Detection and treatment of emotionally disturbed children in public schools: Problems and theoretical perspectives

• Published in: Journal of clinical psychology 1984-01, Vol.40 (1), p.378-390
• Main Authors: Long, Kathleen Ann, McQueen, David V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Affective Symptoms - diagnosis; Affective Symptoms - therapy; Attitude; Biological and medical sciences; Child; District of Columbia; Education, Special; Humans; Learning Disorders - diagnosis; Learning Disorders - therapy; Maryland; Medical sciences; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapies. Psychological and clinical counseling; Treatments
• ISSN: 0021-9762; 1097-4679
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-4679(198401)40:1<378::AID-JCLP2270400170>3.0.CO;2-Y

Examined the effect of selected socio‐demographic, mental health resource, and school system variables on the identification and treatment of children as emotionally disturbed. An explanatory model is provided, and the Labeling and Social Movements perspectives are examined in terms of their explanatory power. The major finding is that emotionally disturbed children are significantly underdetected and underserved nationally in public school systems, and, specifically, in Maryland and Washington, D. C. Further, results indicate that the attitudes of school system officials and the community in general, as well as the availability of mental health professionals, determine whether school systems detect emotionally disturbed children. When such children are detected, more specialized and expensive services are provided in school districts with higher per capita income, school budget, and proportion of mental health professionals.