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Community mental health services are usually provided at an office or in the home. Services support families to make positive changes that help children recover from mental illness and foster resilience.

Mental health services start with a thorough assessment and developing a plan to address goals identified by the child and family. Services to the child and family may include:

Crisis intervention

Skills training and development

Counseling

Supportive employment

Medication training and support

Case management

Peer services (family partner support services)

To learn more, read the Family Guide: Children's Mental Health Services (PDF).

What Are the Benefits of Child or Youth Mental Health Services?

National statistics show that one out of four children will have a mental illness during childhood. Children diagnosed and treated are more likely to succeed at home and in the community.

These services are based upon the child's strengths, needs and preferences. The benefits include:

Reduction of mental health symptoms

Development of new communication skills

Development of new ways to manage emotions

Development of new ways to relax and create

Improved social functioning at home and the community

Services that fit into the child's and family's schedule

Services provided where the child and family live

Who Is Eligible for Community Mental Health Services for Children?

Children's Mental Health serves children 3 to 17 with a mental health diagnosis who:

Are at risk of having to move away from their home or school

Are enrolled in special education

How Do I Get Community Mental Health Services for Children?

Contact Us

Email: Childrens_MH@hhsc.state.tx.us

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Community mental health services are usually provided at an office or in the home. Services support families to make positive changes that help children recover from mental illness and foster resilience. Mental health services start with a thorough assessment and developing a plan to address goals identified by the child and family.

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Definition

Students with emotional disorders are a very heterogeneous group with a wide range of issues that are unique to each individual. However, there are some key characteristics that are used to define this disability category, mostly relating to issues of personal identity and emotional well-being. An emotional disorder may be present if a student responds to a situation with an inappropriate behavior or emotion, and particularly, if this emotion is depression or long term unhappiness. Students with emotional disorders typically have a very difficult time maintaining personal relationships with others, and these personal problems lead to physical symptoms in time. If the student has difficulty learning, but there is no intellectual or sensory cause of this difficulty, then an emotional disorder may be to blame. This disability category does include some mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.

It should be noted that one or more of the previously mentioned characteristics has to be present for an extended period of time, and must have a negative impact on the student's academic performance before being considered an emotional disorder. Signs of an emotional disorder need to be taken seriously, as they can lead to physical aggression and self-injurious behavior. However, care must also be taken to recognize the difference between emotional disturbance and general teenage angst. There are as many causes of emotional disturbance in children as there are children in this category, but they can generally be divided into either biological causes, environmental causes, or a combination of the two.

Prevalence

The U.S. Department of Education reports 5,971,495 students receiving special education services in the 2003-2004 school year. Of that number, roughly 7.7%, or 461,055 students, received special education services based on a classification of emotional disturbance. However, within this group of 461,055 students, there was a definite disproportionally between gender, race and socioeconomic background. African-American students were far more likely to be diagnosed as emotionally disturbed than white students, reflecting possible race bias in this category. Research has pointed to a direct correlation between low income status and emotional disorders, but the exact reasons for this correlation are unknown.

Characteristics

Each student with an emotional disturbance will have characteristics that are unique to that individual. However, these students will all share deficits in three specific areas, namely emotional development, behavioral development, and cognitive development.

These students may have specific emotional characteristics/conditions such as anxiety disorder, mood disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and schizophrenia. Not addressing any one of these disorders with the appropriate support system could have potentially tragic results. Behavioral characteristics of an emotional disorder include externalizing behavior and conversely internalizing behavior. The former can result in problem behavior and physical aggression while the latter results in depression and anxiety. Finally, students with emotional disorders have a number of academic issues as well, and each year half of the students in this category drop out of school entirely.

One intriguing possible contributing factor to emotional disturbance can be found in deficits in communication. An estimated 71% of students with emotional disorders also have expressive and receptive language disorders that impact their ability to understand and communicate with peers and adults.

Impact on Learning

Students with emotional disorders can be found at every level of cognitive functioning, but the majority of these students tend to have low average intelligence. Most achieve below grade level in academic achievement, with the greatest deficits in both math and spelling. Many have a coexisting learning disability of some type. Students that exhibit externalizing behaviors are at the greatest risk for continued deficits in academic functioning. Students with emotional disorders are less likely to attend post-secondary school than students in many other disability categories. An effective educational program for students with emotional disorders will provide emotional and behavioral supports that foster the replacement of problem behaviors with more appropriate behaviors. Positive behavior support systems are one especially effective strategy to achieve this goal, as are the implementation of wraparound services.

Teaching Strategies

Wraparound planning is a collaborative process that has shown great promise in supporting students with emotional disorders, both in research and in more practical application. This planning process brings all of the involved service providers (i.e., adult rehabilitation services, mental health services, guidance counselor) and individuals together to create a natural support system that is founded on the strengths of the individual student and the community in which that student lives. The family is an integral part of this process, and the overall goal is to devise a program that will capitalize on the strengths and interests of the student while utilizing community resources for placement and intervention.

Generally, academic achievement and problem behaviors often go hand-in-hand for students with emotional disorders. To put this another way, the more difficulty they have with a classroom task, the more likely that maladaptive behavior will result. Supporting the academic performance of these students will thus have the added benefit of decreasing externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Best practices for students with emotional disorders are often best practices for all students. A strategy such as allowing students to choose between classroom tasks, for example, is an effective way to decrease problem behaviors in general. Consistent and specific praise is also a great technique to utilize with all students in the classroom, but can be particularly effective with students with emotional disorders.

It is very important to not make assumptions about any family of a child with an emotional disorder. Many emotional disorders have an organic cause, and the parents of the child may well be loving and supportive in every way. However, some of these students have indeed been abused in some fashion in their young lives, and this too can be a cause of emotional or behavioral issues. Trust can be a very large issue for these children. Forming a relationship with these students that is built on empathy, trust, and mutual respect can often be the solution to many problem behaviors, and can have a lasting impact of the emotional development of the child.

Assistive Technology

Some modification in instruction will be necessary to allow a student with an emotional disorder to demonstrate mastery in a number of academic areas, and most especially in the area of writing. Word processing software can be an excellent supplementary aid for these students, allowing them to edit and revise their work as they produce it. These programs can strengthen spelling skills and writing cohesion simply by making the writing process easier overall. Of particular benefit are word processing programs that read the text as it is typed, providing an additional audio cue for the student.

Organizations

There are a number of excellent organizations that can help support classroom instruction for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. The information presented in this module is intended as just a very brief description of emotional disorder and its impact on learning. Much more in-depth information and instructional strategies can be accessed through the following organizations:

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

The AACAP (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) is the leading national professional medical association dedicated to treating and improving the quality of life for children, adolescents, and families affected by these disorders. Composed of over 7,500 child and adolescent psychiatrists and other interested physicians, its members actively research, evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders and pride themselves on giving direction to and responding quickly to new developments in addressing the health care needs of children and their families.

Public Information Office
3615 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20016-3007

Web: www.aacap.org

Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

The OSEP-funded National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports was established to address the behavioral and discipline systems needed for successful learning and social development of students. The Center provides capacity-building information and technical support about behavioral systems to assist states and districts in the design of effective schools.

5262 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-5262

Email: pbis@oregon.uregon.edu
Web: www.pbis.org

Center for Disability and Development

Dept. of Educational Psychology
4225 Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-4225

Council for Exceptional Children

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides continual professional development, advocates for newly and historically underserved individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.

1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-5704

Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health

This organization is dedicated exclusively to helping children with mental health needs and their families achieve a better quality of life. They provide leadership to develop and sustain a nationwide network of family-run organizations; focus the passion and cultural diversity of our membership to be a potent force for changing how systems respond to children with mental health needs and their families; help policy-makers, agencies, and providers become more effective in delivering services and supports that foster healthy emotional development for all children.

1101 King Street, Suite 420
Alexandria, VA 22314

Email: ffcmh@ffcmh.org
Web: www.ffcmh.org

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation's largest grassroots organization for people with mental illness and their families. NAMI is dedicated to the eradication of mental illnesses and to the improvement of the quality of life for persons of all ages who are affected by mental illnesses. NAMI members and friends work to fulfill our mission by providing support, education, and advocacy.

Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22203-3754

Web: www.nami.org

Mental Health America

Mental Health America is dedicated to helping ALL people live mentally healthier lives. They work to fulfill this mission by education the public about ways to preserve and strengthen mental health; advocating for access to effective care; fostering innovation in research, practice, services and policy; and providing support to individuals and families.

2001 N. Beauregard Street, 12th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22311

Web: www.nmha.org

National Mental Health Information Center

The National Mental Health Information Center was developed for users of mental health services and their families, the general public, policy makers, providers, and the media. They provide free information about mental health via a toll-free number, their website, and more than 600 publications.

P.O. Box 42557
Washington, DC 20015

Web: www.mentalhealth.org

References

Hunt, N., and Marshall, K. (2006). Exceptional children and youth. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (2004). Fact Sheet 5. Retrieved February 1, 2008 from www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs5txt.htm.

Turnbull, A., Turnbull, R. & Wehmeyer, M. L. (2007). Exceptional lives. Special education in today's schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

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Students with emotional disorders typically have a hard time maintaining relationships, and these personal problems may lead to physical symptoms in time.

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Palmer, B. (2015). Helping people with eating disorders : A clinical guide to assessment and treatment: Vol. Second edition. Wiley-Blackwell.

Springer, S. I., & Levitt, D. H. (2016). Eating Issues and Body Image in Elementary School: Detection and Prevention Strategies for School Counselors. Journal of School Counseling, 14(2), 1–39.

Waller, G. (2010). Beating Your Eating Disorder : A Cognitive-Behavioral Self-Help Guide for Adult Sufferers and Their Carers. Cambridge University Press.

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Identifying and Responding to an Emotional or Learning Dx

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Identifying and Responding to an Emotional or Learning Dx

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Family Resource Center - Child Mind Institute

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Find resources and information to help you support children who are struggling with mental health, behavior or learning challenges.

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8 Tips for Teachers

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Signs & symptoms

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder

No. 72; Reviewed January 2019

All children are oppositional from time to time, particularly when tired, hungry, stressed, or upset. They may argue, talk back, disobey, and defy parents, teachers, and other adults. Oppositional behavior is a normal part of development for two to three year olds and early adolescents. However, openly uncooperative and hostile behavior becomes a serious concern when it is so frequent and consistent that it stands out when compared with other children of the same age and developmental level and when it affects the child's social, family, and academic life.

In children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), there is an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that seriously interferes with the child's day to day functioning.

Symptoms of ODD may include:

Frequent temper tantrums

Excessive arguing with adults

Often questioning rules

Active defiance and refusal to comply with adult requests and rules

Deliberate attempts to annoy or upset people

Blaming others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior

Often being touchy or easily annoyed by others

Frequent anger and resentment

Mean and hateful talking when upset

Spiteful attitude and revenge seeking

The symptoms are usually seen in multiple settings but may be more noticeable at home or at school. One to sixteen percent of all school-age children and adolescents have ODD. The causes of ODD are unknown, but many parents report that their child with ODD was more rigid and demanding than the child's siblings from an early age. Biological, psychological, and social factors may have a role.

A child presenting with ODD symptoms should have a comprehensive evaluation. It is important to look for other disorders which may be present, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder), and anxiety disorders. It may be difficult to improve the symptoms of ODD without treating the coexisting disorder. Some children with ODD may go on to develop conduct disorder.

Treatment of ODD may include:

Parent Management Training to help parents and others manage the child's behavior

Individual Psychotherapy to develop more effective anger management

Family Psychotherapy to improve communication and mutual understanding

Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills Training and Therapies to decrease negativity

Social Skills Training to increase flexibility and improve social skills and frustration tolerance with peers

Medications may be helpful in controlling some of the more distressing symptoms of ODD as well as the symptoms related to coexistent conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, and mood disorders.

A child with ODD can be very difficult for parents. These parents need support and understanding. Parents can help their child with ODD in the following ways:

Always build on the positives, give the child praise and positive reinforcement when s/he shows flexibility or cooperation.

Take a time-out or break if you are about to make the conflict with your child worse, not better. This is good modeling for your child. Support your child if s/he decides to take a time-out to prevent overreacting.

Pick your battles. Since the child with ODD has trouble avoiding power struggles, prioritize the things you want your child to do. If you give your child a time-out in his room for misbehavior, don't add time for arguing. Say "your time will start when you go to your room."

Set reasonable, age appropriate limits with consequences that can be enforced consistently.

Maintain interests other than your child with ODD, so that managing your child doesn't take all your time and energy. Try to work with and obtain support from the other adults (teachers, coaches, and spouse) dealing with your child.

Manage your own stress with healthy life choices such as exercise and relaxation. Use respite care and other breaks as needed.

Many children with ODD will respond to the positive parenting techniques. Parents may ask their pediatrician or family physician to refer them to a child and adolescent psychiatrist or other qualified mental health professional who can help diagnose and treat ODD and any coexisting psychiatric condition.

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder No. 72; Reviewed January 2019 All children are oppositional from time to time, particularly when tired, hungry, stressed, or upset. They may argue, talk back, disobey, and defy parents, teachers, and other adults. Oppositional behavior is a normal part of development for two to three year olds and early adolescents.

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Working to deliver a better special education service

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Offering kids choices, safe spaces, and positive reinforcement can help teachers avoid problems-or manage them when they arise.

Elliott Golden / The iSpot

Most children will, at times, argue and test limits. Yet some kids are defiant and hostile to a degree that interferes with their daily lives-behavior that's sometimes diagnosed as Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or ODD, according to a story by WeAreTeachers.

"Students with ODD disrupt their own lives and often the lives of everyone nearby," write the report's authors. "[They] push the limits of defiance far beyond reason. Their problem behavior is much more extreme than that of their peers, and it happens much more often."

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, kids with ODD exhibit "an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that seriously interferes with the child's day-to-day functioning," for six months or more. Symptoms like frequent temper tantrums, excessive arguing with adults, and mean and hateful speech when upset, are usually seen across multiple settings, but especially at home or school. While a direct cause remains unclear, "biological, psychological, and social factors may have a role," the academy notes. Up to 16 percent of children may have the disorder, and children with ADHD are especially prone.

Though a teacher's first reaction to ODD might be to react defensively, this can backfire and create a power struggle with the student, say experts. Instead, teachers who've worked with students with ODD recommend a set of strategies that will address challenging behavior, and help you start building relationships with hard-to-reach students.

"We all have the capacity to learn, change, and grow," writes special education teacher Nina Parrish. "When given the right tools and environment, students with problematic behavior can learn more productive strategies that will help them have positive and effective interactions with others."

1. Be Calm and Consistent: As a new teacher, Parrish says she quickly learned that reacting with anger when her students with ODD acted out made the behavior worse and students became "amused or encouraged by upsetting an adult." Instead, Parrish recommends trying to keep a positive tone to your voice, adopting neutral body language, and being "cautious about approaching the student or entering their personal space as this might escalate the situation."

Consistency with words and actions is also important when working with kids with ODD. Teacher Brandy T. tells WeAreTeachers she routinely uses the same set of "trigger words" so her students know she's serious. When students in her class begin to argue with her, "I simply say either, 'not now,' 'later,' or 'fix the issue.'" When her students hear 'fix the issue,' for example, she says that's the signal to "go to their chill-out space if they need to calm down."

2. Reinforce Positive Behavior: For all kids, but especially children with ODD, it's important to "switch your focus from recognizing negative behavior to seeking out demonstrations of positive behavior," writes Parrish. She sends home positive notes when students show behavior improvements, even if they're small gains.

Additionally, consider offering students the opportunity to earn certain privileges, suggests WeAreTeachers, rather than "taking those privileges away as punishment." For example, give kids the opportunity to earn rewards-like a bit of iPad time or lunch with a teacher.

