Teachers' Beliefs About Maltreatment of Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders

• Published in: Behavioral disorders Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 197 - 209
• Main Authors: Oseroff, Andrew, Oseroff, Carol E., Westling, David, Gessner, Linda J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders 01.05.1999; SAGE Publications; The Council; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Behavior Disorders; Behavior Patterns; Beliefs; Child Abuse; Child abuse & neglect; Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting; Child behavior disorders; Child molestation; Child Neglect; Child Welfare; Children & youth; Cognitive ability; Cross Cultural Studies; Disabilities; Elementary Secondary Education; Emotional Disturbances; Exceptional children; Foster children; Incidence; Mood disorders; Moral Development; National Surveys; Researchers; Resistance (Psychology); Sex crimes; Sexual Abuse; Social Development; Social Work; Special education; Special Education Teachers; Special needs students; State Surveys; Students; Students with Disabilities; Surveys; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers
• ISSN: 0198-7429; 2163-5307
• DOI: 10.1177/019874299902400306

A national survey of 556 teachers of students with emotional/behavior disorders (E/BD) was conducted to identify special educators' beliefs about child maltreatment among the students they taught. The respondents reported that they believed approximately 38% of their students had been abused physically or sexually, 41% had been neglected, and 51% had been abused emotionally. The teachers reported that the behavior of their students, student reports, physical signs, and reports from others led them to believe that abuse or neglect had occurred. Furthermore, they reported that their students displayed many personal and behavioral characteristics often identified as indicators of maltreatment. Of the teachers surveyed, 82% related that they had reported maltreatment and that their reports were made most often to school administrators and least often to the abuse and neglect hotline. Implications for the education and treatment of children who have been maltreated and have E/BD are discussed as well as recommendations for research.