LIFE SPACE INTERVIEWING: A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF CRISIS INTERVENTION WITH EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN IN A SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOL

This study examines a crisis intervention program which used Life Space Interviewing with emotionally disturbed children in a special education public school. Data were collected on 28 children, aged 6 to 13, to record the frequency of entry to crisis, the reasons for referral to crisis, the amount of physical restraint used, and the types of clinical LSI's conducted for one academic year. The data were also grouped according to developmental age, Verbal IQ, and length of previous treatment to determine if any trends appeared in the use of crisis within these groups. The results provide information pertinent to service and training aspects of crisis intervention in the special education and mental health fields. Data on the frequency of entry to crisis revealed a total of 1441 entries for the year. While older children used crisis less frequently at the end of the year, younger children increased their use over time. Children with above average IQ's used crisis more frequently throughout the year than other children. Those children who had been in the program more than one year used crisis more frequently than children who were new to the program and decreased their use over time. Reasons for referral included problems with peers, adults, school rules, classroom work, loss of self-control, self-request, and follow-up requested by Interviewer. Problems with peers was the most frequently cited reason for referral; classroom work was used the least. Problems with classroom work increased over time along with self-request and follow-up Interviews. Loss of self-control decreased considerably over time. Physical restraint was used 274 times during the year, with 19 percent of those incidents involving severe levels of violent behavior. Physical restraint declined during the year. The Reality Rub was the Interview used most frequently, although its use declined over time. Simultaneously, there was a substantial increase in use of New Tool Salesmanship at the end of the year. In addition to the above findings, this study also discusses the significant relationship between theory and application of Life Space Interviewing and the re-education of emotionally disturbed children.