Characteristics and Predictors for Students Classified with Emotional and Behavioral Disorder Who Have Also Experienced Maltreatment

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw

Examines how adverse childhood experiences and child maltreatment relate to students identified with emotional and behavioral disorders. Uses the ACE framework to summarize how childhood trauma and household challenges link to long-term mental, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, citing the Kaiser ACE Study and CDCP-related analyses across multiple states. Reports associations between higher ACE exposure and chronic conditions, depression, smoking, heavy drinking, and socioeconomic challenges, and discusses demographic risks. Highlights implications of prevention for reducing heart disease, overweight/obesity, and depression burden.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and long-term outcomes

Categories of adverse experiences

Research evidence and key findings

Educational Considerations | Volume 47 Number 1 | Article 6 | | --- | --- | | June 2021
Characteristics and Predictors for Students Classified with Emotional and Behavioral Disorder Who Have Also Experienced Maltreatment
Richard E. Mattison
Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine, [rmattison@pennstatehealth.psu.edu](rmattison@pennstatehealth.psu.edu)
Gregory J. Benner
University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa, [benner@ua.edu](benner@ua.edu)
Skip Kumm
University of Alabama, [sakumm@ua.edu](sakumm@ua.edu)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://newprairiepress.org/edconsiderations](https://newprairiepress.org/edconsiderations)
Part of the Child Psychology Commons, Disability and Equity in Education Commons, Disability Studies Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, School Psychology Commons, and the Special Education and Teaching Commons

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. | | Recommended Citation Mattison, Richard E.; Benner, Gregory J.; and Kumm, Skip (2021) "Characteristics and Predictors for Students Classified with Emotional and Behavioral Disorder Who Have Also Experienced Maltreatment,"Educational Considerations: Vol. 47: No. 1. [https://doi.org/10.4148/0146-9282.2239](https://doi.org/10.4148/0146-9282.2239) [This Article is brought to you for free and open access by New Prairie Press. It has been accepted for inclusion in](This Article is brought to you for free and open access by New Prairie Press. It has been accepted for inclusion in)[ ](This Article is brought to you for free and open access by New Prairie Press. It has been accepted for inclusion in)[Educational Considerations by an authorized administrator of New Prairie Press. For more information](Educational Considerations by an authorized administrator of New Prairie Press. For more information), please [contact](contact cads@k-state.edu)[ cads@k-state.edu](contact cads@k-state.edu). Characteristics and Predictors for Students Classified with Emotional and Behavioral Disorder Who Have Also Experienced Maltreatment Richard E. Mattison, Gregory J. Benner, and Skip Kumm Mental, emotional, behavioral, and physical health are interrelated and stem from a set of common conditions (O’Connell, Boat, and Warner, 2009) . Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is the term given to describe traumatic events that occur before adulthood and may negatively impact a student’s long-term mental, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The landmark Kaiser ACE Study examined the relationships between childhood ACEs and physical health, mental, emotional, and behavioral outcomes in adulthood (Felitti et al., 1998; Anda et al., 2006) . Over 17,000 people between 1995 and 1997 received physical exams and completed confidential surveys containing information about their childhood experiences and current health status and behaviors. The ACE study looked at three categories of adverse experience: childhood abuse (i.e., emotional, physical, and sexual abuse); neglect (i.e., including both physical and emotional neglect); and household challenges (i.e., growing up in a household where there was substance abuse, mental illness, violent treatment of a mother or stepmother, parental separation/divorce, or a member of the household in prison) . Respondents received an ACE score between zero and 10 based on how many of the 10 types of adverse experiences they had experienced (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDCP], 2019) . The ACE study showed dramatic links between adverse childhood experiences and risky behavior, psychological issues, serious illness, and the leading causes of death. For example, people with six or more ACEs died nearly 20 years earlier on average than those without ACEs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019) . Moreover, 61% of adults had at least one ACE, and 16% had four or more types ofACEs (Merrick et al

FAQs

What are ACEs and why are they relevant to student mental and behavioral outcomes?

Adverse childhood experiences describe traumatic events occurring before adulthood that may negatively affect long-term mental, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The document explains that health and behavioral effects are interconnected across the life span.

How are ACEs categorized in the study summary?

The text groups ACEs into childhood abuse (emotional, physical, sexual), neglect (physical and emotional), and household challenges such as substance abuse, mental illness, violent treatment of a mother or stepmother, parental separation/divorce, or incarceration of a household member.

What key patterns are reported regarding higher ACE exposure?

Adults with the highest ACE exposure have increased odds of chronic health conditions, depression, current smoking, and heavy drinking, along with socioeconomic challenges such as current unemployment. The document also notes that preventing ACEs could reduce the numbers of adults with heart disease, overweight/obesity, and depression.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw