Incorporating Cultural Factors in Determining Emotional Disturbance

1
Incorporating Cultural Factors in Determining
Emotional Disturbance

• Presented by
• Ray Easler, Ph.D.
• Franklin-McKinley School District
• Alliant University
• Kimberlie Cain, M.A., Ed. S.
• San Diego Unified School District
• Julie Miller, Graduate Student
• Alliant University

2
AGENDA

• What are the 3 specifiers of the 5 potential
  characteristics of the emotional disturbance
  definition?
• How are they defined?
• What are the 5 potential characteristics of the
  emotional disturbance definition?
• How are they defined?
• How do the cultural implications mesh with the
  Emotionally Disturbed for African-American,
  Hispanic, and Native American students?

3
What is the States definition or criteria for
disproportionate representation?Agenda
(continued)

• Non-Biased assessment - Does it pertain solely to
  the instruments used or can it include the
  assessor as well?
• Questions put forth to representatives from
  States in 2008 looking at Disproportionate
  Representation fromOSEP
• What is the process used to determine if it is
  the result of inappropriate classification?
• Why are the majority of the States reporting 0
  of LEAs with Disproportionate Representation
  being the result of inappropriate determination?
  (Ideadata.org)

4
Late 70s and early 80s literature

• Suggested biased placement likely to have its
  roots in the referral process
• Assessment data may be collected to reinforce a
  covert decision that had already been made
• The result of predetermined perceptions,
  cognitions, and belief systems likely to
  result in a disproportionality of students of
  color in E.D. classes

5
Implications to Assessment

• School psychologists need to be sensitive to
  culture during the assessment
• Need to be careful that the problematic
  behaviors are not the result of racial, ethnic,
  linguistic, and/or other factors, but rather are
  normal characteristics for their culture
• Misconceptions come from
• not being aware of the cultural considerations of
  these students
• Not thinking like the students
• not being aware of, or understanding their
  culture

6
E.D. eligibility often determined by

• Training (or lack of)
• Personal experiences and views
• Definition of professional association
• State and District policies

7
Who Makes the Difficult Decision?

• Ambiguous decisions of differentiating between
  learned behaviors and behaviors that are a
  disability are often made by an I.E.P. team as
  a result of
• team members who focus on the teachers complaint
  
• Not focused on students characteristics
• Not focused on the appropriateness of
  identification and placement. (Coroners
  attitude.)

8
What to look at

• look at the student as an individual through
  global aspects of
• Cognitive
• Social
• Affective processes
• Possible effects of these variables on teachers,
  students, and administrators (Frisby 1992)

9
What to look at

• The most important factor that needs to be
  addressed is assessor bias and misuse of
  assessment information. After all, the person
  conducting the evaluation is a product of family
  experiences, beliefs, social-group membership as
  well as formal training. -Gray-Little (1995)

10
Research Data

• Two studies show teachers perceptions of
  students behavior and teacher biases influence
  patterns and have been linked empirically to
  special education referrals and referral
  patterns. - Cartledge Kourea (2008) (Hosp
  Reschly (2003).

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Questions to Ask/Observations to Make

• What behaviors appear to bother the teacher?
• Which students are exhibiting the behaviors?
• Are all students exhibiting the behaviors treated
  the same?
• Who are the students the teacher appears to have
  the most difficulty managing?
• What are their cultural, economic, or linguistic
  backgrounds?
• How do students from different backgrounds appear
  to affect the teacher?

12
Questions to Ask/Observations to Make

• To what extent has the teacher reached out (or
  appeared to) and demonstrated concern to students
  of color?
• To what extent has the teacher demonstrated
  genuine care to all students?
• If students were asked to identify which students
  are treated differently what would they say?
• If students were asked to identify which students
  the teacher likes best and least what would they
  say?

13
Questions to Ask/Observations to Make

• How are students of color performing in the
  teachers class?
• What does the teacher do or say to encourage
  these students to be successful?
• Is there evidence that the teacher considers the
  cultural backgrounds of the students in his/her
  teaching style?
• Is there evidence that the teacher has introduced
  culturally considerate curriculum?
• What evidence is there regarding whether the
  teacher is aware of and sensitive to the
  differences in behaviors or learning styles of
  students of color?

