NASET Q & A Corner

Questions and Answers on

Emotional Disturbance

The mental health of our children is a natural and important concern for us all. The fact is, many mental disorders have their beginnings in childhood or adolescence, yet may go undiagnosed and untreated for years. (1) We refer to mental disorders using different “umbrella” terms such as emotional disturbance, behavioral disorders, or mental illness. Beneath these umbrella terms, there is actually a wide range of specific conditions that differ from one another in their characteristics and treatment. These include (but are not limited to):

• anxiety disorders;
• bipolar disorder (sometimes called manic-depression);
• conduct disorders;
• eating disorders;
• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); and
• psychotic disorders.

This issue of NASET’s Q & A Corner comes from the Center for Parent Information and Resources. It will address what different emotional disturbances have in common, how they are defined in federal law, and where to find more detailed information on specific disorders.

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