3. Find Out What's Going On: Behaviors, notes Parrish, help students "obtain something desirable, or escape something undesirable." She suggests thinking about behavior as feedback, or a way of communicating, an approach that's "helped me work more effectively as a teacher with students who display problem behaviors." Figuring out factors that contribute to students with ODD acting out can help you develop a plan for addressing their difficult behaviors in the classroom.

Sometimes, it's a matter of picking up on a student's signals that their emotions are building long before things reach a breaking point. When students who've experienced trauma are beginning to feel upset, they often show physical signs of their mounting distress: balling up fists, withdrawing from classroom interaction, or clenching their jaw, writes Micere Keels, an associate professor at the University of Chicago and a trauma-informed educator.

"Many educators tend to ignore students' increasing signs of agitation, hoping they'll eventually calm down. But when disregarded, these minor behaviors can quickly escalate," writes Keels, who also recommends identifying students' triggers, like touch or emotionally difficult anniversaries, to avoid situations entirely.

4. Create a Safe Reset Space: Kids with ODD "can learn to recognize when they're feeling overwhelmed and getting ready to challenge or defy," according to WeAreTeachers. "Giving them a safe space to calm down and rethink their choices can be beneficial."

At Fall-Hamilton Elementary, a trauma-informed school in Nashville, Tennessee, for example, every classroom has a nook-called a peace corner-with a comfortable seat, a timer, and items like stuffed animals, sensory squeeze toys, and simple drawing and writing supplies. It's a spot where kids can take a break and reset. The school also recognizes that teachers may need a time out too. Using a strategy called Tap-in/Tap-Out, teachers can ask a colleague via text message to briefly cover their class if they are about to lose their cool.

"A dysregulated adult cannot regulate a dysregulated child," says school principal Mathew Portell. "Use strategies that honor the student's emotions and need for space while also getting their systems to calm in a safe way."

5. Offer Choices: It's important to "affirm your students' autonomy by giving them choices," writes Keels, about best practices for de-escalation. When kids feel respected, "their sense of belonging and mood will often improve."

She recommends avoiding ultimatums like "You better sit back down or I'll send you to the office." Instead, clearly communicate expectations and limits so kids understand. You might say, "I see you're upset, but it's not OK to yell at me. You can either go get a drink of water and come back in five minutes, or sit in the reading chair and I will check in with you in five minutes," says Keels.

In the heat of the moment, it's important to avoid an argument, teacher Holli A. tells WeAreTeachers. "State your choices, then walk away," she says. "Give the student time to process and decide which choice to make. If they don't like the choices, don't engage. When they try to argue, repeat the choices, and walk away again. If the student still will not choose, they do not get to participate in their preferred activity."

6. Build Connections: Often, kids with ODD "are looking for a relationship with a teacher who can help them deal with problems on their own, instead of making them stand out in a negative way," according to WeAreTeachers. "Building a connection with them will help get to the root of the behavior."

Though teachers can feel the need to create boundaries with students, simply talking with them informally can build invaluable connections that influence their behavior in the classroom, says middle school math teacher Cicely Woodard.

Woodard says she intentionally makes herself approachable to students and tries to learn interesting details about them. "Some of my students tell me stories about their lives during the five minutes between classes," Woodard says. "I stop what I am doing, look them in the eyes, and listen."

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Offering kids choices, safe spaces, and positive reinforcement can help teachers avoid problems-or manage them when they arise.

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This Educator Toolkit has tips for addressing eating disorders in students.

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Body Image and Eating Disorders

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Body image distress is often seen as a symptom of an eating disorder. However, not every person with an eating disorder has a problematic body image, and many people who do not have eating disorders have poor body image.

So how can we understand the relationship between body image and eating disorders? This article discusses how body image and eating disorders are connected and some treatments that can help.

What Is Body Image?

Body image is the subjective image people have of their own body, which is distinct from how their body actually appears.

Body image is a complex construct and is made up of beliefs, thoughts, perceptions, feelings, and behaviors. The way we see ourselves and our bodies have an impact on our health, our mental health, and our relationships.

A healthy body image involves an objective perception of one's appearance and the ability to separate one's value as a person from how one looks.

Negative Body Image

Negative body image is often characterized by dissatisfaction with appearance and engaging in behaviors such as dieting, checking, and/or avoidance, in an attempt to ameliorate the dissatisfaction. Negative body image often emerges during childhood.

The term "normative discontent" was first used by Rodin and colleagues in 1984 to describe dissatisfaction with body size and shape. It was found to be so widespread among women that it was determined to be "normative" or normal.

A recent large scale study of 18- to 79-year-old Icelanders showed that nearly 43% were dissatisfied with their body weight, and over 71% thought they needed to lose weight.

Even though the average BMI was higher among males, more females than males were dissatisfied with their body weight in every age group.

Body Image Issues in Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses caused by genetic as well as environmental factors - negative body image is just one potential contributor. However, negative body image is prominent in eating disorders because many people with eating disorders place a high value on their body shape and weight when determining their own self-worth.

Anorexia: A diagnosis of anorexia nervosa is additionally consistent with a disturbance in how one's body weight or shape is experienced or an inability to recognize the seriousness of the current low body weight.

Binge eating disorder: Over-evaluation of shape and weight is not required for binge eating disorder (BED), the most common eating disorder. Research indicates that only about 60% of BED patients met the criteria for over-evaluation of shape and weight. However, it appears that patients with BED who experience a preoccupation with shape and weight may have a more severe form of BED.

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder: People with the eating disorder avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) do not typically experience any preoccupation with shape and weight.

Negative Body Image and Other Disorders

Body dissatisfaction may lead to dieting and disordered eating, which can be gateway behaviors to an eating disorder.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is another psychiatric disorder, classified as a type of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. People with BDD are preoccupied with one or more nonexistent or slight defects or flaws in their physical appearance, including body shape.

To be diagnosed with BDD a person must:

Engage in repetitive behaviors (such as checking or reassurance-seeking) related to the preoccupation

Experience impairment in functioning

However, if the individual's body image concerns only occur within the context of an eating disorder, only the eating disorder is diagnosed.

Muscle Dysmorphia

Body weight and size dissatisfaction have long been recognized as an issue among women, but it has recently been identified as an increasing problem among men. One type of body dysmorphic disorder, muscle dysmorphia, affects primarily men and boys who desire to be more muscular.

Because many people with muscle dysmorphia engage in exercise and changes in eating designed to influence body weight and shape, several researchers believe that muscle dysmorphia is actually a version of anorexia nervosa more closely aligned with traditional male gender norms.

Treatment for Negative Body Image

Body image is often one of the last symptoms of an eating disorder to improve during treatment. Even accounting for different treatments and symptoms, the stages of recovery from an eating disorder follow a fairly similar pattern.

Almost universally, weight recovery and behavioral changes appear to precede psychological recovery. And some degree of body image distress and preoccupation may persist after recovery from an eating disorder since it is not typical for people in our society to be entirely free of body image concerns.

In many cases, treatments incorporate more than one category of intervention. For example, cognitive-behavioral treatments and media literacy programs often include psychoeducation.

Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions

Cognitive-behavioral interventions are those most frequently utilized to address body image. These interventions help individuals modify dysfunctional thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that contribute to negative body image.

The techniques used include:

Fitness Training

Fitness training interventions include exercises geared at improving physical capabilities such as muscle strength. Objective improvements in physical fitness are not as important as perceived improvements.

Fitness training can also improve body image by encouraging individuals to focus more on the functionality of their bodies and less on their appearance.

Media Literacy Interventions

Media literacy interventions teach individuals to critically evaluate and challenge the media images and messages that can contribute to negative body image. For example, images of very thin models and messages such as "Thin is beautiful" can be challenged.

Self-Esteem Interventions

Self-esteem strategies used in the treatment of negative body image focus on identifying and appreciating individual differences both in regards to body image and internal qualities and talents. Strategies also focus on building healthy coping skills.﻿﻿

Psychoeducation

Psychoeducational strategies teach individuals about issues related to negative body image including its causes and consequences.﻿﻿ Psychoeducational strategies are often used in combination with one of the other types of interventions.

