Citation

Callahan K. Educ. Treat. Child. 1994; 17(3): 228-243.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, West Virginia University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper addresses the disproportionate number of males in programs for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Research estimates of a male to female sex ratio between 3:1 and 6:1 are cited, and possible biological and social/cultural explanations for the male-dominated sex ratio are discussed. It is suggested that a combination of physiological differences between boys and girls (including possible differences in brain functions, cognition, maturational/developmental levels, levels of aggression, and differential effects of hormones), and specific educational and environmental effects, such as differential teacher-student interactions, are plausible contributing factors to the disparate EBD sex ratio. Implications of the EBD sex ratio for special education research and practice are discussed.

Language: en