Students With Emotional Behavior Disorders

1. Students With Emotional Behavior Disorders A Closer Look at Defiant Behaviors.

2. Surface Characteristics of EBD Katrina: • Runs out of class, hides in various places throughout the school. • Sings loudly (and off key) while doing independent seat work. • Laughs at teacher when being reprimanded for talking to peers during class. Corinne: • Gets sick and asks to go to the Nurse before Math class. • Puts head on desk and refuses to work on interact with staff during class. • Constantly claims she “doesn’t care” about school or anything else. Michael: • Bullies/Threatens peers. • Throws books and papers on floor when frustrated. • Tells teacher to, “Shut up” when getting feedback for behavior.

3. Surface Characteristics of EBD Examples of behavioral problems associated with EBD:

4. Commonalities for Students with EBD

5. Commonalities for Students with EBD Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Characteristics must be present over a long period and to a marked degree… • An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory or health factors • Inability to build or maintain relationships • Inappropriate behavior or feelings under normal circumstances • A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression • Tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems As defined by IDEA, emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia but does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.

6. Commonalities for Students with EBD The most common factor that practically all students with EBD share is: NONCOMPLIANCE. Rhode, Jensen, and Reavis (1998) describe noncompliance as the “king-pin behavior” around which other behavioral excesses revolve.

7. Commonalities for Students with EBD

8. Understanding Students with EBD “Noncompliance is simply defined as not following a direction within a reasonable amount of time. For students with EBD, this occurs the majority of the time, throughout the school day. Most of the arguing, tantrums, fighting, or rule breaking is secondary to non-compliance or avoiding requests or required tasks.” Compliancy Scale Overly Compliant Oppositional/Defiant Student with EBD

9. Understanding Students with EBD All human behavior is expressed in order to get something pleasant, or avoid something unpleasant. Non-compliant behavior serves the same purpose as compliant behavior.

10. Understanding Students with EBD Compliant students generally get something positive from their school environment, and they also avoid the things that are undesired by being compliant, versus non-compliant. So…why choose non-compliant behavior?

11. Understanding Students with EBD Reasons for Non-Compliant Behavior: • Different Motivators for students with EBD • Unintentional non-compliance • Non-compliant behavior is effective • Stress Response

12. Understanding Students with EBD Get Something Pleasant: Good Grades Positive Social Interaction Play Sports Parent/Adult Approval Avoid Something Unpleasant: Parent/Adult Disapproval Social Rejection School Discipline Non Compliant behavior is a logical choice when the benefits or rewards of Compliant behavior are not meaningful or motivating.

13. Understanding Students with EBD The more students experience consequences for unintended non-compliance, the more likely they are to become truly oppositional and defiant. Hunger Impulsivity Poor Social Skills Problems w/Executive Function Fatigue

14. Understanding Students with EBD • If a behavior is effective, there is no reason to change it. • If a behavior is not effective—meaning it doesn’t help you to get what you want, and/or it doesn’t help you to avoid what you do not want, then there is motivation to change the behavior, or replace it with something that does work.

15. Understanding Students with EBD More intense non-compliant behavior usually includes an underlying fight or flight (stress) response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S_BB7R8NMU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdJpLvSTZMU Discussion: Do our students ever feel “stress” at school? Do our students equate school itself, as a “threat?

16. Understanding Students with EBD

17. Understanding Students with EBD Some behaviors are obviously connected to the fight or flight response: Physical Aggression Elopement Others…are a bit more covert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED4kQwnUhlQ&feature=youtu.be

18. Understanding Students with EBD FIGHT FLIGHT Arguing Complaining Provocation Profanity Blaming Others Property Destruction Shutting Down Sleeping Ignoring Teacher Requests Lying Complains of being sick Underlying Stress/Fear Response

19. Understanding Students with EBD Power Struggles: We’ve all seen teachers and staff—many who are not familiar with special education or EBD (and many who are familiar), approach students in a combative, threatening manner. Two people operating from the Fear Response (fight/flight) are not likely to resolve conflict. In Fact, it is more likely that they will both ESCALATE in intensity (increased reactivity, decreased thinking or logical problem solving.)

20. Understanding Students with EBD Summary: Non-Compliant is the thread that links together all students with EBD. Four Reasons for Non-Compliant Behavior: • Different Motivators for EBD Students • Unintended Non-Compliance • Non-Compliant Behavior is Effective • Stress Response