Reconsidering the Term ‘Emotional Disturbance’: A Report from Maryland

Abstract

The term ‘emotional disturbance’ (ED) has been a source of controversy in the United States (U.S.) since its introduction in 1975 (as part of legislationthe Education for All Handicapped Children Act). The lack of connection to diagnostic criteria and the stigma attached to the term have been associated with its criticism from a broad and diverse range of stakeholder groups, including young people, families, researchers, educators, and mental health professionals. In relation to these concerns a survey was developed to consider terminology preferences across different stakeholder groups. A statewide steering group in one U.S. state (Maryland) distributed the survey to educators, clinicians, family advocates, families, and young people to assess the preferred terminology to describe ED. The term with the greatest frequency of endorsement (30%) was ‘emotional/behavioral disability’ (EBD). The term EBD was preferred by all groups with the exception of students, whose responses indicated a greater preference for the terms ‘emotional or behavioral disorder’ (30%) or ‘emotional disability’ (30%). The findings reinforce the need for further discussion of the acceptability and fit of the label in describing students with pronounced emotional and behavioral needs.

Keywords:

• CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
• SCHOOLS
• SPECIAL EDUCATION
• LABELING
• EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE