Social, Emotional And Behavioural Difficulties Research Articles

Young children’s perspectives on resolving social exclusion within inclusive classrooms

Not all children benefit from the opportunities of inclusive education, especially children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). This article presents the findings of a Q study exploring the perspectives of children with or at risk of SEBD, who experience difficulties with their social participation within the mainstream classroom. Forty-five children, aged 6–8 years, sorted 15 statements outlining approaches for resolving social exclusion and victimisation situations. Four shared perspectives were identified per situation using by-person factor analysis. These perspectives differed primarily with respect to the actors held responsible for resolving the situation. Therefore, a one-size-fits-all approach is not appropriate for addressing the social needs of children with or at risk of SEBD within the inclusive classroom.

Using outdoor learning to augment social and emotional learning (SEL) skills in young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD)

ABSTRACTUnder-developed social and emotional learning (SEL) skills limit educational progress and make it difficult for children and young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) to form effective relationships with peers and ADULTS. This paper focuses on an SEL intervention set within an outdoor learning context. The research was practitioner led and used an action research (AR) approach to implement and evaluate the SEL intervention. Research participants (aged 12–13 years) were recruited from a UK special school and were all considered to have SEBD. The paper provides evidence for the specific SEL skills that participation in outdoor learning can enhance. The evidence suggests that outdoor learning can be an effective approach for educators wishing to augment the SEL skills of young people with SEBD.

An exploration of the factors that lead to the successful progression of students in alternative provision

AimsThe progression of students within Alternative Provision (AP) who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) has frequently been identified as an area of concern. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the factors that lead to the successful progression of students in a Further Education (FE) AP. The study’s strengths and limitations are discussed as well as the implications for practice development and growth.MethodEight semi-structured interviews were conducted with students between the ages of 16–18 who had progressed from FE AP into mainstream college. Interview transcripts were analysed and coded using thematic analysis.FindingsThe main organising themes identified were: full, accessible and diverse curriculum; positive and holistic learning environment; student motivation; staff understanding of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties; and adult environment. Through reflecting on the organising themes the global theme of supportive and personalised learning experience was identified. The young people interviewed greatly valued education being tailored to meet their needs through informed, personalised and well-delivered behaviour management strategies implemented by staff. High-level facilities and resources combined with the above provided a holistic educational experience that promoted the learners’ academic and social enhancement and motivation. It also appears that through being in an adult environment the social and emotional development of these younger learners was enhanced.ConclusionTo assist the outcomes of young people who enter into a FE AP it appears that there is a need to develop a diverse and creative educational experience which has been created to meet each young person’s individual needs. This research suggests that highly skilled, supportive, understanding and available staff enhance this learning experience. The above seems to be facilitated by students having an ‘Aha’ moment when they spontaneously decide to change their less favourable behaviours. It is possible that experiencing a combining sense of autonomy, competence and relatedness, which are important factors in motivation, facilitate this moment of realisation.

Assessing Teacher Opinion on the Inclusion of Children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties into Mainstream School Classes

This study used a mixed methods approach to determine mainstream teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) considering the influence of age, experience, qualifications and the support they receive. The study further considered whether there was a link between attitudes and willingness to work with such children in mainstream classrooms whilst identifying the barriers to successful inclusion. A sample of 50 primary teachers (14 males; 36 females) volunteered to take part in the study. The results indicated that age, time in profession and support received were significant predictors of teacher attitudes, with time in the profession as the strongest predictor. Attitudes also had a significant effect on willingness to include when controlling for support received. Qualitative responses suggested teachers felt they lacked necessary training to include children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and lack of consistent resources and support were commonly cited as barriers.

Student voices on social exclusion in general primary schools

Advocates of inclusive education argue that the social inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) increases when they are educated with typically developing peers. However, research indicates that this is not apparent for all students with SEN. Students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) are often socially excluded. To understand the situation of these students, their voices should be heard. The aim of the current explorative study was to gain insight into: (1) the experiences of students with SEBD regarding victimisation and social exclusion, and (2) the approaches they applied and referred resolving social problems. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 socially excluded students from grades 5 and 6, attending general (N = 6) and segregated special (N = 21) primary education. The participants were prompted to talk about their own experiences using hypothetical scenarios. The interviews were analysed using a multi-grounded theory approach. The results show that students referred different approaches to resolving these social problems than the applied approaches. They would have liked to have seen their peers and teachers to show more initiative. In line with these results, the need to listen to the students’ voices are emphasised.

Language and social-emotional and behavioural wellbeing from 4 to 7\xa0years: a community-based study

Language disorder (LD) and social-emotional and behavioural (SEB) difficulties are common childhood problems that often co-occur. While there is clear evidence of these associations from clinical samples, less is known about community samples. This paper examines these associations in children aged 4–7 years from a community-based longitudinal study. 771 families provided questionnaire and assessment data at 4, 5 and 7 years. Parent-reported SEB difficulties were measured at each point (SDQ). Child language was directly assessed at 4 (CELF-P2), 5 and 7 years (CELF-4). Linear regression analysis was used to compare cross-sectional differences in mean SDQ scores between children with and without LD at each time point. Linear regression was then used to examine how patterns of language development (language disordered at three time points; never disordered; disordered at one or two time points, i.e. ‘unstable’ group) related to SEB difficulties at each age, adjusted for potential confounders, as in the previous analyses. Higher hyperactivity/inattention scores were associated with LD at each age. In fully adjusted models, there was little difference in mean emotional symptoms scores between children with and without LD. The ‘never’ LD group had lower mean SDQ scores at each time point than the ‘unstable’ group. Findings highlight that children with persistent LD from preschool to early primary school may be more likely to have concomitant SEB difficulties, particularly behavioural difficulties. Those with unstable LD may also have co-occurring SEB difficulties, showing a need for education and health professionals to monitor early language and SEB development.

An Occupational Therapy and Teaching Partnership: Applying a Scholarship of Practice Model

ABSTRACTOccupational therapists must generate knowledge and evidence that relates specifically to their practice context especially when there is a paucity of literature for emerging areas of practice. This paper describes the process of adopting a scholarship of practice approach with other professionals to generate evidence for practice in mainstream post primary school settings with students with social, emotional and behavioral difficulties (SEBD). Scholarship of practice and clinical reasoning are closely intertwined as therapists generate evidence on their practice to make informed decisions and judgments. In this paper, there are a number of important concepts needing to be highlighted for their meaning in this specific context.

The differentiated impact of Kangaroo Class programmes in Quebec primary schools: examining behavioural improvements in relation to student characteristics

ABSTRACTInspired by Nurture Groups, Kangaroo Class (KC) programmes have been gradually expanding in francophone schools throughout the Canadian Province of Quebec. These classes are designed for primary students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBDs) and aim to provide children with a nurturing and predictable environment. To date, KC research data show only moderate improvements in attendees’ behaviour. The aim of this study is to differentiate the characteristics of children with a positive behavioural trajectory from those with a negative behavioural trajectory after 2 years of attending KC by examining the sample group in light of their prior educational history, family-specific factors and types of SEBDs. Results indicate that the primary school children whose behaviour improved after 2 years attending KC had entered the programme displaying higher levels of adjustment difficulties and a greater incidence of internalising behaviours in contrast to those whose behaviour deteriorated. These preliminary results, although obtained through a very small sample size, might warily suggest that when a KC admission choice must be made between a range of potential programme candidates, selecting children with internalising behaviours over those with externalising behaviours would likely lead to more effective outcomes.

Associations between expressive and receptive language and internalizing and externalizing behaviours in a community-based prospective study of slow-to-talk toddlers.

