Emotional And Behavioral Disorders

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Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Students with chronic or severe adjustment problems are diagnosed as having emotional or behavioral problems. These problems manifest themselves in a myriad of characteristics. Students with these problems are referred to as heterogeneous. This term refers to the fact that each problem differs from student to student. Each student possesses unique strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
The five most common disorders are as follows; anxiety disorders, conduct disorders, and schizophrenia. Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent among students. These disorders are characterized by excessive fear, worry, or uneasiness and include obsessive compulsive disorders (ocd), eating disorders and post traumatic stress disorders. Mood disorders are characterized by extreme mood deviations. The student may also experience both at different times. Students with major depression may experience variations in emotion, motivation, physical well being, and thoughts. Also classified as a mood disorder is manic depressive illness or a bipolar disorder. This condition is characterized by extreme mood swings. At times they experience excited or “manic” phases. (nich)
The third most common disorder is oppositional defiant disorder. This disorder is characterized by hostile and defiant behaviors. Some of the symptoms are loss of temper, irritability, vindictiveness, swearing, and misbehavior. These students may abuse drugs or alcohol. The goal in intervening is to prevent the escalation of oppositional defiant behaviors. (nich)
The fourth is conduct disorder. Conduct disorder is defined as a persistent pattern of antisocial behavior that significantly interferes with school, family and social functioning. Some of the antisocial behaviors associated with conduct disorder include; fighting, stealing, sulking, using drugs or alcohol and lying just to name a few. (nich)
The last disorder discussed is schi...