Gratitude-Based Interventions

A newer line of body image interventions includes gratitude-based strategies such as gratitude journals, lists, reflections, and meditations. Such interventions seek to increase appreciation for non-appearance-based aspects of oneself.

Strategies to Try at Home

Here are some self-help strategies based on some of the interventions above that you can do on your own to improve body image:

Keep a Body Gratitude Journal

A daily routine that includes self-deprecating comments about your body is likely making you feel worse. In order to come to a more balanced perspective, it is important to start to shift your attention and appreciate good things about your body.

One way to achieve this is to keep a body gratitude journal. Try to write something daily that is positive about your body.

Examples of Body Gratitude

Clean Your Social Media Feed

People often face a daily barrage of images and messages emphasizing thinness and/or the attainment of an ideal physique. To counteract these messages, it is essential to find messages that support body acceptance and the inclusion of a range of bodies.

Instead, read body-positive blogs and follow body-positive role models. Some excellent posts are Body Image Booster: 5 Ways To Strengthen Your Self-Respect by Margarita Tartakovsky and What the Dying Regret by Kerry Egan.

Buy Clothes That Fit Now

Many people resist buying clothes that fit and either wear shapeless clothes or dangle themselves the reward of shopping or fitting into old clothes "when they lose the weight." This misguided exercise increases misery in the present and does nothing to increase motivation.

Instead, buy at least a few essential items that fit now and make you feel good. Most people find that this makes them feel more confident and reduces anxiety and self-disparagement when getting dressed.

Challenge Avoidance and Stop Body Checking

Avoidance and body checking have been implicated in the persistence of eating disorders. Avoidance can involve the complete covering up, refusing to wear appropriate clothes for the situation (wearing a hoody in the summer, refusing to wear shorts or a sleeveless top on a summer day, refusal to swim because of anxiety over wearing a swimsuit) or complete avoidance of doctors who might weigh them.

Body checking is the repeated checking of one's shape and weight and takes various forms, from repeated weighing, measuring (with a tape measure or by touch), or obsessive checking in the mirror.

If checking is an issue, try keeping track of the number of times you check and then try to cut that back gradually. Exposure can also be gradual. For example, wear sleeveless shirts around the apartment for increasing periods before eventually venturing outside wearing them.

Act Out Against the Thin Ideal

Some of the most effective eating disorder prevention programs, such as The Body Project, are based on the principle of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the idea that when attitudes and behaviors conflict, a person experiences discomfort and tries to align attitudes with behaviors.

People are encouraged to engage in activities that actively resist cultural pressures toward the thin ideal. Such activities include writing a peer or young girl a letter encouraging her to embrace a more diverse range of beauty or writing a company that has engaged in fat-shaming or thin-centric behaviors a letter explaining why that bothers you.

Change Negative Body Language

Engaging in typical "fat talk" - negative and judgmental comments or conversations focused on weight and appearance - is detrimental to body image. Avoiding such judgments (e.g., "I'm so fat!") can improve body image. Consider taking a pledge not to engage in fat talk.

A Word From Verywell

There are numerous movements suggesting people should aim to love their bodies. This may not be possible. A more reasonable goal for some might be to work toward appreciating and accepting their bodies.

Body image will not likely improve without effort, and the above activities must be performed over time. Improving body image is an appropriate goal for therapy, whether or not an individual is experiencing disordered eating.

If employing these strategies independently is not helping over time and body image is having a negative effect on overall well-being or daily functioning, don't hesitate to seek help from a professional.

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Body image distress is conflated with eating disorders. However, you might have either one without the other. Learn more about the relationship.

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https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ894799

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The current article is designed to provide school counselors an understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The causes, characteristics, and treatment approaches are presented with examples focusing on school-related issues. The article concludes with a discussion about the role that the school counselor can take in helping the child with OCD to have a successful school experience.

Descriptors: School Counselors, School Counseling, Special Needs Students, Behavior Disorders, Antisocial Behavior, Counselor Role, Coping, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Gender Differences, Age Differences, Etiology, Neurological Impairments, Genetic Disorders, Cognitive Restructuring, Behavior Modification, Drug Therapy

Journal of School Counseling. Montana State University, College of Education, Health and Human Development, P.O. Box 172940, Bozeman, MT 59717. Tel: 406-994-4133; Fax: 406-994-1854; e-mail: ehhddean@montana.edu; Web site: http://jsc.montana.edu

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ERIC - EJ894799 - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the School Counselor, Journal of School Counseling, 2008

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The current article is designed to provide school counselors an understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The causes, characteristics, and treatment approaches are presented with examples focusing on school-related issues. The article concludes with a discussion about the role that the school counselor can take in helping the child with OCD to have a successful school experience.

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Lo sentimos, la página que usted busca no se ha podido encontrar. Puede intentar su búsqueda de nuevo o visitar la lista de temas populares.

Children who have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are plagued with unwanted thoughts, images or impulses that are difficult to suppress, causing them great stress and worry. These are called obsessions. To alleviate the anxiety caused by their obsessive thoughts, they perform repetitive, ritualized actions called compulsions. A child with OCD might need to line things up, touch things in a certain order when leaving the room or wash his hands repeatedly.

Obsessions Common in Kids With OCD

Contamination: Kids with this obsession are sometimes called "germaphobes." In schools, this plays out with kids worrying about other kids sneezing and coughing, touching things that might be dirty or getting sick in many different ways. This is the most common obsession seen in children.

Magical thinking: This is a kind of superstition, like "step on a crack, break your mother's back," taken to extremes. For example, kids might worry that their thoughts can cause someone to get hurt, or get sick. A child might think, "Unless my things are lined up in a certain way, mom will get in a car accident."

Catastrophizing: Some kids easily jump to the conclusion that something terrible has happened. For example, if her parents are five minutes late picking her up, a girl who is catastrophizing might tell herself that they've decided to abandon her.

Scrupulosity: This is when kids have obsessive worries about offending God or being blasphemous in some way.

What ifs: Kids may be plagued by a lot of different kinds of thoughts about bad things they could do. "What if I hurt someone? What if I stab someone? What if I kill someone?"

The "just right feeling": When OCD first develops, from about 6 to 9 years of age, kids may not know why they are doing something, but just that they need to do it until they get what we call the "just right feeling." So: "I'll line these things up until it just kind of feels right, and then I'll stop." And then over time - in the 9- to 12-year-old range - it evolves into magical thinking and becomes more superstitious in nature.

Behaviors You Might See in Students With OCD

Frequent requests to go to the bathroom: This could be to wash hands, if someone near the child was coughing or sneezing, or if she touched something that she perceives as contaminated. She could be washing items-pens, pencils, backpacks, books. It could also be an excuse to get out the classroom and just be away from everyone, and have some respite.

Constant reassurance-seeking: This takes the form of repetitive questions. "Are you sure that's the answer? Could you tell me again? Did you hear what I said?" Checking doors, windows, lockers, desks. Over and over and over again.

Getting stuck on tasks: Sometimes kids with OCD will need to finish something to completion, or understand it to completion, before they're able to move on. So if a child is working out what he did wrong on a math test, and the teacher says, "Now let's open the textbook and start a new chapter," he's not going to be able to shift gears.

Retracing: If a child leaves the classroom and worries that she left a pencil behind, she'll go back into the classroom and go to her desk and check. If she had a bad thought as she went through the doorway, she might have to "fix it" by going back through the doorway again saying a good word. If she had a bad thought when she went down a flight of stairs on the way to class, she might need to go back up that same stairway at the end of the period, even if it means being late to her next class.

Obsessive erasing: A child could be erasing a lot because the letters have to look perfect. Or he could have used a word that disturbs him. For example, if he has a fear of vomiting and he's written the word vomit, he might not be able to stand seeing that word, so he erases it. Kids start having erasers worn down to the metal. Teachers start to see holes in the paper. Words will be drawn over on the back of the page. A lot of different areas of writing become problematic.

