Relationship of Behavioral Characteristics to Educational Needs

Abstract

The present study focused on children referred to a psychiatric outpatient facility from the regular classroom for evaluation of behavioral and school-learning problems. Behavioral problems noted during the initial evaluation for each child were coded according to a master list of over 60 behavioral characteristics grouped into seven broad categories: conduct disorders, emotional disorders, social relationship disorders, attentional disorders, hyperactivity, language disorders, and developmental delays/physical disorders. Then classroom placement recommendations were made by a school interdisciplinary team and categorized according to four classroom integration options ranging from total integration to integration for less than 1–2 hours daily. Results indicate general trends in the relationship between placement option(s) and the incidence and severity of presenting behavioral profiles. The meaning of these results is discussed in relation to research that emphasizes the lack of concordance between clinical, psychoeducational test profiles, psychiatric classification schemes, and classroom placement recommendations for special education students.