Evidence suggests that language and social, emotional and behavioural (SEB) difficulties are associated in children and adolescents. When these associations emerge and whether they differ by language or SEB difficulty profile is unclear. This knowledge is crucial to guide prevention and intervention programmes for children with language and SEB difficulties. To determine whether receptive and expressive language skills are associated with internalizing and externalizing behaviours in slow-to-talk toddlers. In a community-based prospective study of 200 slow-to-talk children, language was measured at 24 and 36 months using Preschool Language Scale 4th Edition and at 48 months using Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool 2nd Edition. Internalizing and externalizing behaviours were measured by parent report at each age. Longitudinal data were analysed using repeated-measures regression, with up to three observations per child. Robust standard errors were used to account for non-independence of measures within participants. The shape of the associations were examined by fitting quadratic and cubic terms. The effects of confounders on the associations were examined. Receptive language had a negative linear association with internalizing behaviours after adjusting for confounders (β = -0.16, 95% [CI = -0.26, -0.07], p = .001); and a negative curved association with externalizing behaviours after adjusting for biological confounders (βquadratic = 0.08 [0.01, 0.15], p = .03, βcubic = -0.04 [-0.07, -0.02], p = .001), attenuating after adjusting for environmental confounders (βquadratic = 0.06 [-0.01, 0.13], p = .09, βcubic = -0.03 [-0.06, -0.003], p = .03). The curvature suggests that the negative association with externalizing behaviours only existed for children with either very low or very high receptive language scores. After controlling for confounders, there was no evidence that expressive language scores were associated with internalizing (β = -0.08, 95% [CI = -0.17, 0.01], p = .10) or externalizing behaviours (β = 0.03, 95% [CI = -0.09, 0.18], p = .61). Tests of interaction revealed no evidence of a differential association by age. In 24-48-month-old slow-to-talk children, lower receptive language scores were associated with higher internalizing behaviours. The magnitude of the association was small. For children with very poor receptive language scores, lower receptive language skills were associated with higher externalizing behaviours. Young children with low receptive language abilities may be at risk of internalizing difficulties; those with very low receptive language skills may be at particular risk of externalizing difficulties. This has clinical implications for interventions for young children with receptive language difficulties.

Teacher strategies to support the social participation of students with SEBD in the regular classroom

It is known that schoolteachers have difficulties supporting students with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD) in inclusive classroom settings. Despite the literature providing strategies for schoolteachers, little is known about strategy use in daily practice to influence the social participation of students with SEBD, and whether different strategies are used for students with different types of SEBD. Accordingly, the aim of this study was twofold: (1) to identify which strategies are suggested by primary schoolteachers as influencing the social participation of students with SEBD in the inclusive classroom; and (2) to investigate whether primary schoolteachers suggest different strategies for students with internalising and externalising behavioural difficulties. Qualitative data were collected through focus group meetings with Dutch primary schoolteachers (N = 41) and analysed with a multi-grounded theory approach. This resulted in a conceptual model demonstrating that the participants not only suggest strategies primarily focused on supporting social participation, but also suggest pre-conditional strategies, despite the differences between internalising and externalising behavioural difficulties in terms of characteristics and needs. The results are discussed in light of further investigation for schoolteacher support to meet the specific academic and social needs of all students, with or without SEBD.

Reaching the hard to reach: quantitative and qualitative evaluation of school-based arts therapies with young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties

ABSTRACTThe arts therapies are becoming more commonplace as psychotherapeutic interventions for young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) and associated mental health conditions in educational settings and are now used in many educational provisions. The justification for their use would seem to be largely based on the subjective experience of education managers and anecdotal evidence as empirical evidence for their effectiveness with this client group is scarce. This research article is an attempt to fill that gap. A sample of 52 young people receiving an arts therapy and a control sample of 29 young people on a waiting list for an arts therapy were assessed over a year-long period in two SEBD schools in London using staff-rated Goodman’s Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ) and a self-rated scoring system. SDQ results showed a significant difference in improvement of levels of SEBD compared to the control group across all measures with emotional and conduct difficulties showing a large effect. Three out of four self-rated score categories also showed significant difference in improvement compared to the control group. The quantitative data were supplemented with qualitative data obtained via interviews with six young people who had received an arts therapy. The data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Themes emerging from this data suggested that young people felt that the arts brought various benefits to their therapy that augmented the verbal side and helped them to engage in therapy.

