Reducing Disruptive Behavior in Students with Serious Emotional Disturbance

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact that a self-contained Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) with a reduced adult to student ratio would have on the frequency of SED students’ on-task behavior and overall lesson engagement throughout the school day. This study used a single-subject experimental design with two participants. The measurement tools for this study included student daily behavior logs and crisis intervention sheets. The data collected and reported in this study was not subjected to statistical analysis. However, visual analysis of the data suggests that both Student A and Student B had a higher On-task behavioral score during the treatment phase than during baseline phase. The data collected also indicates that neither student required crisis intervention, during the treatment phase. These results suggest that a self-contained setting may benefit at least some SED students. Further research should investigate the implications of this study as it relates to a larger SED student population. These supports should be analyzed using a wider pool of SED participants that may account for greater individual learning differences. Identifying possible behavior support strategies and understanding their potential positive impact within the classroom will allow educators to maximize the effectiveness of instruction for at-risk learners with disabilities.