According to Wikipedia, Emotional Dysregulation (ED) is a term used in the mental health community to refer to an emotional response that is poorly modulated, and does not fall within the conventionally accepted range of emotive response. ED may be referred to as labile mood (marked fluctuation of mood) or mood swings.
Possible manifestations of emotional dysregulation include angry outbursts or behavior outbursts such as destroying or throwing objects, aggression towards self or others, and threats to kill oneself. These variations usually occur in seconds to minutes or hours. Emotional dysregulation can lead to behavioral problems and can interfere with a person's social interactions and relationships at home, in school, or at place of employment.
Emotional dysregulation can be associated with an experience of early psychological trauma, brain injury, or chronic maltreatment (such as child abuse, child neglect, or institutional neglect/abuse), and associated disorders such as reactive attachment disorder. Emotional dysregulation may present in people with psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and Complex post-traumatic stress disorder. ED is also found among those with autism spectrum disorders, including Asperger syndrome. In such cases as borderline personality disorder, hypersensitivity to emotional stimuli causes a slower return to a normal emotional state. This is manifested biologically by deficits in the frontal cortices of the brain.
I think in the case of Eric Jensen, he would feel that poverty creates a set of circumstances in which students are less able to be emotionally successful in the school environment and in which ED is more likely to occur. Students are more likely to experience stress in their lives that may include lacking good nutrition, a sense of security, a place to sleep, a safe route home, reliable transportation, or a quiet place to study.
Examples of what Emotional Dysregulation might look like in classrooms include students with low self-esteem, the chronically absent or tardy, the unmotivated, the nonparticipants in school or classroom activities, those with an external locus of control, those who seem depressed or are aggressive, those with unhealthy friendships, and those who engage in risky behaviors. Due to their struggle in school, they are more likely to dropout, make less money, and end in poverty with their future families, a downward spiral.
Actions That Can Be Taken Schools and teachers can create a welcoming environment, meet the students’ families, go to students’ homes at the beginning of the year, be empathetic, get to know student interests and learning styles, give students opportunity to complete work in class or after school with support, give students encouragement, be respectful, and engage in explicit teaching of what is expected in social situations. In other words, understand that fair is not always equal.
Emotional dysregulation is defined as labile mood or mood swings. Children who are in poverty have a higher chance of having emotional issues. They might 'act out' in class by showing behavioral issues, have a lack of self worth, and they may have highly unstable patterns of social relationships. A lack of self worth may be developed because their parents don't give their children as much attention or support due to a lack of time and funds. They're more likely to depend on social/emotional support from peers than adults. They may feel isolated and unloved. Some actions that can be taken are positive reinforcement as much as possible and appropriate, using positive affirmations through displays and posters, as well as verbally. Teachers should be respectful of all students. When children 'act out', I think that school staff should react and have a prescribed plan for how to deal with behavioral problems and follow through with the plan for all students. Teachers should expect the same behavior and performance from every student. Student's should not be coddled because of their economic status. This will only hinder their improvement. Alan - I agree that schools should give explicit teaching of what is expected in social situations and that they should give students opportunities to complete work in class or after school. This gives the children a place to work when they might not have a good place to focus elsewhere. Their homelife may not foster a good learning environment.
Emotional dysregulation in children presents itself in the form of mood swings or moodiness. Students who come from poverty, especially in the Rural poverty and Urban poverty, are less likely to be able to adapt to their environment or cope with adjusting to social norms they face daily.
Emotional dysregulation may be seen in students' lack of caring or respect for others. It also is seen in how students in poverty put forth effort in their work and may have the tendency to stand out from social norms: in the way the dress, preoccupation with with what what may be seen as inappropriate or immature. The students may also not have the skills to respond with what may be acceptable. These students may lack the skills to develop meaningful relationships with others or they develop an over-desire to connect to others. Basically, students impacted with emotional dysregulation (ed) stand out as being different, apathetic, immature, disrespectful, and students who act out with low self-esteems.
