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Special Educators' Experiences Navigating Tensions When Serving Students Labeled with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders

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Title: Special Educators' Experiences Navigating Tensions When Serving Students Labeled with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
Language: English
Authors: Elizabeth Bettini (ORCID 0000-0001-6527-1854), Kathryn M. Meyer, Margaret O'Brien, Margaret Carroll, Hannah Morris Mathews (ORCID 0000-0002-8004-0744)
Source: Remedial and Special Education. 2026 47(3):208-226.
Availability: SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R324B170017
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Special Education Teachers, Teaching Experience, Students with Disabilities, Emotional Disturbances, Behavior Disorders, Stress Variables, Teacher Role, Teacher Attitudes, Self Contained Classrooms, Barriers, Coping
DOI: 10.1177/07419325241310512
ISSN: 0741-9325
1538-4756
Abstract: Special educators often work in school contexts that are not oriented toward their students' strengths and needs, resulting in tension-misalignment between their responsibility to students and their schools' resources and expectations. Using grounded theory, we explored five U.S. teachers' experiences of tension when serving students labeled with emotional/behavioral disorders in self-contained classes. We found teachers experienced tensions regarding students' belonging, their academic instructional roles, and their roles supporting students' behavior. Tensions reflected ways schools were not oriented toward students' strengths and support needs. Yet, teachers' perspectives on tensions varied greatly. Grounded in humanizing perspectives on students, some teachers experienced tension with colleagues who resisted including students and honoring students' support needs. Other teachers held deficit-based, legalistic views of students, which underlay their acceptance of (or even advocacy for) exclusion. Findings indicate the centrality of educators' conceptions of disability for how they conceptualize and fulfill their roles in serving students with disabilities.
Abstractor: As Provided
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504355
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Special Educators' Experiences Navigating Tensions When Serving Students Labeled with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elizabeth+Bettini%22">Elizabeth Bettini</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6527-1854">0000-0001-6527-1854</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kathryn+M%2E+Meyer%22">Kathryn M. Meyer</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Margaret+O'Brien%22">Margaret O'Brien</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Margaret+Carroll%22">Margaret Carroll</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hannah+Morris+Mathews%22">Hannah Morris Mathews</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8004-0744">0000-0002-8004-0744</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Remedial+and+Special+Education%22"><i>Remedial and Special Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 47(3):208-226.
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  Data: SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 19
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
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  Data: R324B170017
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Special+Education+Teachers%22">Special Education Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Experience%22">Teaching Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students+with+Disabilities%22">Students with Disabilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Disturbances%22">Emotional Disturbances</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior+Disorders%22">Behavior Disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stress+Variables%22">Stress Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Role%22">Teacher Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Contained+Classrooms%22">Self Contained Classrooms</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coping%22">Coping</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/07419325241310512
– Name: ISSN
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  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0741-9325<br />1538-4756
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Special educators often work in school contexts that are not oriented toward their students' strengths and needs, resulting in tension-misalignment between their responsibility to students and their schools' resources and expectations. Using grounded theory, we explored five U.S. teachers' experiences of tension when serving students labeled with emotional/behavioral disorders in self-contained classes. We found teachers experienced tensions regarding students' belonging, their academic instructional roles, and their roles supporting students' behavior. Tensions reflected ways schools were not oriented toward students' strengths and support needs. Yet, teachers' perspectives on tensions varied greatly. Grounded in humanizing perspectives on students, some teachers experienced tension with colleagues who resisted including students and honoring students' support needs. Other teachers held deficit-based, legalistic views of students, which underlay their acceptance of (or even advocacy for) exclusion. Findings indicate the centrality of educators' conceptions of disability for how they conceptualize and fulfill their roles in serving students with disabilities.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1504355
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/07419325241310512
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 208
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Special Education Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Experience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Students with Disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotional Disturbances
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Behavior Disorders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Stress Variables
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Contained Classrooms
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Coping
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Special Educators' Experiences Navigating Tensions When Serving Students Labeled with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
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      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Elizabeth Bettini
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            NameFull: Kathryn M. Meyer
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            NameFull: Margaret O'Brien
      – PersonEntity:
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            NameFull: Margaret Carroll
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hannah Morris Mathews
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              M: 06
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
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              Value: 1538-4756
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              Value: 47
            – Type: issue
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            – TitleFull: Remedial and Special Education
              Type: main
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