This document outlines a presentation on emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBD). It begins with an introduction and outline, then defines EBD and challenges in defining it. Specific conditions are mentioned like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Statistics on prevalence of mental health issues are provided. The document discusses identifying and diagnosing EBD. It provides information on OCD, including signs and symptoms. Support available from the government and where to seek help is outlined. Suggested teaching strategies for students with EBD are presented, along with a proposed group activity and conclusion.

1. Brendan, Ben and Sam
Emotional Difficulties

2. Today’s Presentation Outline
 General Introduction
 Specific Introduction
 Obsessive Compulsive disorder (O.C.D)
 Prevalence and Statistics
 Available Help (State and National)
 Teaching Strategies
 Activity
 Conclusion

3. Emotional and Behavioural
Difficulties (EBD)
 In Australia EBD is the
preferred term
 However SEBD (Social,
Emotional & Behavioural
Difficulties) is also used.
 Umbrella term which covers
wide range of difficulties,
syndromes and conditions

4. Difficulties of Definition
 Not only have no agreed-upon definition
 Not universally accepted as categories
 Other terms commonly used include
A. Mental health disorder
B. Mental health concerns
C. Disruptive behaviour

5. Identifying EBD
 Disability Discrimination ACT 1992 Disability
Standard for Education (2005):
A disorder, illness or disease that
affects a person’s thought processes,
perceptions or reality, emotions or
judgment or that results in disturbed
behaviour.

6. EB
DObsessive Compulsive Disorder (O.C.D)
Selective mutism
Oppositional Defiance (O.D.B)
Conduct Disorder (C.D)
Attention Deficient Disorder
(ADD)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(P.T.S.D)
Separation Anxiety Disorder (S.A.D)

7. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
(O.C.D)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyOboNDrYsY

8. To Define OCD
 Obsessive: Recurrent and persistent thoughts,
impulses or images
 Compulsions: Repetitive activities or mental acts
 Disorder: To disrupt the systematic functioning or
neat arrangement of/a state of confusion

9. Ask yourself?
 What is something you do every day?
 Brush your teeth?
 Shower?
 Turn off a light switch?
 Eat Lunch at 12:15pm?

10. OCD Sufferers
 Feel they must perform a particular ritual
 If not completed, may lead to anxiety and
discomfort

11. Signs/Symptoms
 Cleanliness/order
 Counting/hoarding
 Safety/checking
 Sexual issues
 Religious/moral issues

12. The main difference between "neat freaks" and people
with OCD is that "neat freaks" like being neat. They want
to be that way because they feel like it helps them and
keeps them productive.
People with OCD wish they weren’t that way, but feel they
have to do their rituals in order to prevent some dreaded
catastrophe that is unlikely in the first place. OCD is based
on fear. OCD rituals are responses to obsessions. "Neat
freaks" do not have obsessions like people with OCD do.
Not everyone with OCD is focused on cleanliness. OCD is
pretty diverse in terms of its symptoms and everyone has
symptoms that are a little different - their own personal
spin.
Jonathan Abramowitz, PhD

13. OCD Statistics
 2-3% of the world’s population
 Between 22 to 36 years of Age
 50-50 balance between sexes

14. Mental Heath Statistics
 1 in 7 children suffer from mental health
difficulties IN AUSTRALIA
 In America, anxiety disorders affect about 40
million American adults
 8 percent of teens aged 13–18 have an anxiety
disorder
 Emotional and behavioural disorders affect 10-
15% of the global population
 In the Netherlands, social and attention problems
affect a total of 29.4 and 17.7% of children
respectively

15. So what if I am concerned? Remember
GRIP
Gather
Promote
Wellbeing
Involve
Respond
Follow Up and
Reflect

16. Government Support for Schools
 Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and Disability
Standards for Education (2005)
 Support for children/students with EBD is highly
state-dependent
 Outside intervention is often sought when
disruptive behaviour is displayed
 EBD not categorised as a disability in South
Australia
 Targeted funding is available to schools through the
Disability Support Program (DSP) for challenging
behaviour

17. Where to go for help
For Students and Families
 Beyond Blue (beyondblue.org.au) – helps find local support services
 Headspace (headspace.org.au)
 Reachout (au.reachout.com)
 Kids Helpline
 The Panic Room SA (Payneham)
 Adolescent Services (Enfield)
 Division of Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) - based
at multiple locations
 Australian Psychological Society (www.psychology.org.au) – helps to
find specialised services based on needs

18. Where to go for help
General Services (for children, families and/or
educators)
 Kidsmatter.edu.au & Mindmatters.edu.au (Initiative of
the Australian government and Beyond Blue)
 Responseability.org
 Queensland education department (Fact sheets for
teachers and referenced by DECD)
 Centre for Emotional Health (Macquarie University) –
fact sheets
For children and families with disabilities
 Autism SA
 Novita

19. Teaching Strategies and Adjustments
 2 Step Perspective
1. Ethical underpinning
 “Is it the right thing to do?”
 Appeals to feelings, emotions and
social understanding
2. Intellectual strategy
 “Understanding our and others
behaviour”
 Appeals to our cognition and insight
 Need both perspectives to
respond effectively

20. How school staff can help?
Suggestions from Kids Matter (2013) :
 Teach coping skills
 Discourage
avoidance
 Encourage ‘having
a go’
 Set realistic
expectations
 Develop
independence
 Access help when
needed
 Modify and monitor stressful activities

21. More Strategies
 Feeling boxes
 Talk about emotions and have part
of a lesson
 Exit plan
 Recognise small achievements
using positive reinforcement,
communication strategies and
feedback
 Provide explicit guidelines for
assignments

22.  6 groups
 Case study each
 Discuss with group what
teaching strategies you
would use
 Then create a short role play
performance demonstrating
how these teaching
strategies would be

23. Conclusion
 EBD covers range of difficulties, syndromes and
conditions
 No agreed-upon definition which causes
difficulties in education setting
 GRIP

24. References
 GG31109 2011, Short Film Festival Winner - Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder (OCD), YouTube, viewed 14 October
2014<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyOboNDrYs>
 Beyond Blue: KidsMatter 2013, ‘Anxiety: Suggestions for school
staff’, Australian Government Department of Health and Aging,
Canberra.
 Education Queensland 2012, ‘What is anxiety? Information
sheet’, Queensland Government Student Services, Department
of Education, Training and the Arts, Brisbane.
 Hyde, M. Carpenter, L. & Conway, R. (2014) Diversity, Inclusion
& Engagement (2nd ed.) Oxford University Press.
 Wiltshire Country Council 2006, ‘The Secondary Teacher’s
Toolkit for Including Young People with Social Communication
Difficulties, Children with Autism: Strategies for Accessing the
Curriculum, SEN partnerships, Wilshire.
 Cumming 2011, ‘The Education of Students With Emotional and
Behaviour Disabilities in Australia: Current Trends and Future
Directions’, Intervention in School and Clinic, vol. 48, no. 3 pp.
55-61.