Behaviors Often Confused With Another Disorder

Some behaviors associated with OCD are easy to confuse with ADHD, learning problems or being oppositional.

Distraction: If a child is busy thinking that if she doesn't turn the pen cap and count to four the right way then her mom is going to get sick, she's not going to be paying attention in class. And if her teacher calls on her to answer a question, her distraction might look like ADHD, but it isn't.

Slowness on exams, papers and tasks: Sometimes when kids take a long time, they're struggling with the perfectionism of needing to do things the right way. This could look like learning problems, or inattention, but it isn't.

Avoidance: Teachers might see a child who doesn't want to sit on the floor, or pick things up that touched the floor, or get his hands dirty in art class. He may avoid a lot of playground activities - kids with germ fears will view the playground the way some adults view the subway: it's gross. Why touch anything there?

Tapping and touching symmetrically: If a child sits down at her desk and she accidentally kicks the chair of the kid next to her with her right foot, she's going to have to then kick it with her left foot. That might look like somebody who's being oppositional, or somebody who's got too much energy, but actually it's OCD.

Complaints of anxiety and fatigue: There's one interesting theory that kids with OCD are smarter than other kids. And if you consider how much thinking they're doing, they're really using their brain more frequently than a lot of other kids are. But when that's coupled with a lot of anxiety, you can have a lot of fatigue. So it's common for kids with OCD to want to come home and take a nap after school.

How to Help Students With OCD

For children struggling with OCD, functioning in school can be complicated and very difficult. Here are some things you can do to help them, and the class as a whole, focus on learning:

Seating arrangement: If the school has noisy hallways, you might not want to have a child with OCD sit by the door. You might have her sit in the front, where she's less able to hear the noise and can stay more focused on her work. On the other hand, a child who has very observable symptoms, and doesn't want other kids to see her fidgeting with her hands, rocking or getting up a lot, might be better off closer to the door, toward the back of the room.

Extended time for tests and papers: If writing is a problem for a child who needs to find the perfect way to say something, he's going to need more time to finish those essay questions or papers.

Laptops for writing: If writing and rewriting/erasing is really problematic for a child, consider letting her use a laptop for taking notes, and having all assignments be typed instead of handwritten.

Private testing rooms: Research is quite clear that kids with OCD do better, are less overwhelmed and are more in control of their thoughts and their reactions if they're in a quiet place away from the other kids.

Skip reading out loud: Kids who feel they need to read perfectly may have to go back and reread sentences or whole paragraphs over and over to make sure they've got them right. So reading becomes a very laborious task, and reading in front of the class can become a nightmare. So if we know doing this is a problem for children, we can spare them.

Books on tape: If kids get so hung up reading that it takes forever, listening to the books can be a solution.

Break homework into chunks: If looking at a whole page of math makes kids feel overwhelmed and anxious - think of the potential for mistakes! - the problems can be broken up over four pages. It helps kids stay focused on doing the problems instead of worrying.

How to Minimize Behavioral Problems

Plan an escape route: Try working out a communication system so that if the student feels symptoms coming on, she can signal to you and leave the classroom, or go to a protected place in the classroom, without interrupting the class. It can prevent an embarrassing and disruptive blowup of symptoms in the classroom, and the other kids picking on or bullying her about it.

Be aware of triggering events: It's very important for teachers to know what kind of things might trigger the symptoms. Fatigue is a huge piece of OCD, and it can be exacerbated by medication. So it's important to know that if a child is drowsy in class, and maybe he's putting his head down, it's not because he's being oppositional or disrespectful, but because he's overwhelmed with fatigue.

Advance notice: Irritability and frustration are two of the longer-lasting things that kids with OCD are feeling on a daily basis. Changes in schedule can be very disruptive for a child with OCD, so it can be helpful for teachers to give advance notice of things. Kids who know what to expect are less likely to be thrown by the change.

Children with OCD are often teased and bullied because of their symptoms. Kids feel very uncomfortable about their rituals, knowing that they're being watched. It can be helpful to educate the whole class about what's going on, especially if a child is going to be in the same school for a number of years, and it can inspire a surprising amount of support from other children.

Peer understanding program: A peer understanding program includes a presentation in the classroom that explains (with the child participating) what OCD is. The child might say, "Listen, I have OCD. It's an anxiety disorder. It makes me think that my hands are dirty and I have to wash my hands a lot, so if you see me getting up and going to the sink to wash my hands, that's why." Psychologists can role-play with the teacher and child ahead of time, to anticipate questions his classmates might ask, and how to answer them.

A buddy system: A buddy is like a peer coach who sits next to the child and prompts him to keep up with note taking and staying on task. It can be great for the buddy, to foster a sense of confidence and pride and to be able to help someone in need, and great for fostering friendship.

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Lo sentimos, la página que usted busca no se ha podido encontrar. Puede intentar su búsqueda de nuevo o visitar la lista de temas populares. Children who have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are plagued with unwanted thoughts, images or impulses that are difficult to suppress, causing them great stress and worry.

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Credit: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, JMU

An overactive molecular signal pathway in the brain region of the amygdala can lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A research team from Würzburg has established this connection.

Some people have an extreme fear of dirt or bacteria. As a result, they may develop a habit of compulsive washing and repeatedly cleaning their hands or body. They are trapped in a vicious circle, as the fear of new contamination returns quickly after washing. Sufferers see no way out. They are even incapable of changing their behaviour when the excessive washing has led to skin irritation or damage.

Around two percent of the general population suffer from some kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) at least once in their life. The disorder is characterised by persistent intrusive thoughts which the sufferers try to compensate for by repetitive ritualized behaviour.

Like depression, eating disorders and other mental diseases, OCD is treated with antidepressants. However, the drugs are non-specific, that is they are not tailored to the respective disease. Therefore, scientists have been looking for new and better targeted therapies that have fewer side effects.
Missing protein triggers urge to wash
Professor Kai Schuh from the Institute of Physiology at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg (Germany) and his team explore the underlying causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder in collaboration with the JMU's Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology.

"We were able to show in mouse models that the absence of the protein SPRED2 alone can trigger an excessive grooming behaviour," Schuh says. He believes that this finding is crucial as no clear trigger for this type of disorder has been identified until now. Previous research pointed to multiple factors being responsible for developing OCD.

Occurring in all cells of the body, the protein SPRED2 is found in particularly high concentrations in regions of the brain, namely in the basal ganglia and the amygdala. Normally, the protein inhibits an important signal pathway of the cell, the so-called Ras/ERK-MAP kinase cascade. When it is missing, this signal pathway is more active than usual.
Hyperactive signal cascade in the brain
"It is primarily the brain-specific initiator of the signal pathway, the receptor tyrosine kinase TrkB, that is excessively active and causes the overshooting reaction of the downstream components", biologist Dr. Melanie Ullrich explains.

Administering an inhibitor to attenuate the overactive signal cascade in the animal model improves the obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Moreover, the JMU research team was able to treat the OCD with an antidepressant, similarly to standard therapy in humans. Their detailed results have been published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
New targets for therapies pinpointed
"Our study delivers a valuable new model that allows the disease mechanisms to be investigated and new therapy options for obsessive-compulsive disorders to be tested," Professor Schuh says.

The recently discovered link between OCDs and the Ras/ERK-MAP kinase cascade also opens up new targets for therapy. Drugs that inhibit this cascade are already available and some of them are approved for human treatment.

According to Melanie Ullrich, these are cancer drugs, as overactivation of the Ras/ERK-MAP kinase cascade is also a frequent trigger of cancer: "So we are wondering whether such drugs could also be effective in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders and whether they are beneficial in terms of side effects."

More information: M Ullrich et al. OCD-like behavior is caused by dysfunction of thalamo-amygdala circuits and upregulated TrkB/ERK-MAPK signaling as a result of SPRED2 deficiency, Molecular Psychiatry (2017). DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.232

Provided by Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg

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An overactive molecular signal pathway in the brain region of the amygdala can lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A research team from Würzburg has established this connection. Some people have an extreme fear of dirt or bacteria. As a result, they may develop a habit of compulsive washing and repeatedly cleaning their hands or body.