14
Issues that may result in inappropriate referrals

• Behaviors that are acceptable and encouraged in
  the home and the community may be incompatible
  with expected school behaviors
• May cause the student to choose between home and
  school behaviors
• Behaviors that are indicative of problems in one
  group of students may not be so in another group
  of students
• Some behaviors students exhibit may be wrongly
  attributed and interpreted by teachers who do not
  understand the students culture or background

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• .school psychologists must determine whether
  problems presumed to reside within the students,
  may result from institutional biases in the
  school.
• -Sandoval (2007) Professional standards and
  ethical issues (pg 37) in Handbook of
  Multicultural School Psychology An
  Interdisciplinary Perspective.

16

• The potential difficulty for educators lies in
  recognizing whether, when, and how culture is
  having an effect on students functioning.

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Recommendations on working with Ethnic Minority
Students (Sattler)

• Areas to consider
• Students and familys ethnic group
• students and familys language
• Familys functioning, structure, and roles
• Students and familys health history
• Attitudes toward health and illness
• Students and familys needs, resources, and
  vulnerabilities
• Students and familys acculturation
• Communitys resources

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Recommendations on working with Ethnic Minority
Students (Sattler)

• Areas to consider
• Personal stereotypes
• Establishing rapport
• Communication
• Students and familys perspectives
• Consultation skills

19
Recommendations on working with Ethnic Minority
Students (Sattler)

• Areas to consider
• Problems associated with poverty
• low aspirations that often leads to hostility
  towards mainstream society and apathy, school
  failure, or withdrawal
• delays in development (including delays in
  language, reasoning ability, and interpersonal
  relations).

20
Children Living in Poverty 2005 Census Bureau
statistics
21
Federal Definition Emotional Disturbance

• A condition exhibiting one or more of the
  following characteristics over a long period of
  time and to a marked degree that adversely
  affects a childs educational performance

22
Characteristics

• An inability to learn that cannot be explained by
  intellectual, sensory, or health factors
• An inability to build or maintain satisfactory
  interpersonal relationships with peers and
  teachers.
• Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under
  normal circumstances
• A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or
  depression
• A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears
  associated with personal or school problems.
• The term includes schizophrenia. The term does
  not apply to children who are socially
  maladjusted, unless it is determined that they
  have an emotional disturbance" (CFR
  300.7)(a)(9).

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Difficulties with the Federal Definition

• Definitions are vague - What ever that means
• -Gresham CASP Convention 2007
• wide variability among states is most likely
  due, in part, to confusion, ambiguities, and
  differences in definitions and interpretations of
  the meaning of emotional disturbance.
• -Best Practices in Assessment for Intervention
  (2007).

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More problems

• Clinical diagnoses
• Often play critical part in our determination of
  eligibility
• A clinical diagnosis neither guarantees or
  eliminates a student from receiving services
• Case law
• Often times case law defines course of action in
  the assessment and eligibility determination
• Differential diagnoses
• As practitioners we are faced with differential
  diagnoses
• State and District policies
• Best Practices

25
More problems

• The interpretations of the definitions are based
  upon
• an individuals training (where and by whom)
• experience
• personal perspective
• The degree of difficulty we have with applying
  what we know about the child to the criteria is
  in direct proportion to
• training
• experience
• comprehensiveness of the assessment

26

• ..children, adolescents and families are
  subjected to widely varying philosophies,
  assessment procedures and services based upon
  questionable criteria used to determine whether a
  student qualifies for services under the
  Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) designation.
• -Olympia et. al. 2004

27
Add to That

• Lack of training in multi-cultural considerations
• Lack of awareness of multi-cultural
  considerations
• This happens with the teacher and the school
  psychologist
• This leads to
• RECIEPE FOR INAPPROPRIATE ELIGIBILITY REFERRAL
  AND/OR DETERMINATION

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• Children with emotional and/or behavioral
  disorders are a diverse group whose difficulties
  exist along a continua of intensity, duration,
  and frequency of occurrenceThe impact of the
  behavior on the students education progress must
  be the guiding principle for identification.En
  vironmental factors The people and systems that
  impact the student and the relationship between
  the instruction, social and community environment
  and the specific difficulties demonstrated by the
  student.

