Abstract
The Reference Guide on Emotional Disturbance was created to address the need for more clarity when evaluating students for emotional disturbance. The motivating force for creating this reference guide was observations of current school psychologists working in public schools who struggle with these challenging evaluations. The current working definition of emotional disturbance has remained unchanged since it was created in 1957. This definition leaves room for subjectivity and may be related to inconsistencies in applying the eligibility criteria. School psychologists need knowledge and resources to meet the many needs of these troubled students. It is anticipated that school psychologists will find this guide to be a useful supplement in two ways: in their evaluation of emotional disturbance and in the creation of program placements. Each author researched journal articles, books, and websites in order to produce initial drafts of each chapter. The authors then collaborated to review, edit, and revise the chapters repeatedly to create a cohesive final written product.