Specific examples: Students with may not respond well to substitute teachers who are not familiar with them and may have different expectations than that of the classroom teacher. Students may not respond appropriately to critiques, criticism, or suggestions. Students may not be able to defuse a situation or respond inappropriately to peer interactions. Students may not be able to know how to act when there are different activities to attend to with an unfamiliar audience.
Solutions: Teachers need to have empathy for students entering their class from a low SES. Teachers need to be prepared for what walks in the room with students and be proactive: food, clothing, a "take-a-break" area. They also need to set clear expectations and guidelines that are revisited often. ED students will come with a suite case of baggage from their home life who knows at what point they will unpack. The teacher needs to also realize the home life can't be change, the school life is what needs to be adapted to meet the needs of the student. Using techniques like PBS or Boys Town is a great way to specifically address expectations and procedures. These will be clearly modeled and also revisited. Pre-teaching expected behavior when students have a change in routine or field trip. Connecting the students with mentors or getting them involved with a social group like Girl Power or Boy Scouts to encourage relationship building skills.
Feeling sorry for these students will only give them an excuse not to change. They are not getting the tools for adapting in society at home, it needs to come from the school as a team effort.
Totally agree. However, it takes the time and administrative support to carry through a mentors hip program. It would be great if this philosophy would gel with the executive function discussion Marcy led at the secondary meeting.
Alan, As I read your definition of ED, I appreciated how you connect ED to not only students within the the spectrum on poverty, but also within the Autism Spectrum. Maybe we are more equipped as a team to support the emotional needs of student on the spectrum and receive special education services than we are with student who come from poverty. It is necessary to have a plan in both cases on how to support students. Thanks for the information!
Jamie: I completely agree with you that the educational staff should have a prescribed plan on how to handle students with these behavior concerns. It seems that the staff who are proactive to our students' needs are more successful with helping them, as well and supporting these students.
Rachel -I agree that schools should be proactive in regards to helping students with food and clothing. Students have enough to worry about that, if it's feasible for the school to provide these things, they should be done. Also, giving kids information to hep themselves, such as Boystown or Girlpower, might be great tools. Sometimes kids just aren't aware of programs that they can take part in that will help them.
I agree with both Rachel and Jamie that schools need to be proactive in addressing the needs of students. Schools that have strong programs of positive behavioral supports are often ahead of the game in recognizing that students do not come to school with equal understanding of the ways in which to be successful and may need explicit teaching to be successful. However in those schools in which positive supports are weak or are lacking, this necessary instruction will need to come from individual classroom teachers who take the time to realize that students will not learn to read or do math as well unless they are emotionally ready to do so.
Alan, how true your last response to Rachel and Jamie is in regards to the school environment. It's hard to be one of few that has a somewhat basic understanding of what is going on. With book blogs being a part of the teachers PDP or PDC points, it would be great to have them look at poverty as their next discussion/reading.
According to the website,Out of the Fog ("information and support for those with a family member or loved one who suffers from a personality disorder") Emotional Dysregulation Disorder is a serious condition which is believed to affect between 1-3% of the general population. EDD is sometimes referred to as Borderline Personality Disorder. On this site, there is a list of characteristics and traits form '"Always" and "Never" Statements' to 'Tunnel Vision'. It is very interesting. It is also noted that 'everyone displays "borderline" behaviors from time to time.' The disorder also seems to perpetuate itself. Those individuals who have 'first degree relative' with this disorder are five times mor likely to develop EDD themselves. Additionally, the likelihood of developing EDD when one has been abused increases. Adolescents are more likely to commit suicide and/or injure themselves.
Children from poverty have many factors that influence their school behavior. They demonstrate high tardy rates and absenteeism, parents with negative attitudes about school, and a sense of alienation, to name a few. The actions the school needs to take are for teachers to be empathetic and culturally aware of the nature of poverty. As a child will display behavior the teacher considers 'acting out', it may be a condition known as chronic stress disorder. As the teacher and student are at odds with each other, both individuals may experience symptoms of stress.
