When evaluating a student for evidence of an emotional and behavioral disturbance (EBD), which of the following is NOT among the important considerations?

• A. The data obtained by the referring teacher
• B. The age of the student at the onset of the problem behavior
• C. The setting in which the problem behavior is exhibited
• D. The services to be provided to address the behavior

Answer: (D)

In evaluating for emotional and behavioral disturbance, the focus is on understanding the behavior itself—how often it happens, how long it lasts, where it occurs, and what factors are linked to it. Getting detailed information from multiple sources, such as the referring teacher, helps paint a complete picture of the behavior across different times and settings, which is essential for identifying patterns and possible functions of the behavior. The age at which the problem behavior first appeared is also important because it informs how the behavior has developed over time and helps distinguish EBD from other issues, guiding the assessment and interpretation. The setting in which the behavior occurs matters because it reveals environmental triggers or supports and shows whether the behavior is consistent across places or unique to certain contexts, which is key to planning effective interventions.

The part that is not among the important considerations during evaluation is deciding what services will be provided to address the behavior. Service decisions come after understanding the nature and context of the behavior and are part of intervention planning, not the data-gathering and diagnostic process of the evaluation itself.