Does the Length and Timing of Special Education Service Receipt Predict Children's Social-Emotional Adjustment?

• In Event: Park Central Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: Roundtable Session: Retaining Special Education Teachers

Abstract

Whether and to what extent socioemotional maladjustment may be the result of the length and timing of special education service receipt has been unknown. We analyzed ECLS-K data from 2,280 children who received at least one year of special education services in order to investigate 5th and 8th grade children’s self-reported feelings of academic competency, peer relationships, internalizing feelings, school belongingness, self-concept, educational expectations, and locus of self-control. Results indicated small positive associations between length of time in special education, feelings of math competency, and school belongingness, and a small negative relation with locus of self-control. Collectively, the findings suggest little to no relation between receipt of special education services and risk for socioemotional maladjustment during elementary and middle school.

Authors

• Adrienne D. Woods, University of Michigan

• Paul L. Morgan, The Pennsylvania State University

• George Farkas, University of California - Irvine