ERIC Number: EJ896647
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1087-3414
EISSN: N/A
Current Educational Practices in Classifying and Serving Students with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Adams, Gail B.; Smith, Thomas J.; Bolt, Sara E.; Nolten, Patrick
California School Psychologist, v12 p93-105 2007
Current educational practices for classifying and serving students with mental health disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have been associated with specific problems. These include the stigma of labeling, misalignment of school-based categories (e.g., E/BD, OHI) with clinical diagnoses, and concerns regarding the provision of appropriate services to these students. In the present study, Illinois school psychologists completed a survey on current practices for classifying and serving students with a primary diagnosis of OCD. The results indicated that 0.7% of the students served by school psychologists had a primary diagnosis of OCD. The majority of these students (74.5%) were served under IDEA. Of the students receiving services under IDEA, 51.4% were classified under E/BD and 31.8% under OHI. Approximately two-thirds of the students with OCD (67.1%) were educated in less restrictive settings (e.g., regular classroom with or without resource/part-time special class). School psychologists' comments suggested a pattern of ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding the appropriateness of IDEA categories for OCD, concerns regarding the stigma of labeling, and problems related to providing appropriate services to these students. Response-to-Intervention (RtI) as an alternative to current evaluation practices is proposed and recommendations for improving traditional categorical service delivery models when RtI is not implemented are provided. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: School Psychologists, Figurative Language, Disabilities, Identification, Educational Practices, Behavior Disorders, Classification, Clinical Diagnosis, Surveys, Federal Legislation, Labeling (of Persons), Services, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Severity (of Disability)
California Association of School Psychologists. 1020 12th Street Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95814. Tel: 916-444-1595; Fax: 916-444-1597; e-mail: communications@casponline.org; Web site: http://www.casponline.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Illinois
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A