Identification and diagnostic issues in special education: a status report for child psychiatrists

Education of children with learning, behavioral, or emotional disorders in the public schools has been rather remarkably transformed over the past decade by implementation of Public Law 94-142, Education of the Handicapped Act. Although children with learning disabilities have been served in far greater numbers than before, children with other disorders, including serious emotional disturbance, have either declined in numbers served or are being served in numbers far smaller than current prevalence rates would suggest are adequate. This paper reviews these trends, along with diagnostic criteria used to determine special education eligibility for such children, and discusses selected interdisciplinary and related trends.