Online ISSN: 2325-7466
2006
Triannual
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
United States

Articles

Exploring Behavioral Continuums in Early Childhood and Special Education Settings

  • Dr. Michela Carattini (Author) School of Education, Southwest Minnesota State University image/svg+xml
  • Dr. Joseph Morgan (Author) Department of Multilingual, Early Childhood, and Special Education, University of Nevada Las Vegas image/svg+xml
Abstract
This study investigates early childhood educators ability to distinguish between developmentally appropriate and disruptive behaviors in diverse early education settings. Utilizing a Delphi method with a panel of experts, the research explores concepts of behavioral interpretation, collaborative decision-making, and developmentally informed intervention planning across Wakschlag’s developmental domains: Emotional Regulation, Internalization of Rules, Aggression Modulation, and Empathy and Conscience. Findings highlight the persistent challenges interdisciplinary teams may face in identifying nuanced behavioral differences, compounded by cultural and individual variability. The study underscores the need for structured developmental frameworks that support collaborative, developmentally informed decision-making within early childhood and special education settings.
Keywords
Developmentally appropriate behavior, Disruptive behaviors, Teacher knowledge, Teacher perceptions, Collaborative decision-making, Behavioral development, Social-emotional development
References

Arumugam, S., Eng Hock, K., & Mohamed Isa, Z. (2020). Early childhood educator's perception on their efficacy to manage children's behavioural problems and the needs of a screening tool: Pilot findings. Southeast Asia Early Childhood, 9(2), 191-204.

Bates, L. A., & Glick, J. E. (2013). Does it matter if teachers and schools match the student? Racial and ethnic disparities in problem behaviors. Social Science Research, 42(5), 1180–1190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2013.04.005

Blake, C., & Monahan, E. C. (2007). Rethinking teacher preparation for EBD students: towards a partnership model. Support for Learning, 22(2), 60–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9604.2007.00448.x

Bowman-Perrott, L., Benz, M. R., Hsu, H.-Y., Kwok, O.-M., Eisterhold, L. A., & Zhang, D. (2013). Patterns and predictors of disciplinary exclusion over time. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 21(2), 83–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/1063426611407501

Breitenstein, S., Hill, C., & Gross, D. (2009). Understanding disruptive behavior problems in preschool children. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 24(1), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2007.10.007

Chow, K. A., Gaylor, E., Grindal, T., Tunzi, D., Wei, X., & Tiruke, T. (2021). Associations of teacher characteristics with preschool suspensions and expulsions: Implications for supports. Children and Youth Services Review, 129, 106162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106162

Conroy, M. A., & Brown, W. H. (2004). Early identification, prevention, and early intervention with young children at risk for emotional or behavioral disorders: Issues, trends, and a call for action. Behavioral Disorders, 29(3), 224–236. https://doi.org/10.1177/019874290402900303

Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S., (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8 (3rd ed.). National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Costello, E., J., & Shugart, M. A. (1992). Above and below the threshold: severity of psychiatric symptoms and functional impairment in a pediatric sample. Pediatrics (Evanston), 90(3), 359–368.

Downer, J. T., Goble, P., Myers, S. S., & Pianta, R. C. (2016). Teacher-child racial/ethnic match within pre-kindergarten classrooms and children’s early school adjustment. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 37, 26–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2016.02.007

Dunlap, G., Strain, P. S., Fox, L., Carta, J. J., Conroy, M., Smith, B. J., Kern, L., Hemmeter, M. L., Timm, M. A., McCart, A., Sailor, W., Markey, U., Markey, D. J., Lardieri, S., & Sowell, C. (2006). Prevention and intervention with young children's challenging behavior: Perspectives regarding current knowledge. Behavioral Disorders, 32(1), 29–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/019874290603200103

Dunlap, G., Wilson, K., Strain, P., & Lee, J. (2013). Prevent-teach-reinforce for young children. Baltimore, Maryland: Brookes Publishing.

Ennis, R., B., Flemming, S. C., Michael, E., & Lee, E. O. (2020). Using a tiered approach to support early childhood educators’ use of behavioral strategies. Education & Treatment of Children, 43(3), 265–277. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43494-020-00027-x

Garcia, A., G., Lambert, M., C., Lambert, Epstein, M., H., & Cullinan, D. (2019). Rasch analysis of the emotional and behavioral screener. School Mental Health, 11(3), 413–424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-018-09304-y

Gay, G. (2010). Acting on beliefs in teacher education for cultural diversity. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(1-2), 143–152. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487109347320

Gilliam, W. S. (2005). Prekindergarteners left behind: Expulsion rates in state prekindergarten systems. New York, NY: Foundation for Child Development.

Hemmeter, M. L., Snyder, P. A., Fox, L., & Algina, J. (2016). Evaluating the implementation of the Pyramid Model for promoting social-emotional competence in early childhood classrooms. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 36(3), 133-146. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121416653386

Johnson, J., Rahn, N., & Bricker, D. (2015). An activity-based approach to early intervention (4th ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Jones, V. L., Boone, R., Brandon, R. R., Dobbins, N., & Higgins, K. (2022). The delphi process: Involving parents of children with disabilities in participatory consensus building. Intervention in School and Clinic, 57(4), 234-242. https://doi.org/10.1177/10534512211024927

Koglin, U., & Petermann, F. (2011). The effectiveness of the behavioural training for preschool children. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 19(1), 97–111. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2011.548949

Lambeth D. T., & Smith A. M. (2016). Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of culturally responsive teacher preparation. The Journal of Negro Education, 85(1), 46-58. https://doi.org/10.7709/jnegroeducation.85.1.0046

