Affective Needs

Every person has four areas of development: Intellectual, Physical, Social, and Emotional. Affective Needs “typically targets awareness and growth in attitudes, emotion, and feelings." (wiki article: Taxonomy of Instructional Objectives). The affective domain describes the way people react emotionally and their ability to feel another’s pain or joy (wiki article: Taxonomy of Instructional Objectives). Affective objectives typically target the awareness and growth in attitudes, emotion, and feelings" (wiki aricle: Taxonomy of Instructional Objectives). Social and emotional Learning is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions" (excerpt from CASEL website).

Within IDEA and ECEA as it relates to the provision of services for students with disabilities the need for affective support: social, emotional, and behavior is frequently referenced.

Affective Needs: Social, emotional and behavioral struggles are associated with many different IEP disability qualification categories including autism, hearing impairment, serious emotional disability, intellectual disability, multiple disability, OHI, and developmental delay.

The Definition of Serious Emotional Disability includes:

• 2.08 (3) (b) (ii) Impairment in social/emotional functioning as demonstrated by an inability to build or maintain interpersonal relationships which significantly interferes with the child’s social development. Social development involves those adaptive behaviors and social skills which enable a child to meet environmental demands and assume responsibility for his or her own welfare.
• 2.08 (3) (a) (iii) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.
• 2.08 (3) (a) (v) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

Examples of qualifying characteristics of social emotional and behavioral concerns include, but are not limited to:

• 2.08 (1) (a) (i) significant difficulty establishing and maintaining social-emotional reciprocal relationships;
• 2.08 (1) (a) (ii) integrated use of eye contact and body language is lacking;
• significant difficulty sharing, engaging in imaginative play and developing and maintaining friendships;
• 2.08 (1) (b) (iii) Perseverative thinking and impaired ability to process symbolic information;
• 2.08 (2) (b) (v) Inconsistent performance in social and learning environments compared to typically developing peers;
• 2.08 (2) (b) (vi) Inability to demonstrate self advocacy skills;
• The level of independent adaptive behavior is significantly below the culturally imposed expectations of personal and social responsibility;
• 2.08 (5) (b) (iii) Inability to demonstrate problem solving skills when such information is presented in a traditional academic curriculum;
• 2.08 (7) a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli;
• 2.08 (7) (c) an inability to manage and maintain attention, to organize or attend, to prioritize environmental stimuli, including heightened alertness to environmental stimuli that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment.

• Social-emotional skills are critical for students’ learning, their readiness for college and careers, and their future success. Both research and evidence-based practice clearly show the strong connection between social and emotional development, academic learning, and success in life (Domitrovich, Dusenbury & Hyson, 2013).

The Social/Emotional/Behavioral listserv is a place for teachers and service providers working with students with Significant Emotional Disabilities to find information, encouragement, and networking opportunities.

We know that many times those working with students with significant needs may be isolated and lack the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues or find the expertise they need in a timely and safe setting. This is a place to ask questions, have discussions, and share ideas with those in the field who are having the same experiences. To subscribe, Email Bill Brown with your contact information.