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Center for Parent Information and Resources

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10 Basic Steps in Special Education - Center for Parent Information and Resources

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When a child is having trouble in school, it’s important to find out why. The child may have a disability. By law, schools must provide special help to eligible children with disabilities. This help is called special education and related services. There’s a lot to know about the process by which children are identified as having a disability and in need of special education and related services. This section of CPIR’s website is devoted to helping you learn about that process. This brief overview is an excellent place to start. Here, we’ve distilled the process into 10 basic steps. Once you have the big picture of the process, it’s easier to understand the many details under each step. We’ve indicated throughout this overview where, on our site, you can connect with that more detailed information.

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Links updated, November 2021
This information in Spanish

The mental health of our children is a natural and important concern for us all. The fact is, many mental disorders have their beginnings in childhood or adolescence, yet may go undiagnosed and untreated for years. ( 1)

We refer to mental disorders using different "umbrella" terms such as emotional disturbance, behavioral disorders, or mental illness. Beneath these umbrella terms, there is actually a wide range of specific conditions that differ from one another in their characteristics and treatment. These include (but are not limited to):

anxiety disorders;

bipolar disorder (sometimes called manic-depression);

conduct disorders;

eating disorders;

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); and

psychotic disorders.

You may be reading this fact sheet with one of these specific disorders in mind, or you may be looking for information about emotional disturbances in general. In either case, keep reading to find out what different emotional distubances have in common, how they are defined in federal law, and where to find more detailed information on specific disorders.
Quick-Jump Menu
Definition
IDEA defines emotional disturbance as follows:
We've chosen to use the term "emotional disturbance" in this fact sheet because that is the term used in the nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

"...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 child's educational performance:

(A) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

(B) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

(C) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

(D) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(E) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems." ( 2)

As defined by IDEA, emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia but does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance. ( 3)

Characteristics

As is evident in IDEA's definition, emotional disturbances can affect an individual in areas beyond the emotional. Depending on the specific mental disorder involved, a person's physical, social, or cognitive skills may also be affected. The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Southern Arizona puts this very well:

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. ( 4)

Some of the characteristics and behaviors seen in children who have an emotional disturbance include:

Hyperactivity (short attention span, impulsiveness);

Aggression or self-injurious behavior (acting out, fighting);

Withdrawal (not interacting socially with others, excessive fear or anxiety);

Immaturity (inappropriate crying, temper tantrums, poor coping skills); and

Learning difficulties (academically performing below grade level).

Children with the most serious emotional disturbances may exhibit distorted thinking, excessive anxiety, bizarre motor acts, and abnormal mood swings.

Many children who do not have emotional disturbance may display some of these same behaviors at various times during their development. However, when children have an emotional disturbance, these behaviors continue over long periods of time. Their behavior signals that they are not coping with their environment or peers.

Causes

No one knows the actual cause or causes of emotional disturbance, although several factors-heredity, brain disorder, diet, stress, and family functioning-have been suggested and vigorously researched. A great deal of research goes on every day, but to date, researchers have not found that any of these factors are the direct cause of behavioral or emotional problems.

According to NAMI, mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Further:

Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan. ( 5)

Frequency

Of the 74.5 million children in the United States, an estimated 17.1 million have or have had a psychiatric disorder. ( 6) Half of all psychiatric illness occurs before the age of 14, and 75% by the age of 24. The most common psychiatric disorders in childhood are anxiety disorders, AD/HD and disruptive behavior, depression and bipolar disorders, and eating disorders. ( 7)

Help for School-Aged Children

IDEA requires that special education and related services be made available free of charge to every eligible child with a disability, including preschoolers (ages 3-21). These services are specially designed to address the child's individual needs associated with the disability-in this case, emotional disturbance, as defined by IDEA (and further specified by states). In the 2016 school year, more than 349,000 children and youth with emotional disturbance received these services to address their individual needs related to emotional disturbance. ( 8)

Determining a child's eligibility for special education and related services begins with a full and individual evaluation of the child. Under IDEA, this evaluation is provided free of charge in public schools.
10 Basic Steps in Special Education Questions Often Asked by Parents about Special Education Services Evaluating Children for Disability Developing Your Child's IEP
There is a lot to know about the special education process, much of which you can learn here on the CPIR site. We invite you to read the wide range of publications we offer on the topic, especially:

A Look at Specific Emotional Disturbances

As we mentioned, emotional disturbance is a commonly used umbrella term for a number of different mental disorders. Let's take a brief look at some of the most common of these.

We all experience anxiety from time to time, but for many people, including children, anxiety can be excessive, persistent, seemingly uncontrollable, and overwhelming. An irrational fear of everyday situations may be involved. This high level of anxiety is a definite warning sign that a person may have an anxiety disorder.

The term "anxiety disorder" is a broad term covering several different disabilities that share the core symptom of irrational fear. These include such different disorders as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia), and specific phobias. ( 9)

According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illnesses affecting children and adults. ( 10) They are also highly treatable. Unfortunately, only about 36.9% of those affected receive treatment. ( 11)

Also known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder is a serious medical condition that causes dramatic mood swings from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. ( 12)

For most people with bipolar disorder, these mood swings and related symptoms can be stabilized over time using an approach that combines medication and psychosocial treatment. ( 13)

Conduct Disorder

Conduct disorder refers to a group of behavioral and emotional problems in youngsters. Children and adolescents with this disorder have great difficulty following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way. ( 14) This may include some of the following behaviors:

aggression to people and animals;

destruction of property;

deceitfulness, lying, or stealing; or

truancy or other serious violations of rules. (15)

Treatment will depend on the child's symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is. Treatment may include:

helping the child learn how to better solve problems, communicate, and handle stress, as well as how to control impulses and anger (what's known as cognitive-behavioral therapy);

family therapy;

peer group therapy (to help better social and interpersonal skills); and

medications (although these are not typically used to treat conduct disorder). (16)

Eating disorders are characterized by extremes in eating behavior-either too much or too little-or feelings of extreme distress or concern about body weight or shape. Females are much more likely than males to develop an eating disorder. ( 17)

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the two most common types of eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and dramatic loss of weight. Bulimia nervosa involves a cycle of binge eating, then self-induced vomiting or purging. Both of these disorders are potentially life-threatening. ( 18)

Binge eating is also considered an eating disorder. It's characterized by eating excessive amounts of food, while feeling unable to control how much or what is eaten. Unlike with bulimia, people who binge eat usually do not purge afterward by vomiting or using laxatives. ( 19)

According to the National Eating Disorders Association:

Treating an eating disorder generally involves a combination of psychological and nutritional counseling, along with medical and psychiatric monitoring. Treatment must address the eating disorder symptoms and medical consequences, as well as psychological, biological, interpersonal, and cultural forces that contribute to or maintain the eating disorder... Many people utilize a treatment team to treat the multi-faceted aspects of an eating disorder. ( 20)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Often referred to as OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder is actually considered an anxiety disorder (which was discussed earlier in this fact sheet). OCD is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors (handwashing, counting, checking, or cleaning) are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety. ( 21)

A large body of scientific evidence suggests that OCD results from a chemical imbalance in the brain. ( 22) Treatment for most people with OCD should include one or more of the following:

therapist trained in behavior therapy;

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT);

medication (usually an antidepressant). (23)

"Psychotic disorders" is another umbrella term used to refer to severe mental disorders that cause abnormal thinking and perceptions. Two of the main symptoms are delusions and hallucinations. Delusions are false beliefs, such as thinking that someone is plotting against you. Hallucinations are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing, or feeling something that is not there. Schizophrenia is one type of psychotic disorder. ( 24) There are others as well.

Treatment for psychotic disorders will differ from person to person, depending on the specific disorder involved. Most are treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy (a type of counseling). ( 25)

More about School

As mentioned, emotional disturbance is one of the categories of disability specified in IDEA. This means that a child with an emotional disturbance may be eligible for special education and related services in public school. These services can be of tremendous help to students who have an emotional disturbance.