Lanterman, C., Lockwood, A. B., Sealander, K., Winans, S., & Novelli, M. (2021). Expanding the gaze and moving the needle: Inclusion for students with EBD. Preventing School Failure, 65(3), 185–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2020.1852526

Macy, M. G., & Bricker, D. D. (2007). Embedding individualized social goals into routine activities in inclusive early childhood classrooms. Early Child Development and Care, 177(2), 107–120. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430500337265

Manuela Sanches-Ferreira, Pedro Lopes-dos-Santos, Sílvia Alves, Miguel Santos & Mónica Silveira-Maia (2013). How individualised are the individualised education programmes (IEPs): An analysis of the contents and quality of the IEPs goals, European Journal of Special Needs Education, 28(4), 507-520. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2013.830435

McIntosh, K., Filter, K. J., Bennett, J. L., Ryan, C., & Sugai, G. (2010). Principles of sustainable prevention: Designing scale-up of School-wide Positive Behavior Support to promote durable systems. Psychology in the Schools, 47(1), 5–21. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.20448

Mitchell, B., Kern, L., & Conroy, M. A. (2019). Supporting students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 44(2), 70–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/0198742918816518

Morgan, J. J., Diamond, L. L., Spies, T. G., Raines, T. C., & Boone, R. (2023). Determining the academic and well-being needs of students in urban school environments: A delphi study. Urban Education, 58(1), 145-174. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085919838008

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009, April). Early Childhood Inclusion. https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/position-statements/ps_inclusion_dec_naeyc_ec.pdf

O’Grady, C., & Ostrosky, M. M. (2023). Suspension and expulsion: Early educators’ perspectives. Early Childhood Education Journal, 51(1), 115–125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01285-z

Oliver, R. M., & Reschly, D. J. (2010). Special education teacher preparation in classroom management: Implications for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 35(3), 188–199. https://doi.org/10.1177/019874291003500301

Olmeda, R., E., & Kauffman, J., M. (2003). Sociocultural considerations in social skills training research with african american students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 15(2), 101–121. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022871232435

Popham, M., Counts, J., Ryan, J. B., & Katsiyannis, A. (2018). A systematic review of self-regulation strategies to improve academic outcomes of students with EBD. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 18(4), 239–253. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12408

Siwatu, K., & Polydore, C. (2010). Resolving a cultural conflict in the classroom: An exploration of preservice teachers' perceptions of effective interventions. The Journal of Negro Education, 79(4), 458-472. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41341089

Skiba, R. J. (2000). Zero tolerance zero evidence: An analysis of school disciplinary practice (Policy Research Report #SRS2). Terre Haute: Indiana University, Indiana Education Policy Center.

Studts, C. R., & van Zyl, M. A. (2013). Identification of developmentally appropriate screening items for disruptive behavior problems in preschoolers. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 41(6), 851–863. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-013-9738-8

Soares, D. A., Harrison, J. R., Melloy, K., Baran, A., & Mohlmann, M. (2022). Practice-to-research: Responding to the complexities of inclusion for students with emotional and behavioral disorders with recommendations for schools. NASSP Bulletin, 106(2), 77–108. https://doi.org/10.1177/01926365221097434

The Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children. (2014, April). DEC Recommended Practices. https://www.dec-sped.org/dec-recommended-practices

Wakschlag, L. S., Choi, S. W., Carter, A. S., Hullsiek, H., Burns, J., McCarthy, K., Leibenluft, E., & Briggs-Gowan, M. J. (2012a). Defining the developmental parameters of temper loss in early childhood: implications for developmental psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53(11), 1099–1108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2012.02595.x

Wakschlag, L. S., Henry, D. B., Tolan, P. H., Carter, A. S., Burns, J. L., & Briggs-Gowan, M. J. (2012b). Putting theory to the test: Modeling a multidimensional, developmentally-based approach to preschool disruptive behavior. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(6), 593–604.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2012.03.005

Wakschlag, L. S., Leventhal, B. L., Briggs-Gowan, M. J., Danis, B., Keenan, K., Hill, C., Egger, H. L., Cicchetti, D., & Carter, A. S. (2005). Defining the "disruptive" in preschool behavior: what diagnostic observation can teach us. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 8(3), 183–201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-005-6664-5

Whitney, T. (2018). Interventions for young children with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Intervention in School and Clinic, 53(3), 183–187. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053451217702110

Yoder, M. L., & Williford, A. P. (2019). Teacher perception of preschool disruptive behavior: Prevalence and contributing factors. Early Education and Development, 30(7), 835–853. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2019.1594531

Yumus, M., & Bayhan, P. (2016). Early childhood behavioural problems in Turkey: Teachers’ views, challenges and coping strategies. Early Child Development and Care, 187(12). 1833-1843. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2016.1199552

Zinsser, K. M., Silver, H. C., Shenberger, E. R., & Jackson, V. (2022). A systematic review of early childhood exclusionary discipline. Review of Educational Research, 92(5), 743–785. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543211070047

There are 44 references in total.
How to Cite
Carattini - Mays, M., & Morgan, J. (2026). Exploring Behavioral Continuums in Early Childhood and Special Education Settings. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 21(3), 1-17. https://www.aasep.org/article/view/609
View Special Issue 2026

Special Issue 2026

Article Information

  • Article Type Articles
  • Submitted January 17, 2026
  • Accepted July 15, 2026
  • Issue Special Issue 2026
  • Section Articles
  • File Downloads 0
  • Abstract Views 0
  • Share
Download data is not yet available.