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• Developmental and cultural functioning The
  students current developmental status and the
  extent to which the students behavior is
  different from the behavior expected for children
  of the same age, culture, and ethnic background
  
• -NASP Position Paper

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LETS EXAMINE OUR THINKING ABOUTCONDITIONS AND
CRITERIA
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Posey, Easler and Nackos Operational Definitions
of the Conditions of Federal Code (2009)

• An extended period of time means
• One month
• 6 to 8 weeks
• 6 months
• 2 to 9 months
• Undefined
• All of the above
• (DISCUSSION)

32
Answer F) All of the above

• One month
• The Devereux Scales of Mental Disorders (DSMD)
• Behavioral Assessment Scales for Children and
  Adolescents 2 (BASC 2) require that the rater has
  been involved with the student for at least one
  month.
• Six to Eight weeks
• The BASC 2 allows a rater who has not had daily
  contact with the student have worked with that
  student for at least this period of time

33
Answer F) all of the above

• Six months (generally excepted practice)
• Believed to be based upon time conditions found
  in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)
• Supported by the new language found in Americans
  with Disabilities Act (ADA) which states the
  impairment has to last six months or longer
• 2 9 months
• OSEP statement Assuming regular interventions
  are unsuccessfully implemented over that time.
• Epstein says at least 2 months for the SAED

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Answer F) all of the above

• Federal and State codes read, for an extended
  period of time. Any interpretation is
  speculation
• All of the above
• Six moths is believed to be the yardstick that
  most practitioners use
• Rule of thumb anywhere between 3 6 months
  minimum
• 2 marking periods
• Need to look at triggering event to determine
  whether or not extended period of time

35
What constitutes long?

• Various periods (of time) have been proposed as
  the minimum duration for which an emotional
  andbehavioral problem should be evident in order
  for it to qualify as an Emotional Disturbance
• Probably this duration varies for different
  characteristics-Epstein Cullinan (1998) SAED
  manual pg. 3
• Bottom line not set in stone! (subjective)

36
To a Marked Degree is defined as?

• P.I.T.A. behaviors
• On the students age/cognitive developmental
  continuum
• Outside the students age/cognitivedevelopmental
  continuum
• Whatever the Principal says
• Undefined

37
Answers C and E

• Real Answer is ENot defined in Federal Ed. Code
  but is generally considered to be behavior not
  logically connected to the triggering event.

38

Answers C and E

• P.I.T.A. behaviors
• Pain in The A behaviors
• closely related to D - Whatever the Principal
  says)
• Bothersome, annoying, at-risk, culturally
  related, gang involvement, learned behaviors,
  etc.
• Pimple vs. Boil
• On the developmental continuum
• (closely related to A) - Need to know
  characteristics on the developmental continuum
• Need to examine triggering event

39
Answers C and E

• Outside the developmental continuum
• Need to look at the triggering event to determine
  if outside the developmental/cognitive continuum
• E.D. students typically manifest behaviors
  similar to those of students several years
  younger and/or to a degree not expected
• Be careful with students from other cultures,
  students residing in foster/group homes, or those
  with psychopathology
• Whatever the Principal says
• Pressure from the principal (a.k.a. Otherwise
  know as the Coroner Attitude Often P.I.T.A.)

40
Quotes to Consider

• The students current developmental status
  and the extent to which the students behavior is
  different from the behavior expected for children
  of the same age, culture, and ethnic background.
• -NASP Position statement on students with
  Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
• The intent of the modifier marked degree is to
  emphasize that the child must show emotional and
  behavioral problems that are more extreme than
  ordinary in order to be considered for the ED
  special education category
• - Epstein Cullinan (1998) SAED manual pg. 3

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Adversely Impacted means?

