PEERS PERCEPTIONS OF EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL-DISORDERS - WHAT ARE STUDENTS THINKING

Peers play a prominent role in defining acceptable behavior. Research on children's perceptions of emotional and behavioral difficulties is analyzed in this article. Virtually all studies concur that peers hold negative views of externalizing behavior problems. Younger students a re able to differentiate aggression from other behaviors by the first grade, whereas social withdrawal is recognized later. Based on the imp lications of these and other findings, professionals need to target pe er identified behavioral and social skill goals and develop programmin g aimed at normalization to improve acceptance in integrated settings.