The perceptions and experiences of young people with a BESD/SEMH classification

Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, previously Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD), is the most frequently occurring category of Special Educational Need (SEN) in secondary schools in England, associated with school exclusion and poorer outcomes in later life. This study explores the perceptions of young people of the “label” BESD/SEMH and their school experiences. A social constructionist grounded theory approach was used to analyse data from semi-structured interviews with nine young people with a statement of SEN for BESD. Findings show that eight of the participants were previously unaware of their classification of BESD and that it was predominantly negatively evaluated. The grounded theory model arising from the research describes the perceptions of young people of the struggles and strengths that they experience at school. Teacher–pupil relationships were found to contribute to both strengths and struggles at school depending on their perceived quality. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

STRATEGIES OF TEACHERS IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM

It is known that regular schoolteachers have difficulties in educating students with social, emotional and behavioral difficulties (SEBD), mainly because of their disruptive behavior. In order to manage the disruptive behavior of students with SEBD many advices and strategies are provided in educational literature. However, very little is known about teachers′ strategies in daily practice to enhance the social participation of these students. The current study aims at revealing what teachers do to improve the social participation of students with SEBD in regular class via expert panel meetings. The data from the expert panels were half‐open coded with two codebooks. The results indicate that teachers use many different strategies. However, not all strategies were directly aimed at improving the social participation. Teachers also aimed at preconditions like parental contact.

Positive narratives: the stories young people with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD) tell about their futures

This research drew on positive psychology in order to offer an optimistic way of conceptualising the lives of young people who are often described as having ‘SEBD’ (social, emotional and behavioural difficulties), now SEMH (social, emotional, mental health) in the English 2014 Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice. Positive psychology places emphasis on: the future, strengths, resources and potential, and suggests that negative experiences can build positive qualities. The young people in this research identified a range of strengths and resources in their lives that they had built as a result of earlier negative experiences. Narrative Oriented Inquiry (NOI) was used to analyse the themes of potential and growth in their stories which reveal their hopes and aspirations for the future. By giving these young people the opportunity to tell their stories this research permitted them to focus on where they were going, rather than where they had been.

A first-level evaluation of a family intervention for adolescent social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

This study is a first-level evaluation of a family intervention targeted at adolescents with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) attending Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Ireland. It is a combined implementation of the Working Things Out adolescent programme and the Parents Plus Adolescent Programme (WTOPPAP).Method: A total of 93 adolescents aged 11–17 years (M = 14.64, SD = 1.31; 39% male) and their parents took part in the study. The study used a quasi-experimental One-Group Pretest-Posttest design to assess change from pre- to post-intervention using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the McMaster General Functioning Scale, Goal Attainment, Parent Stress Scale and the Kansas Parenting Satisfaction Scale. Both parent- and adolescent-rated goal attainment and general family functioning improved from pre- to post-intervention. Parents also rated their satisfaction with parenting as having significantly improved. Adolescent-rated emotional difficulties significantly improved for the overall sample and parent-rated child total difficulties for female adolescents significantly improved from pre-test to post-test. Parents of female adolescents also reported a significant drop in parental stress. These findings indicate that the WTOPPAP may be an effective intervention for adolescents with SEBD, particularly females, and their parents. Further implications are discussed.

Documentation for students in residential care: network of relations of human and non-human actants

ABSTRACTSwedish and international research points to serious problems for the education of students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) in the care of social welfare, for example, in residential care. The aim of this article is to elucidate how documentation, care plans (CPs) and individual educational plans (IEPs) outline the educational prospects for SEBD students in residential care. A more specific aim is to study how the form or template partakes in the production of educational trajectories. Using post-structural theory and the concepts of actor-network theory, this paper highlights the forms or templates as agentive forces in a network with students, parents, teachers and social workers. Documentation reveals few expectations that these teenagers can become capable learners and almost all of the subjects have been given a reduced curriculum. The lack of headings such as ‘Student's or parents’ opinion’ or ‘School subjects’ can be understood as indications that these topics are considered to be of less importance. Individual differences between students disappear when the electronic document enables the use of the exact same phrases and words to describe different students. These results, along with previous research, point to an immediate need to discuss both the form and content of documentation in educational practice and to consider what, for what reason and for whom to document.