Typically, educational programs for children with an emotional disturbance need to include attention to providing emotional and behavioral support as well as helping them to master academics, develop social skills, and increase self-awareness, self-control, and self-esteem. A large body of research exists regarding methods of providing students with positive behavioral support (PBS) in the school environment, so that problem behaviors are minimized and positive, appropriate behaviors are fostered. (See the resource section at the end of this fact sheet for more information on PBS.) It is also important to know that, within the school setting:

For a child whose behavior impedes learning (including the learning of others), the team developing the child's Individualized Education Program (IEP) needs to consider, if appropriate, strategies to address that behavior, including positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports.

Students eligible for special education services under the category of emotional disturbance may have IEPs that include psychological or counseling services. These are important related services available under IDEA and are to be provided by a qualified social worker, psychologist, guidance counselor, or other qualified personnel.

Recognizing and Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 | As young people return to in-person schooling in the 2021-2022 school year, they may bring with them the impact of the pandemic's trauma. This makes it essential that schools consider the possibility that many students will need to be re-evaluated to determine if they need additional services, especially behavioral support and mental health services, than they needed prior to COVID-19. Two resources of great relevance to reopening schools and returning students are the following:

Other Considerations

Children and adolescents with an emotional disturbance should receive services based on their individual needs, and everyone involved in their education or care needs to be well-informed about the care that they are receiving. It's important to coordinate services between home, school, and community, keeping the communication channels open between all parties involved.

The Importance of Support

Families often need help in understanding their child's disability and how to address the needs that arise from the disability. Help is available from psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals that work in the public or private sector. There is also a network of mental health support operating in every state as well as locally.

To locate systems of support in your community or state, visit the organizations we've listed below. They can connect you with local resources, including support groups that provide connection and understanding, information, referral, and advocacy for those living with emotional disturbance.

There are also support groups available from organizations that address specific mental disorders under the umbrella term of emotional disturbance. See the resources at the end of this fact sheet to identify some of these groups.

Resources of More Information

AACAP | American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry | AACAP offers Facts for Families, a series in English, Spanish, and several other languages that includes many briefs on specific mental disorders, including the ones mentioned in this publication.

AACAP also operates different Resource Centers, which offer consumer-friendly definitions, answers to frequently asked questions, clinical resources, expert videos, Facts for Families, and much more. Visit the Resource Center home page if you are concerned with one of the following:

Anxiety Disorders

Autism

Bipolar Disorder

Conduct Disorder

Depression

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

NIMH | National Institute of Mental Health | NIMH is clearly a source of authoritative information on specific mental disorders. Phone: 1.866.615.6464. TTY: 1.866.415.8051

NAMI | National Alliance on Mental Illness | NAMI is an excellent source of information and connection on mental illness, including the individual disorders mentioned in this fact sheet. NAMI's website and toll-free helpline are available in English and Spanish.

SAMHSA is the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. It offers many resources to consumers, including:.

Detailed information on specific emotional disturbances, or related issues such as positive behavior supports, is also available from these sources:

Anxiety Disorders Association of America | https://adaa.org/

Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports | The PBIS Center provides research-based information on how to provide behavioral supports to children who need them. | https://www.pbis.org

Conduct Disorders | A soft place to land for battle-weary parents
https://www.conductdisorders.com/community/

Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders | http://www.minddisorders.com/index.html

National Eating Disorders Association
1.800.931.2237 | www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

Something Fishy | (eating disorders)
https://www.something-fishy.org

**Highly Rated Resource! This resource was reviewed by 3-member panels of Parent Center staff working independently from one another to rate the quality, relevance, and usefulness of CPIR resources. This resource was found to be of "High Quality, High Relevance, High Usefulness" to Parent Centers.
________________________________________

References

2 | Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, §300.8(c)(4)(i)

3 | Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, §300.8(c)(4)(ii)

5 | Ibid.

7 | Ibid.

11 | Ibid.

13 | Ibid.

14 | American Academy of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry. (2013, August). Conduct disorder: Facts for families. Washington, DC: Author. Available online at:
http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Conduct_Disorder_33.aspx

15 | Ibid.

16 | Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library. (n.d.). Conduct disorder in children. Baltimore, MD: Author. Online at:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/mental_health_disorders/conduct_disorder_90,P02560

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Links updated, November 2021 This information in Spanish The mental health of our children is a natural and important concern for us all. The fact is, many mental disorders have their beginnings in childhood or adolescence, yet may go undiagnosed and untreated for years.

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The Anxiety Disorders - Annenberg Learner

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The Anxiety Disorders - Annenberg Learner

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The Anxiety Disorders - Annenberg Learner

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Imagine a society whose citizens are protected from psychological disorders. This final episode visits several programs that are attempting to eliminate known risk factors - including social isolation and inadequate parenting skills - that often lead to serious disorders. The stories are touching; the results are promising.

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Anxiety 101 : Resource for talking to kids about anxiety

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Anxiety 101 : Resource for talking to kids about anxiety

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Though we may all experience anxiety from time to time, when it comes to trying to explain to youngsters the ins and outs of how anxiety works, we may be at a loss.

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Hanie, E. H., & Stanard, R. P. (2009). Students with Anxiety: The Role of the Professional School Counselor. Georgia School Counselors Association Journal, 16(1), 49–55.

PANTIŞ, E., ŞIPOŞ, R., PREDESCU, E., & MICLUŢIA, I. (2015). Assessment of the Risk Factors Involved in the Onset of Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Acta Medica Transilvanica, 20(4), 19–22.

Thompson, E. H., Robertson, P., Curtis, R., & Frick, M. H. (2013). Students with Anxiety: Implications for Professional School Counselors. Professional School Counseling, 16(4), 222–234. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X150160402

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Conduct Disorder: Tips for Teachers: Nip it in the Bud

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Conduct Disorder: Tips for Teachers: Nip it in the Bud

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Conduct Disorder : Tips For Teachers : Nip in the Bud

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Transforming Children's Mental Health

The Child Mind Institute is dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders by giving them the help they need to thrive.

We're the leading independent nonprofit in children's mental health, operating three Mission Areas that work together for greater impact: Care, Education and Science.

Care at the Child Mind Institute

Our clinicians provide gold-standard, evidence-based treatment to thousands of kids annually through our clinical centers and in-school programs:

Education at the Child Mind Institute

We deliver free resources to millions of families and training to hundreds of educators each year, so more kids get the help they need:

Science at the Child Mind Institute

Our researchers and engineers are uncovering the causes of mental health and learning disorders to develop tomorrow's breakthrough treatments:

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Child Mind Institute | Transforming Children's Lives.

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Lo sentimos, la página que usted busca no se ha podido encontrar. Puede intentar su búsqueda de nuevo o visitar la lista de temas populares. Transforming Children's Mental Health The Child Mind Institute is dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders by giving them the help they need to thrive.

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Houston ISD Mental Health Resources for Families

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Houston ISD Mental Health Resources for Families

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Definition

Students with emotional disorders are a very heterogeneous group with a wide range of issues that are unique to each individual. However, there are some key characteristics that are used to define this disability category, mostly relating to issues of personal identity and emotional well-being. An emotional disorder may be present if a student responds to a situation with an inappropriate behavior or emotion, and particularly, if this emotion is depression or long term unhappiness. Students with emotional disorders typically have a very difficult time maintaining personal relationships with others, and these personal problems lead to physical symptoms in time. If the student has difficulty learning, but there is no intellectual or sensory cause of this difficulty, then an emotional disorder may be to blame. This disability category does include some mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.

It should be noted that one or more of the previously mentioned characteristics has to be present for an extended period of time, and must have a negative impact on the student's academic performance before being considered an emotional disorder. Signs of an emotional disorder need to be taken seriously, as they can lead to physical aggression and self-injurious behavior. However, care must also be taken to recognize the difference between emotional disturbance and general teenage angst. There are as many causes of emotional disturbance in children as there are children in this category, but they can generally be divided into either biological causes, environmental causes, or a combination of the two.

