activities with their children, demonstrate neglect, and show little love and affection for good behaviors (Eisenberg et al., 2008).These cycles are usually repeated by the children when they become parents, and therefore are learned attributes, according to psychologists who subscribe to the Social Learning Theory.

Family Factors

The family environment is the primary influence on children during the first years of their lives. Before exposure to the school setting, children have experienced factors that may well predict how they will behave. Conversely, the way they behave may affect how their parents behave (Heward, 2003). A child's negative behavior can increase stress within the family and can place the family unit at increased risk for discord and dysfunction. In the last three decades, there has been a substantial increase of single-parent homes due to higher incidents of divorce and out-of-wedlock births (Heward). Contributing factors may include economic hardship, increased drug and alcohol use, neglect, abuse, and interpersonal conflicts. These factors are some of the reasons that contribute to mandated efforts to work collaboratively with parents or guardians. According to Kauffman (2001),

With what we know about the family's role in children's emotional or behavioral disorders, educators would be foolish to ignore the influence of home conditions on school performance and conduct (p. 199).

 

Therefore, the influences of the home environment on students with EBD should not be underestimated.

Social Factors

Children spend the majority of their time at home and school. If a child has demonstrated negative, age-inappropriate behaviors (e.g., extended temper tantrums, physical violence, depression) in the preschool atmosphere, then in all likelihood the child will continue to demonstrate those behaviors in school. Social rejection, incurred by continued behavioral infractions, often leads to disciplinary action, which in turn negatively affects children with EBD.

Cultural Factors

Cultural influences may be considered social interactions that also affect how children behave. Exposed to a variety of attitudes, prejudices, and expectations, children can adapt and imitate both positive and negative behaviors. Educators should make a concerted effort to remove any cultural bias when evaluating students. Educators must always acknowledge cultural differences when interacting with children diagnosed with ED.

Behavior Intervention Models

Emotional and behavioral disabled children are a heterogeneous group requiring different conceptual models for intervention. The myriad of multifaceted and impulsive problem behaviors exhibited by students with EBD are characterized as either behavioral excesses or deficits (Yell, Meadows, Drasgow, & Shriner, 2009). However, there are several models to choose from when designing and implementing behavioral education and interventions. Models used consist of the psychodynamic, biological, humanistic, behavioral, ecological, and psychoeducational models, and the one most frequently used at present: The social-cognitive model.

1.      The psychodynamic model theory posits a pathological imbalance between the person's Id, Ego, and Superego. This model is also referred to as the psychoanalytic model.

2.      The biological, or biogenic, model deals with the assumption that the behaviors are a result of neurophysiologic mechanisms. This model may resort to drugs or surgery for resolutions to negative behaviors.

3.      The humanistic intervention model focuses on the individual's environment where experiential learning is the rule. This model calls for higher level thinking skills in order to develop an awareness of one's thoughts, behaviors, interactions, and outcomes. This model, also referred to as postmodernism or deconstruction, contends that the behavior is the basis of the problem that stems from reacting to environmental circumstances. This approach concentrates on changing antecedent or consequent events so that more positive, acceptable behavior is acquired.

4.      The ecological approach uses naturally occurring social interactions and emphasizes socially accepted behaviors and concepts. The underlying premise is that humans are socially enmeshed and those interactions predict behaviors.

5.      The psychoeducational model for interventions operates from the standpoint that there are unconscious motivations and conflicts that interfere with everyday demands of the student's life. Therefore, a teacher's role is to instruct the student to become aware of negative behaviors and their thoughts, to think in terms of outcomes and alternatives, and to change initial reactions for positive future results.

6.      The social-cognitive theory, often called social learning theory, seeks to incorporate the role of the environment and the role of cognition in explaining the actions of one's behavior, since behaviorism does not always explain the subtleties and complexities of the human experience. The triadic theory within the social-cognitive model looks at the reciprocal effects of environment, behavior, and person-based variables (e.g., temperament) and seeks to provide a deeper understanding of how personal agency or social context affects decisions.

Many leaders in the field of EBD adhere primarily to the social-cognitive model while incorporating definitions, concepts, and methodologies from behaviorism (Kauffman & Landrum, 2009).

Conclusion

A virtual web emerges from the contributing causes of disturbing behavior, and it can be an exhausting feat to determine primary versus secondary or even tertiary factors for remediation. Schools not only respond to society, but also have an obligation to influence families and society. Periodically, a cause may not be immediately evident, or if it is evident, there may not be a sensible way to remediate it. There needs to be a balance of scientific inquiry, facts, and nonbiased assessments and interpretations in order to best plan for appropriate behavior interventions along with an educational model. Research and history illustrate that an intelligent quotient (IQ) does not change, barring some unfortunate accident or disease; however behaviors can change with intervention; education, such as consistent social skills training; and other proactive plans.

References

Cardno, A. G., Rijsdijk, F. V., Sham, P. C. (2002). A twin study of genetic relationships between psychotic symptoms. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 539-545.

Eisenberg, N., Michalik, N., Spinrad, T. L., Hofer, C., Kupfer, A., Valiente, C., et al. (2008). Relations of effortful control and impulsivity to children's sympathy: A longitudinal study.Cognitive Development, 2, 15-25.

Heward, W. L. (2003). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: R. R. Donnelley & Sons.

Kauffman, J. M. (2001). Characteristics of emotional and behavior disorders of children and youth (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Kauffman, J. M., & Landrum, T. J. (2009). Characteristics of emotional and behavioral disorders of children and youth (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

Rothbart, M. K. (2006) Temperament and the pursuit of an integrated developmental psychology. In Appraising the human developmental sciences: Essays in honor of Merrill-Palmer quarterly.

Rothbart, M. K., & Bates, J. E. (2006). Temperament. In W. Damon, R. Lerner, & N. Eisenberg (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 3. Social, emotional, and personality development (6th ed., pp. 99-106). New York: Wiley.

Smith, T. E. C., Polloway, E. A., Patton, J. R., & Dowdy, C. A. (2004). Teaching students with special needs in inclusive settings (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Yell, M. L, Meadows, N. B., Drasgow, E., & Shriner, J. G. (2009). Evidence-based practices for educating students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Merrill/Pearson.