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Incidence

For the 1998-99 school year, 463,172 children and youth with a serious emotional disturbance were provided services in the public schools (Twenty-Second Annual Report to Congress, U.S. Department of Education, 2000).

Characteristics

The causes of emotional disturbance have not been adequately determined. Although various factors such as heredity, brain disorder, diet, stress, and family functioning have been suggested as possible causes, research has not shown any of these factors to be the direct cause of behavior problems. Some of the characteristics and behaviors seen in children who have emotional disturbances include:

Hyperactivity (short attention span, impulsiveness);
Aggression/self-injurious behavior (acting out, fighting);
Withdrawal (failure to initiate interaction with others; retreat from exchanges of social interaction, excessive fear or anxiety);
Immaturity (inappropriate crying, temper tantrums, poor coping skills); and
Learning difficulties (academically performing below grade level).

Children with the most serious emotional disturbances may exhibit distorted thinking, excessive anxiety, bizarre motor acts, and abnormal mood swings and are sometimes identified as children who have a severe psychosis or schizophrenia.

Many children who do not have emotional disturbances may display some of these same behaviors at various times during their development. However, when children have serious emotional disturbances, these behaviors continue over long periods of time. Their behavior thus signals that they are not coping with their environment or peers.

Definition • Characteristics • Educational Implications • References • National Organizations • Disabilities Defined

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