I believe in the value of mentors. Students need an adult mentor just as much if not more than teachers. Mentors can provide the empathy and direction children of poverty need to survive. As the poverty in our society continues to increase, it is essential that the school environment be one of empathy and not pity.
Emotional dysregulation is a poorly managed emotional response that doesn’t fall within the commonly accepted range of emotional responses. In the classroom, this may look like students with considerable irritability that escalates into rage, students who exhibit significant opposition, or students who are severely depressed. For students with explosive emotional responses, it may be helpful to develop a behavior management strategy that includes specific de-escalation techniques that correlate to and can be used with specific escalation points of the student’s response. Also, rather than simply imposing rules, punishment, etc., which could heighten oppositional behaviors, it may be helpful to include the student in collaborative problem solving alongside the adult instead. Additionally, a student exhibiting depressive symptoms may benefit from seeing the school counselor.
Jamie- I agree when you say that students shouldn't be coddled because of their SES. I think people tend to live up to the expectations others have for them, so by not holding students accountable to a reasonable standard, I think we're probably doing them a disservice in the long run. Also, I know in some situations this is probably easier said than done.
Stephanie- I completely agree with your opinion regarding the value of mentors. I don't know how many times I've heard, "What this student needs is a positive role model." I was involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters when I was in college, and some of the behaviors/comments my Little made really opened my eyes to this whole concept.
ED is when students behaviors do not fall into the range normally accepted by others. In the classroom this may be seen as aggressive behavior, lack social skills, and dress/behave like others. These students can be given the coping skills needed to learn new behaviors and skills. They need someone who can demonstrate how to properly dress or behave. Someone to talk to can be a deciding factor for them.
Rachel - I think you are so right in that we can try to involve them in activities such as Boy/Girl scouts. They might also benefit from being involved in school activities such as sports, choir and band.
** I agree that these students need to know we care and try to get to know them and their families.
According to Wikipedia, Emotional Dysregulation (ED) is a term used in the mental health community to refer to an emotional response that is poorly modulated, and does not fall within the conventionally accepted range of emotive response. ED may be referred to as labile mood (marked fluctuation of mood) or mood swings.
ReplyDeletePossible manifestations of emotional dysregulation include angry outbursts or behavior outbursts such as destroying or throwing objects, aggression towards self or others, and threats to kill oneself. These variations usually occur in seconds to minutes or hours. Emotional dysregulation can lead to behavioral problems and can interfere with a person's social interactions and relationships at home, in school, or at place of employment.
Emotional dysregulation can be associated with an experience of early psychological trauma, brain injury, or chronic maltreatment (such as child abuse, child neglect, or institutional neglect/abuse), and associated disorders such as reactive attachment disorder. Emotional dysregulation may present in people with psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and Complex post-traumatic stress disorder. ED is also found among those with autism spectrum disorders, including Asperger syndrome. In such cases as borderline personality disorder, hypersensitivity to emotional stimuli causes a slower return to a normal emotional state. This is manifested biologically by deficits in the frontal cortices of the brain.
I think in the case of Eric Jensen, he would feel that poverty creates a set of circumstances in which students are less able to be emotionally successful in the school environment and in which ED is more likely to occur. Students are more likely to experience stress in their lives that may include lacking good nutrition, a sense of security, a place to sleep, a safe route home, reliable transportation, or a quiet place to study.
Examples of what Emotional Dysregulation might look like in classrooms include students with low self-esteem, the chronically absent or tardy, the unmotivated, the nonparticipants in school or classroom activities, those with an external locus of control, those who seem depressed or are aggressive, those with unhealthy friendships, and those who engage in risky behaviors. Due to their struggle in school, they are more likely to dropout, make less money, and end in poverty with their future families, a downward spiral.
Actions That Can Be Taken
Schools and teachers can create a welcoming environment, meet the students’ families, go to students’ homes at the beginning of the year, be empathetic, get to know student interests and learning styles, give students opportunity to complete work in class or after school with support, give students encouragement, be respectful, and engage in explicit teaching of what is expected in social situations. In other words, understand that fair is not always equal.