Prevalence

The U.S. Department of Education reports 5,971,495 students receiving special education services in the 2003-2004 school year. Of that number, roughly 7.7%, or 461,055 students, received special education services based on a classification of emotional disturbance. However, within this group of 461,055 students, there was a definite disproportionally between gender, race and socioeconomic background. African-American students were far more likely to be diagnosed as emotionally disturbed than white students, reflecting possible race bias in this category. Research has pointed to a direct correlation between low income status and emotional disorders, but the exact reasons for this correlation are unknown.

Characteristics

Each student with an emotional disturbance will have characteristics that are unique to that individual. However, these students will all share deficits in three specific areas, namely emotional development, behavioral development, and cognitive development.

These students may have specific emotional characteristics/conditions such as anxiety disorder, mood disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and schizophrenia. Not addressing any one of these disorders with the appropriate support system could have potentially tragic results. Behavioral characteristics of an emotional disorder include externalizing behavior and conversely internalizing behavior. The former can result in problem behavior and physical aggression while the latter results in depression and anxiety. Finally, students with emotional disorders have a number of academic issues as well, and each year half of the students in this category drop out of school entirely.

One intriguing possible contributing factor to emotional disturbance can be found in deficits in communication. An estimated 71% of students with emotional disorders also have expressive and receptive language disorders that impact their ability to understand and communicate with peers and adults.

Impact on Learning

Students with emotional disorders can be found at every level of cognitive functioning, but the majority of these students tend to have low average intelligence. Most achieve below grade level in academic achievement, with the greatest deficits in both math and spelling. Many have a coexisting learning disability of some type. Students that exhibit externalizing behaviors are at the greatest risk for continued deficits in academic functioning. Students with emotional disorders are less likely to attend post-secondary school than students in many other disability categories. An effective educational program for students with emotional disorders will provide emotional and behavioral supports that foster the replacement of problem behaviors with more appropriate behaviors. Positive behavior support systems are one especially effective strategy to achieve this goal, as are the implementation of wraparound services.

Teaching Strategies

Wraparound planning is a collaborative process that has shown great promise in supporting students with emotional disorders, both in research and in more practical application. This planning process brings all of the involved service providers (i.e., adult rehabilitation services, mental health services, guidance counselor) and individuals together to create a natural support system that is founded on the strengths of the individual student and the community in which that student lives. The family is an integral part of this process, and the overall goal is to devise a program that will capitalize on the strengths and interests of the student while utilizing community resources for placement and intervention.

Generally, academic achievement and problem behaviors often go hand-in-hand for students with emotional disorders. To put this another way, the more difficulty they have with a classroom task, the more likely that maladaptive behavior will result. Supporting the academic performance of these students will thus have the added benefit of decreasing externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Best practices for students with emotional disorders are often best practices for all students. A strategy such as allowing students to choose between classroom tasks, for example, is an effective way to decrease problem behaviors in general. Consistent and specific praise is also a great technique to utilize with all students in the classroom, but can be particularly effective with students with emotional disorders.

It is very important to not make assumptions about any family of a child with an emotional disorder. Many emotional disorders have an organic cause, and the parents of the child may well be loving and supportive in every way. However, some of these students have indeed been abused in some fashion in their young lives, and this too can be a cause of emotional or behavioral issues. Trust can be a very large issue for these children. Forming a relationship with these students that is built on empathy, trust, and mutual respect can often be the solution to many problem behaviors, and can have a lasting impact of the emotional development of the child.

Assistive Technology

Some modification in instruction will be necessary to allow a student with an emotional disorder to demonstrate mastery in a number of academic areas, and most especially in the area of writing. Word processing software can be an excellent supplementary aid for these students, allowing them to edit and revise their work as they produce it. These programs can strengthen spelling skills and writing cohesion simply by making the writing process easier overall. Of particular benefit are word processing programs that read the text as it is typed, providing an additional audio cue for the student.

Organizations

There are a number of excellent organizations that can help support classroom instruction for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. The information presented in this module is intended as just a very brief description of emotional disorder and its impact on learning. Much more in-depth information and instructional strategies can be accessed through the following organizations:

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

The AACAP (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) is the leading national professional medical association dedicated to treating and improving the quality of life for children, adolescents, and families affected by these disorders. Composed of over 7,500 child and adolescent psychiatrists and other interested physicians, its members actively research, evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders and pride themselves on giving direction to and responding quickly to new developments in addressing the health care needs of children and their families.

Public Information Office
3615 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20016-3007

Web: www.aacap.org

Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

The OSEP-funded National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports was established to address the behavioral and discipline systems needed for successful learning and social development of students. The Center provides capacity-building information and technical support about behavioral systems to assist states and districts in the design of effective schools.

5262 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-5262

Email: pbis@oregon.uregon.edu
Web: www.pbis.org

Center for Disability and Development

Dept. of Educational Psychology
4225 Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-4225

Council for Exceptional Children

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides continual professional development, advocates for newly and historically underserved individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.

1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-5704

Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health

This organization is dedicated exclusively to helping children with mental health needs and their families achieve a better quality of life. They provide leadership to develop and sustain a nationwide network of family-run organizations; focus the passion and cultural diversity of our membership to be a potent force for changing how systems respond to children with mental health needs and their families; help policy-makers, agencies, and providers become more effective in delivering services and supports that foster healthy emotional development for all children.

1101 King Street, Suite 420
Alexandria, VA 22314

Email: ffcmh@ffcmh.org
Web: www.ffcmh.org

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation's largest grassroots organization for people with mental illness and their families. NAMI is dedicated to the eradication of mental illnesses and to the improvement of the quality of life for persons of all ages who are affected by mental illnesses. NAMI members and friends work to fulfill our mission by providing support, education, and advocacy.

Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22203-3754

Web: www.nami.org

Mental Health America

Mental Health America is dedicated to helping ALL people live mentally healthier lives. They work to fulfill this mission by education the public about ways to preserve and strengthen mental health; advocating for access to effective care; fostering innovation in research, practice, services and policy; and providing support to individuals and families.

2001 N. Beauregard Street, 12th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22311

Web: www.nmha.org

National Mental Health Information Center

The National Mental Health Information Center was developed for users of mental health services and their families, the general public, policy makers, providers, and the media. They provide free information about mental health via a toll-free number, their website, and more than 600 publications.

P.O. Box 42557
Washington, DC 20015

Web: www.mentalhealth.org

References

Hunt, N., and Marshall, K. (2006). Exceptional children and youth. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (2004). Fact Sheet 5. Retrieved February 1, 2008 from www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs5txt.htm.

Turnbull, A., Turnbull, R. & Wehmeyer, M. L. (2007). Exceptional lives. Special education in today's schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

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Students with emotional disorders typically have a hard time maintaining relationships, and these personal problems may lead to physical symptoms in time.

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Bardick, A. D., & Bernes, K. B. (2005). A Closer Examination of Bipolar Disorder in School-Age Children. Professional School Counseling, 9(1), 72–77. https://doi.org/10.5330/prsc.9.1.k2153125rh611517

Films Media Group. (2011). Bipolar : Life Between Two Extremes.

Gotlib, I.H. & Hammen, C.L. (2014). Handbook of Depression, Third Edition: Vol. Third edition. The Guilford Press.

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Neurobiology of Mood Disorders — Guy Goodwin / Serious Science

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Conduct Disorders: Strategies for Learning & Teaching

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Conduct Disorders: Strategies for Learning & Teaching

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Working to deliver a better special education service

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Perfectionism vs OCPD vs OCD: What You Need to Know

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Baldridge, I. C., & Piotrowski, N. A., PhD. (2019). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Magill’s Medical Guide (Online Edition).

Wertlieb, E. C. (2008). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the School Counselor. Journal of School Counseling, 6(28).

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James Morrison. (2014). DSM-5® Made Easy : The Clinician’s Guide to Diagnosis. The Guilford Press.

Renée M. Tobin, & Alvin E. House. (2016). DSM-5® Diagnosis in the Schools. The Guilford Press.

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The 4 Schizophrenia Symptoms You Need to Know