Behavior disorders, reading disorders and teacher perceptions

Abstract

This study explored the relationships among behavior disorders, reading disorders, and teacher perceptions. Individual classroom teachers and a school screening committee were asked to screen a group of 43 junior high students for behavior disorders. The presence of reading problems was determined from a school‐wide achievement measure. Results indicated a high proportion of agreement between teacher and screening committee ratings of behavior disorders when there was no indication of reading disability. For the students rated as behaviorally disordered who also manifested a reading problem, there were differences between teacher and screening committee ratings. Teachers tended to rate more students as behavior disorders in the presence of a reading disability. It was concluded that reading problems present a confounding variable for judgments concerning the presence of behavior disorders.