A community of practice as an inclusive model to support children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in school contexts

ABSTRACTMany school children throughout the world who exhibit antisocial or destructive behaviour or have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) do not receive the support they need. As a result, they are caught up in a cycle of vulnerability. Systemic collaborative support is needed to counter this. Although in some cases teachers and other professionals join forces, interventions are usually affected by individual professionals outside the framework of inclusive education. This literature review paper explores the support children with SEBD in school contexts receive. The findings of the thematic document analysis highlight the vulnerability of children with SEBD, the success or otherwise of attempts made by various approaches and intervention programmes to provide support to these children, and the barriers to inclusive support. We argue the merits of adopting a Community of Practice as an inclusive model to support school children with SEBD. This kind of inclusive model strengthens constructive partnerships that provide these children with opportunities to acquire the social capital they need to engage meaningfully at schools and in their future life.

Discourse, power interplays and ‘disordered identities’: an intersectional framework for analysis and policy development

While acknowledging the discursive constitution of student identities through the interplay of unequal power relations and discriminatory processes, the article discusses the ways in which social, emotional and behaviour difficulties (SEBD) are ‘produced’ and ‘managed’ within current schooling. SEBD are routinely framed in terms of ‘psychopathologisation’ and managed through zero-tolerance policies and punitive interventions. In this way ‘difference’ is framed as a ‘behavioural problem’ in schools and used, as an ontological a priori, to legitimise the construction and management of subjectively defined ‘disordered identities’ through disciplinary procedures. Issues of power and identity politics are central to any attempt to analyse the complex and intersecting social and discursive factors which contribute to the construction, negotiation and definition of ‘disordered identities’. It is suggested that a human rights approach to difference and diversity requires that ‘challenging behaviour’ and ‘SEBD’ are understood and managed on the basis of an intersectionality-based policy analysis (IBPA) framework and that such an analysis should inform development of policies which take a holistic and socially just approach to understanding and managing students’ problem behaviour.

Providing effective support to teachers in addressing social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in mainstream classrooms in a Bangalore pre‐primary school

This article reports a study conducted on children's social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) in a single pre‐primary school in Bangalore, with the objective of developing a behaviour management policy for use by teachers. Limited evidence is available in the Indian literature in the area of SEBD and it remains important to know how the teachers address behaviour in their classrooms and what proposals they have for the provision of effective support for these children in schools. Eight teachers who had expressed concerns about children's SEBD were selected for the study. Questionnaires and semi‐structured interviews were used to gather data from these teachers. The first part of the study was focused upon the teachers' understanding of the concept of SEBD and the characteristics associated with this label that they encounter in the classroom. Further attempts were made to explore teachers' strategies and ‘solutions’ to meet such difficulties in their classrooms. The paper discusses the adaptable framework with guidelines for teachers, formulated from the data gathered from the study, together with ideas accumulated through the use of relevant literature to address SEBD in early years settings in India.

Bullying experiences of students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD)

This article is based on the accounts of 29 boys identified as having severe social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) who were attending a residential school in New Zealand. Through in-depth, semi-structured and focus group interviews, a number of salient features of their schooling experiences emerged. One of these features was the experience of bullying. Despite the intuitive connection between SEBD and bullying, little research has directly examined its impact on these students. Results indicated that these students are at increased risk for both victimisation and bullying perpetration and highlight the association between a lack of positive relations with peers and the increased chance of being bullied. The findings also suggested that limitations in teachers’ understanding of bullying and their effectiveness in addressing this play a role in its perpetration.