Levels of problem behavior of behaviorally disordered and learning disabled students across category, setting and time

Examination of the influence of educational placement of behaviorally disordered children and youth has been hampered by a lack of empirical study. Additionally, viewpoints differ on the current classification system\u27s ability to discriminate behaviorally disordered students from other categories such as learning disabled. Thus, the results of research with learning disabled and mentally retarded subjects have sometimes been generalized to describe the behaviorally disordered as well. This study investigated the interaction of handicapping category (behaviorally disordered and learning disabled); environment (regular and special education class placement) and time (three data collection periods) using ratings of problem behavior and time-on-task behavior as dependent variables. Subjects were behaviorally disordered students in grades 5 through 9 in southeastern Nebraska and a comparison group of learning disabled students. Achenbach behavior checklists including the Teacher Report Form and the Direct Observation Form were used as the measure of problem and time on task behavior. Teachers and observers rated behaviorally disordered students as having significantly higher levels of problem behaviors than their learning disabled counterparts. A group (behavior disordered, learning disabled) by environment (regular and special education) interaction was found when teacher report was examined. When observer ratings were studied, no interaction between category and environment was found and subjects in regular and special education environments were not rated differently. Subjects in environments labeled special education were found to have significantly higher time-on-task averages. Observer ratings of problem behaviors decreased over time; however, the pattern of behaviors seemed to call for a lengthier period of data collection