Emotional dysregulation is defined as labile mood or mood swings. Children who are in poverty have a higher chance of having emotional issues. They might 'act out' in class by showing behavioral issues, have a lack of self worth, and they may have highly unstable patterns of social relationships. A lack of self worth may be developed because their parents don't give their children as much attention or support due to a lack of time and funds. They're more likely to depend on social/emotional support from peers than adults. They may feel isolated and unloved. Some actions that can be taken are positive reinforcement as much as possible and appropriate, using positive affirmations through displays and posters, as well as verbally. Teachers should be respectful of all students. When children 'act out', I think that school staff should react and have a prescribed plan for how to deal with behavioral problems and follow through with the plan for all students. Teachers should expect the same behavior and performance from every student. Student's should not be coddled because of their economic status. This will only hinder their improvement.
ReplyDeleteAlan - I agree that schools should give explicit teaching of what is expected in social situations and that they should give students opportunities to complete work in class or after school. This gives the children a place to work when they might not have a good place to focus elsewhere. Their homelife may not foster a good learning environment.
Emotional dysregulation in children presents itself in the form of mood swings or moodiness. Students who come from poverty, especially in the Rural poverty and Urban poverty, are less likely to be able to adapt to their environment or cope with adjusting to social norms they face daily.
ReplyDeleteEmotional dysregulation may be seen in students' lack of caring or respect for others. It also is seen in how students in poverty put forth effort in their work and may have the tendency to stand out from social norms: in the way the dress, preoccupation with with what what may be seen as inappropriate or immature. The students may also not have the skills to respond with what may be acceptable. These students may lack the skills to develop meaningful relationships with others or they develop an over-desire to connect to others. Basically, students impacted with emotional dysregulation (ed) stand out as being different, apathetic, immature, disrespectful, and students who act out with low self-esteems.
Specific examples:
Students with may not respond well to substitute teachers who are not familiar with them and may have different expectations than that of the classroom teacher.
Students may not respond appropriately to critiques, criticism, or suggestions.
Students may not be able to defuse a situation or respond inappropriately to peer interactions.
Students may not be able to know how to act when there are different activities to attend to with an unfamiliar audience.
Solutions:
Teachers need to have empathy for students entering their class from a low SES. Teachers need to be prepared for what walks in the room with students and be proactive: food, clothing, a "take-a-break" area. They also need to set clear expectations and guidelines that are revisited often. ED students will come with a suite case of baggage from their home life who knows at what point they will unpack. The teacher needs to also realize the home life can't be change, the school life is what needs to be adapted to meet the needs of the student. Using techniques like PBS or Boys Town is a great way to specifically address expectations and procedures. These will be clearly modeled and also revisited. Pre-teaching expected behavior when students have a change in routine or field trip.
Connecting the students with mentors or getting them involved with a social group like Girl Power or Boy Scouts to encourage relationship building skills.
Feeling sorry for these students will only give them an excuse not to change. They are not getting the tools for adapting in society at home, it needs to come from the school as a team effort.
Totally agree. However, it takes the time and administrative support to carry through a mentors hip program. It would be great if this philosophy would gel with the executive function discussion Marcy led at the secondary meeting.
DeleteAlan,
ReplyDeleteAs I read your definition of ED, I appreciated how you connect ED to not only students within the the spectrum on poverty, but also within the Autism Spectrum. Maybe we are more equipped as a team to support the emotional needs of student on the spectrum and receive special education services than we are with student who come from poverty. It is necessary to have a plan in both cases on how to support students. Thanks for the information!
Jamie:
I completely agree with you that the educational staff should have a prescribed plan on how to handle students with these behavior concerns. It seems that the staff who are proactive to our students' needs are more successful with helping them, as well and supporting these students.
