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Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
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Special Education Identification of Head Start Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Second Grade

Steven R. Forness, EdD

Steven R. Forness, EdD, is a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, chief of educational psychology, and inpatient school principal at the UCLA Neuropsychiatry Hospital in Los Angeles. Address: Steven R. Forness, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90024.

Sandra E. Cluett, PhD

Sandra E. Cluett, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychology in the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Craig T. Ramey, PhD

Craig T. Ramey, PhD, professors of psychiatry and psychology and co-directors of the Civitan International Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Sharon L. Ramey, PhD

Sharon L. Ramey, PhD, professors of psychiatry and psychology and co-directors of the Civitan International Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Bonnie T. Zima, MD. MPH

Bonnie T. Zima, MD. MPH, is an assistant professor of psychiatry and director of training in child and adolescent psychiatry at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital.

Chuanchieh Hsu, PhD

Chuanchieh Hsu, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow at the Civitan International Research Center.

Kenneth A. Kavale, PhD

Kenneth A. Kavale, PhD, is a professor of special education at the University of Iowa—Iowa City.

Donald L. MacMillan, EdD

Donald L. Macmillan, EdD, is a professor of education at the University of California—Riverside.

Underidentification of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) appears to be a particular problem for children from low-income families. In the current study, two cohorts of 3,694 second-grade children across 30 sites were screened for EBD as part of a larger study on Head Start transition. At-risk status for EBD was determined by developing two sets of research diagnostic criteria: One set reflected the current federally mandated school definition of emotional disturbance (ED), which requires that ED symptoms in school be accompanied by functional impairment in academic or social skills. The second set reflected a proposed alternative definition that would require both school and parent involvement in determining the presence of symptoms. Children were assessed using clinical cutoff points on behavior ratings from teachers and parents, along with a determination of functional impairment in social skills or academic achievement. Actual school identification of children was done through a school archival records search in the spring of the children's second-grade year. Identification rates for the criteria sets were 16.9% for the current school definition and 6.2% for the alternative definition. Most participants identified by either criteria set were identified by the schools as belonging in categories other than emotional disturbance. Findings are discussed in relation to misidentification of children with EBD and possible gender or ethnic biases.

Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Vol. 6, No. 4, 194-204 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/106342669800600401


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Journal of Positive Behavior InterventionsHome page
E. M. McLaren and C. M. Nelson
Using Functional Behavior Assessment to Develop Behavior Interventions for Students in Head Start
Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, January 1, 2009; 11(1): 3 - 21.
[Abstract] [PDF]