• Poor grades
• Poor social interactions
• Poor behaviors in only structured settings
• Failure to turn in homework
• Poor performance on a statewide test
• Lack of progress in meeting grade level standards
• What ever the parents attorney says
• All of the above

42
Adversely Impacted

• is not defined in Federal or State Code
• Literature, Due Process decisions, and court
  cases say we need to look at the following 4
  categories when determining
• Educational performance
• Social interactions
• Interpersonal relationships
• Interpersonal adjustments

43
Educational performance includes

• Test scores
• Task completion
• Time on task
• Standardized and state wide test scores
• Attendance
• Classroom performance

44
Social interactions include

• Working with others in classrooms assignments
• Working with others in playground or P.E.
  activities
• Interactions with others in school
• Interactions with others outside of school
• Community
• Church
• May include sub-cultural activities with others

45
Interpersonal relationships include

• Closely related to Social interactions
• Looks at the quality and depth of those social
  interactions

46
Interpersonal adjustment includes

• Coping with events
• Social skills to address stressful events
• Self-esteem
• Asserting self
• Confidence
• -Letter to Lillie/Felton 23IDLER 714/23 LRP 3420
  April 6, 1995

47
Adversely Affects

• The term adversely affects is used in the Part
  B regulations at 34 CFR 300.7 in the phrase
  adversely affects a childs educational
  performance...a childs educational
  performance must be determined on an individual
  basis, and should include non-academic and
  academic skills. Since the measurement of
  educational performance is different for each
  child, the Department has not developed a single
  definition for this term. Similarly, the term
  adversely affects must be determined on an
  individual basis.-Office of Special Education
  Programs Thomas Hehir, Director

48
Court Decision on Adversely Impacts

• As to the qualifying condition for being
  seriously emotionally disturbed while
  Petitioners academic performance is below her
  potential, she is able to learn she has
  satisfactory interpersonal relationships with
  peers and teachers she exhibits inappropriate
  behavior in falling asleep in school but this is
  not inappropriate to a marked degree
• The mistrust and antipathy she feels towards her
  family is not necessarily inappropriate in that
  often adolescents feel alienated from their
  families. Petitioner exhibits a mood of
  unhappiness or depression at home but not at
  school thus such mood is not pervasive. She has
  developed physical symptoms associated with
  personal or school problems.

49
Court Decision (continued)

• However, because there was no real plan described
  to cope with the physical symptoms, it cannot be
  determined that such symptoms were present to a
  marked degree. Petitioners case presentation
  was based in large part on her low academic
  performance.
• There is no question that Petitioners emotional
  problems are adversely affecting her educational
  performance adverse impact, however, is not
  sufficient to establish a need for special
  education.
• - Berkley USD Hearing Decision

50
Adversely Impacts

• INCLUDES MORE THAN ACADEMICS!
• Includes all areas the student should be learning
  and growing in during the school day (which
  encompasses door to door)
• Districts define adversely impacts differently

51
To a marked degree may be manifested as

• poor school work
• reduced academic achievement
• difficulty making decisions
• less than appropriate verbal skills
• doesnt accept consequences
• difficulty following directions
• Remember this when working with students of color
  and how these may tie into behaviors and
  attitudes associated with their culture.

52
Cultural Implications African Americans

• These students enter school with academic skills
  behind Caucasian students
• The gap increases during their academic career
• Often refuse to engage in academic achievement
• Devalue education
• Have the highest grade retention
• Often refuse to study and give up

53
Cultural Implications - African Americans
(continued)

• Disillusionment with idea that education can lead
  to success
• Research suggests there is differential
  expectations and treatment by teachers and
  administrators in the areas of lower academics
  and poor behavior
• black students are about 1½ times more likely
  than white students to be classified in this
  category"
• -(Minority Students in Special and Gifted
  Education, National Research Council, 2002)

54
Cultural Implications - Hispanic

• Desire to help families may supersede desire to
  exceed in school
• Manifest many behaviors associated with low
  academic achievement
• High rate of dropouts
• Perform significantly lower academically than
  Caucasians across grades and subjects

55
Cultural Implications - Native Americans

• Exhibit learning styles that differ from other
  students
• Indifference to work ethic

