Social impacts of inclusive education: On the requirement for an emphasis on girls with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in research on inclusion

Abstract

While there is an extensive and substantial body of epidemiological research on gender-specific differences regarding the prevalence, persistence, and comorbidity of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) in childhood and adolescence, empirical research on inclusive education largely lacks a differentiated and gender-sensitive research approach. However, initial empirical findings indicate that girls with internalizing behavior problems are to be considered a particularly vulnerable group in school regarding their social integration, their self-concept, their well-being in school and their perception and interpretation of social interaction processes. Can girls with internalizing behavior problems thus be referred to as the 'forgotten gender' of empirical research on inclusive education? The following article aims to address the existing tension between gender-specific epidemiological data, school-related practices, and empirical research approaches. In this context, we first (I) summarize the available empirical findings, (II) outline the methodological foundations of an ongoing research project, and (III) discuss the social implications of a predominantly one-sided empirical approach and outline a call to action for practice and research.