Under IDEA, Emotional Behavioral Disorder (EBD) is “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.” Types of EBD include:
- Anxiety Disorders
- Conduct Disorder:
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder(OCD)
- oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
- Bipolar disorder
Many wonder if schizophrenia is included as an EBD, however under IDEA, emotional disturbance does include it, however, it “does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance” (IDEA)
To better support, students with EBD teachers should have a trauma-informed classroom.
What is a trauma-informed classroom?
A trauma-informed classroom is a classroom that acknowledges students’ trauma and supports it during school. This specifically benefits students that have EBD, or who have experienced trauma in their life. According to the Adoption Council, “successfully implementing trauma-informed classrooms requires an understanding of the dramatic impact of trauma on all development, (CITATION)” meaning that teachers should be trained to handle trauma within their classrooms to support their students better.
Students with EDB can also benefit from chunking and scaffolding of information. Clear plans and objectives that are visible for students can support all students in the classroom, particularly those with EBD.
There are many people who can be role models for students with EBD doing great things. Here is a list of well-known people who have EBD:
- Demi Lovato (Bipolar Disorder) – Singer and actress
- Ariana Grande (Anxiety Disorder) – Singer and actress
- Marcus Morris (Anxiety Disorder) – Basketball Player
Need a cheat sheet to help you remember this information? Click below for Marianne Vormer’s brochure.