56
Implications of Poverty

• Minorities are more likely to be poor
• "Being" poor increases exposure to risk factors
  that compromise early development
• Compromised early development impinges on school
  preparedness and suppresses academic achievement,
  heightening the need for special education
• Thus minorities are more likely to warrant
  special education
• Statically, disadvantaged children do not have
  the opportunity to experience quality
  early-childhood education
• As a consequence, they come to school poorly
  prepared and not ready to learn, and thus are
  more likely to be placed in Special Education
  classes at an early age

57
Implications of Poverty

• Impoverished minority children are more likely to
  attend poorly funded school that are less likely
  to have experienced, well-trained teachers.
• Per-student expenditures in those schools are
  often lower, while the needs of poor children
  require higher levels of per-pupil expenditure,
  better trained, more experienced teachers who can
  deliver high-quality instruction while practicing
  effective classroom management that minimizes
  chaos, rather than reaching for the Special
  Education referral form.

58
Implications of Poverty

• The "weight of successful development in the
  early years falls most heavily on the child's
  relationships with primary adult caregivers"
  (NRC, 2002, p. 121)
• Parent-child interactions are usually "less than
  optimal within impoverished homes and the
  interactions embedded therein can be "negative.
• This relationship can effect a child on a number
  of dimensions, including verbal interactions,
  literacy tasks, disciplinary practices, and
  parenting approaches -(e.g., Garrett, Ng'andu,
  Perron, 1994 Hoff-Ginsberg Tardiff, 1995).

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A) An inability to learn that cannot be explained
by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
60
Often times what appears as an inability to learn
is thought of as E.D

• Did you consider??
• Specific learning disability
• Other Health Impaired
• When you DONT know it all
• keep reading
• ask questions
• Call on colleagues, friends, family
• Once you think you know it all
• Keep reading
• Ask questions
• Call on colleagues, friends, family

61
B) Inability to build or maintain satisfactory
interpersonal relationships with peers and
teachers.
62
What it Looks Like

• May be manifested as ineffective social skills
• Misperception of social cues
• May experience peer rejection to a greater degree
• Manifest self-centered behaviors
• Inability to self monitor
• Blames others
• Easily embarrassed
• Social withdrawal

63
Cultural Implications -African Americans

• Develop identities in opposition to mainstream or
  white culture and engage in behaviors that are
  potentially deleterious to success in school
• Research suggests these students have a racial
  identity attitude assumption that whites do not
  have the best interests of A.A.s at heart
• Poorly developed social skills when compared to
  other cultures in the school setting
• Inadequate school and community supports
• Not trusting of others

64
Cultural Implications for Hispanics

• Prefer closer distances (sometimes seen as
  invading personal space)
• Often interacting with students in an aggressive
  manner

65
C) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings
under normal circumstances.
66
Cultural Implications - African Americans

• Abilities often expressed in streetwise behaviors
• Behavioral manifestations result in high
  suspension and expulsion rates
• Gang involvement
• Fears of violence, crime and incarceration
• Adopt a racial role which is one marked by
  resistance, suspicion and caution
• Behavior is oppositional to the work of school
• Lack a serious attitude toward school work

67
Cultural Implications - African Americans
(continued)

• Black hostility can erupt towards whites - either
  students or teachers
• Development of an oppositional cultural style
• Brash, loud, in your face style of responding
• Tend to spontaneously manifest their emotions
• Tend to be spontaneously verbally expressive and
  direct
• Feeling of hostility towards whites

68
Cultural Implications - African Americans
(continued)

• Tend to get close and touch during their
  expressions
• Tend to express subjective and passionate
  interpretation of others actions
• Aggressive and emotionally charged behavior may
  be expected at home and in the community
• Tend to express subjective and passionate
  interpretation of others actions

69
Cultural Implications - Hispanic

• Prefer closer distances sometimes seen as
  invading personal space by other cultures
• Manifest behaviors such as fighting and talking
  back to teachers
• Oppositional attitudes school misbehaviors lead
  to suspension
• Non compliant and failing to immediately follow
  directions
• Affiliation with gangs in urban settings
• History of difficulties with the legal system