Ditto
DeleteRachel -I agree that schools should be proactive in regards to helping students with food and clothing. Students have enough to worry about that, if it's feasible for the school to provide these things, they should be done. Also, giving kids information to hep themselves, such as Boystown or Girlpower, might be great tools. Sometimes kids just aren't aware of programs that they can take part in that will help them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Rachel and Jamie that schools need to be proactive in addressing the needs of students. Schools that have strong programs of positive behavioral supports are often ahead of the game in recognizing that students do not come to school with equal understanding of the ways in which to be successful and may need explicit teaching to be successful. However in those schools in which positive supports are weak or are lacking, this necessary instruction will need to come from individual classroom teachers who take the time to realize that students will not learn to read or do math as well unless they are emotionally ready to do so.
ReplyDeleteAlan, how true your last response to Rachel and Jamie is in regards to the school environment. It's hard to be one of few that has a somewhat basic understanding of what is going on. With book blogs being a part of the teachers PDP or PDC points, it would be great to have them look at poverty as their next discussion/reading.
DeleteAccording to the website,Out of the Fog ("information and support for those with a family member or loved one who suffers from a personality disorder") Emotional Dysregulation Disorder is a serious condition which is believed to affect between 1-3% of the general population. EDD is sometimes referred to as Borderline Personality Disorder. On this site, there is a list of characteristics and traits form '"Always" and "Never" Statements' to 'Tunnel Vision'. It is very interesting. It is also noted that 'everyone displays "borderline" behaviors from time to time.' The disorder also seems to perpetuate itself. Those individuals who have 'first degree relative' with this disorder are five times mor likely to develop EDD themselves. Additionally, the likelihood of developing EDD when one has been abused increases. Adolescents are more likely to commit suicide and/or injure themselves.
ReplyDeleteChildren from poverty have many factors that influence their school behavior. They demonstrate high tardy rates and absenteeism, parents with negative attitudes about school, and a sense of alienation, to name a few. The actions the school needs to take are for teachers to be empathetic and culturally aware of the nature of poverty. As a child will display behavior the teacher considers 'acting out', it may be a condition known as chronic stress disorder. As the teacher and student are at odds with each other, both individuals may experience symptoms of stress.
I believe in the value of mentors. Students need an adult mentor just as much if not more than teachers. Mentors can provide the empathy and direction children of poverty need to survive. As the poverty in our society continues to increase, it is essential that the school environment be one of empathy and not pity.
Emotional dysregulation is a poorly managed emotional response that doesn’t fall within the commonly accepted range of emotional responses. In the classroom, this may look like students with considerable irritability that escalates into rage, students who exhibit significant opposition, or students who are severely depressed. For students with explosive emotional responses, it may be helpful to develop a behavior management strategy that includes specific de-escalation techniques that correlate to and can be used with specific escalation points of the student’s response. Also, rather than simply imposing rules, punishment, etc., which could heighten oppositional behaviors, it may be helpful to include the student in collaborative problem solving alongside the adult instead. Additionally, a student exhibiting depressive symptoms may benefit from seeing the school counselor.
ReplyDeleteJamie-
I agree when you say that students shouldn't be coddled because of their SES. I think people tend to live up to the expectations others have for them, so by not holding students accountable to a reasonable standard, I think we're probably doing them a disservice in the long run. Also, I know in some situations this is probably easier said than done.
Stephanie-
I completely agree with your opinion regarding the value of mentors. I don't know how many times I've heard, "What this student needs is a positive role model." I was involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters when I was in college, and some of the behaviors/comments my Little made really opened my eyes to this whole concept.
ED is when students behaviors do not fall into the range normally accepted by others. In the classroom this may be seen as aggressive behavior, lack social skills, and dress/behave like others. These students can be given the coping skills needed to learn new behaviors and skills. They need someone who can demonstrate how to properly dress or behave. Someone to talk to can be a deciding factor for them.
ReplyDeleteRachel - I think you are so right in that we can try to involve them in activities such as Boy/Girl scouts. They might also benefit from being involved in school activities such as sports, choir and band.
ReplyDelete** I agree that these students need to know we care and try to get to know them and their families.