Evaluating the Differential Treatment of Emotional Disturbance and Social Maladjustment

The vague and incomplete federal definition of emotional disturbance has caused a great deal of controversy and debate since the inception of Public Law 94–142. The lack of resolution among professionals attempting to elucidate the distinction between emotional disturbance and social maladjustment has resulted in continued conflict. Included in this debate are (a) whether students who are socially maladjusted should be included in the federal definition of emotional disturbance; (b) whether students identified as socially maladjusted should receive services; and (c) whether differential treatment for the two groups is warranted. In this article we provide a rationale for differential treatment between these two disorders as well as pertinent interventions tailored to meet the needs of individuals identified with emotional disturbance (ED) and social maladjustment (SM). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.