70
Cultural Implications - Native American

• Indifference to ownership
• Cautious
• Careful listening and observation
• Permissive approach to child rearing which
  encourages self- exploration and autonomy
• Many react negatively to direct praise or
  criticism given in front of others (As such,
  responses are different than what one would
  expect)
• Carried a weapon at a rate 2xs greater than
  Caucasian students
• Significantly more likely to engage in behaviors
  resulting in unintentional injuries, violence,
  drug abuse and risky sexual behavior

71
D) A generalized pervasive mood of unhappiness or
depression.
72
Cultural Implications - Hispanic

• Prolonged eye contact may be considered
  disrespectful
• students tend to look down, especially when being
  reprimanded
• Less self disclosing
• may not speak directly about issues
• Drug and ETOH use associated with
• high level of failed classes
• Detentions, suspensions, expulsions
• placements in lower-ability groups
• referrals for special services
• dropout rates

73
Cultural Implications Hispanics

• Studies in the 90s suggest Hispanic students
  exhibit to a greater degree
• Timidity
• Fearfulness
• Depressive symptoms
• Separation anxiety
• Some Hispanic cultures demonstrate behaviors that
  are viewed the classroom as
• Dependent, passive and reticent
• This is appropriate in the home
• May not ask for help

74
Cultural Implications - Native Americans

• Deliberate in their responses
• Do not respond rapidly to questions
• Many taught that making eye contact with an older
  person or questioning an older person is a sign
  of disrespect
• Suicide attempt rate is 3x greater than Caucasian
  students
• Medical treatment because of suicide attempts is
  5x greater that Caucasian students
• Great frequency and onset at an early age of Drug
  and ETOH usage

75
A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears
associated with personal or school problems.

• To date - Couldnt find anything in the
  literature dealing with this and cultural
  considerations.

76
Points to Consider

• What we as psychologists consider discipline and
  emotional problems are greatly influenced by
• Upbringing
• Values
• Training
• Attitudes
• Pressure from others
• Do we see the student objectively?
• Does the teacher see the student objectively?

77
How do the following influence yourassessment
and interpretation of the results? (Sattler)

• How would the interpretation of the data from
  your assessment in these areas differ for the
  culturally different student?
• Do you recognize how your standards affect your
  judgments?
• Can you determine the bases for your hypotheses?
• Are you aware of any speech patterns that may
  affect the intelligibility of your speech?
• Are you aware of the style or tone of your
  communications?
• Are you aware of stereotypes and personal biases
  that may cloud your judgments and distract you
  from listening objectively?

78
How do the following influence yourassessment
and interpretation of the results? (Sattler)

• Are you aware of your body language and what your
  body language may convey to a child?
• Are you aware of any distracting mannerisms?
• Are you aware of any physical or mental
  conditions you have that may affect the
  assessment?
• Do you avoid certain issues that are
  uncomfortable for you or that are difficult for
  you to deal with?
• Are you uncomfortable with certain types of
  individuals?

79
Questions to Ask

• Is the behavior within the students control?
• Is the behavior situation specific or across
  settings?
• Is the behavior goal directed?
• What are the strengths of the student?
• To what extent is the behavior influenced by
  familial patterns?
• To what extent is the behavior influenced by
  community patterns?
• To what extent is the behavior influenced by
  peers?

80
More Questions to Ask

• What recognition does the student get from the
  behavior?
• What is the history of the behavior?
• How does the behavior fit within the
  developmental continuum?
• Knowing what you do about the cultural
  implications of the background of the studentis
  the behavior within expectations?

81
Things to remember

• How have you incorporated the effects of the
  cultural, and poverty if appropriate, in your
  assessment?
• To what extent have you incorporated the
  students strengths into your assessment?
• To what extent are you yielding to the Coroners
  attitude?

82
Questions?

• Contact InformationRay Easler, Ph.D.
• ray.easler_at_yahoo.com
• Kimberlie Cain, M.A., Ed.S.
• kcain_at_san.rr.com
• Julie Miller, Graduate Student
• julimae1_at_yahoo.com