Educators working with students who exhibit challenging behaviors often experience high levels of stress and burnout. They may also struggle to maintain positive attitudes about this population, especially if they have had challenging experiences in the past. In this study, we examined the feasibility and preliminary impact of a contemplative practice intervention on educators’ flourishing and their attitudes toward students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a convenience sample of 61 graduate students enrolled in four education courses at a small U.S. mid-Atlantic University. We used a mixed-methods approach to examine the feasibility and preliminary impact of the intervention on educators’ attitudes toward EBD students and explored whether changes in the flourishing subdomains explained the effects of the intervention on educators’ attitudes. We also analyzed educators’ perceptions of the intervention. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
A half-century ago, the United States Congress passed Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act , to help protect the rights of youth with disabilities. Prior to 1975, many children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) were denied access to less restrictive learning environments with their peers. Unfortunately, the increased placement of students with EBD within public schools coincided with an increased use of harsh and abusive practices to manage these students. Perhaps among the most controversial procedures adopted by many schools has been the use of restraint, which has resulted in numerous injuries and a number of student deaths. This article provides a critical overview of the controversial issues associated with the use of restraint procedures regarding its (a) safety, (b) inappropriate use, (c) disproportionate use among students with disabilities, (d) inadequate staff training in their use, (e) insufficient documentation, and (f) lack of transparency and oversight. We also discuss current state policies, recent legislation and court decisions, as well as position statements from professional organizations and federal agencies regarding the use of these procedures in schools. Recommendations are provided regarding the use of restraint in schools, alternatives to restraint, and the need for future research.
This meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of self-management strategies in enhancing the teaching performance of educators, with a focus on special education contexts. Thirty-six studies, including peer-reviewed articles and gray literature, were evaluated for methodological rigor using the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Design Standards. Of these, 26 studies meeting the standards with or without reservations were further analyzed using descriptive review, meta-analysis, and moderator analysis. Findings revealed self-monitoring is the most frequently used self-management strategy. Among the educators included in the studies, the majority were special education teachers. Effect sizes were calculated using Tau- U for all 26 studies, between-case standardized mean difference (BC-SMD) for 25 studies, and performance-criteria-based effect size (PCES) for 13 studies reporting a mastery criterion. The overall Tau- U indicated a very large effect size of 0.88 (CI 95 = [0.74, 1]), and BC-SMD resulted in a large effect size of 0.87 (CI 95 = [0.77, 0.98]). The PCES showed an overall effective effect size of 1.15 (CI 95 = [1.07, 1.23]). Moderator analysis revealed behavior-specific praise, and fewer years of teaching experience were associated with higher teaching performance effect sizes compared to other relevant categories; however, years of teaching experience and higher teaching performance were positively associated when using BC-SMD calculations. Detailed findings along with corresponding recommendations are discussed.
Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) represent a diverse group of individuals, often characterized by internalizing and/or externalizing behavior patterns and comprised of students receiving special education services and those who do not. As the field seeks to identify evidence-based practices for students with EBD, we need a better understanding of the characteristics of students included under the umbrella of EBD. To accomplish this task, we conducted a hand search of the last 10 years (2015–2024) of intervention research within four prominent journals in the field of EBD. Our search yielded 102 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Once identified, we coded articles in terms of student, setting, and study characteristics, with particular focus on the procedures for screening, identification, and evaluation, to better understand the students sampled within EBD intervention research. Implications of these findings, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. These findings point to a call for future researchers to engage in (a) clear distinction of EBD terminology; (b) explicit standards for the identification and description of student participants; (c) inclusion of students with internalizing, externalizing, and co-occurring behavior patterns; (d) combined or comprehensive interventions to support the complex needs of this population; and (e) more intervention research.
Interventions for students with or at-risk of emotional/behavioral disorders (EBDs) frequently target idiosyncratic behaviors defined by teachers, behavior specialists, or researchers. Consequently, the extent to which a problem behavior exists and the operationalization of the problem behavior largely depend on the perceptions of school staff. A number of research practices, including the use of standardized screening measures and the assessment of social validity, are designed to ensure that students who receive behavior interventions present with legitimate problems that are meaningful to stakeholders. The prevalence of such methods in recent studies for children with EBD remains unclear. This review examined the use of methods to validate the need for behavior intervention in single-case design studies involving EBD published in Behavior Disorders from 2000 to 2021. Identified articles ( n = 34) featured 129 student participants. Teachers were typically responsible for identifying study participants; however, standardized screening methods were used in most articles. Targeted behaviors were generally created by researchers or teachers. Task engagement represented the dependent variable in more than 50% of studies. Less than half of the articles featured social validity, with many procedures assessing both teacher and student perspectives. Key findings, limitations, and implications for research and practice are discussed.
