Emotional disturbance in schools : a qualitative case study exploring best practices for serving students with severe social and emotional needs.
Students attending school today can have a wide variety of needs in the classroom, both academically and behaviorally. One student group often regarded as challenging to support is students who have an emotional disturbance (ED; see discussion in Algozzine, 2017). Students with an ED usually require a different level of support to be successful at school and in life due to a disability that impacts their ability to manage their emotions and behavior (Reddy et al., 2009). Research also shows that students with an ED can exhibit dangerous behaviors and fail to succeed in their transition to adulthood (Cullinan et al., 2023; Lambert et al., 2021). While some research exists around supporting students with an ED, there is an opportunity for more research on the experiences of the educators who serve these children. This qualitative single case study collected the voices of 54 educators in a Texas public school district who work with students with an ED to identify the most and least effective educator approaches that help students have more positive behaviors and success in school. In addition, I used the broaden and build theory of positive emotions to determine a connection between intentional exposure to positive emotions and the benefits it can provide to students with an ED (Fredrickson, 2013). Findings from this research show specific approaches that teachers indicate are most successful for students with an ED, including building strong relationships, calm and consistent environments, clear expectations, use of positive reinforcements, and offering student choice. The findings also show that harsh communication, lack of an established relationship, focusing on punitive responses to behaviors, and unrealistic expectations are the least effective approaches when working with students with an ED. Additionally, teacher feedback on the broaden and build theory of positive emotions supports the idea that when students experience specific positive emotions, it can result in additional positive behaviors moving forward. I also provide recommendations and implications for future practice following a review and analysis of the findings.
Emotional disturbance., Special education., Positive emotions., Public education., Educators., Texas public schools., Effective approaches.
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