School Outcomes and Community Benefits for Minority Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbances: A Synthesis of the Research Literature. Project Period: January 1, 1995 to June 30, 1997. Final Report

This final report discusses the findings of a project that investigated research on the use of educational strategies with students with serious emotional disturbances (SED) for the purpose of communicating to teachers and parents which techniques were effective in serving minority youth with SED. The project reviewed 250 documents to synthesize research findings about the improvement of in-school success and post-school benefits. The data confirmed that youth with SED have poorer outcomes after exiting school; however, graduates of programs for youth with SED appeared to do better than dropouts in the rate of employment. Also, it was found that ethnic group membership did influence rates of representation within programs for youth with SED. While the rate for African American youth in these programs was proportionately greater than their rate in the general population, rates for Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander ethnic youth in the programs was proportionately less than their rates in the general population. Outcomes for ethnic youth were also found to be different, with African Americans having lower grade-point levels, missing more school, and having lower rates of employment. Recommendations for programs for minority youth with SED are provided. An appendix includes a discussion of problem areas identified by constituents. (Contains over 650 references.) (CR)