Functional Behavioral Assessment-Based Interventions for Students with or at Risk for Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders in School: A Hierarchical Linear Modeling Meta-Analysis

Of the myriad practices currently utilized for students with disabilities, particularly students with or at risk for emotional and/or behavioral disorder (EBD), functional behavior assessment (FBA) is a practice with an emerging solid research base. However, the FBA research base relies on single-subject design (SSD) and synthesis has relied on literature review or analyses using nonparametric effect size calculations. This study was designed to examine the omnibus effect that FBA-based interventions have on problem behaviors for students with or at risk for EBD in schools using a hierarchical linear modeling meta-analytic approach to SSD synthesis. Based on a sample of 69 FBA studies, 146 subjects, and 206 outcome graphs, results indicated that, overall, FBA-based interventions reduced problem behavior by an average of 70.5% and that the procedure was effective across all student characteristics. Differences of effectiveness were evident between functional analysis and descriptive assessment procedures. Findings of this study suggest that FBA-based interventions for students with or at risk for EBD are an effective approach for the reduction of problem behaviors.

[1]  Maureen A. Conroy,et al.  Slowing down the Bandwagon: The Misapplication of Functional Assessment for Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders , 2001 .

[2]  Thomas E. Scruggs,et al.  The Quantitative Synthesis of Single-Subject Research , 1987 .

[3]  William R. Jenson,et al.  Statistical reform: Evidence‐based practice, meta‐analyses, and single subject designs , 2007 .

[4]  C. Whalen.  Positive Behavior Support for People With Developmental Disabilities: A Research Synthesis , 2002 .

[5]  G. Dunlap,et al.  Functional assessment, curricular revision, and severe behavior problems. , 1991, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[6]  Wim Van Den Noortgate,et al.  The Aggregation of Single-Case Results Using Hierarchical Linear Models. , 2007 .

[7]  M. Mcevoy,et al.  Functional Behavioral Assessment in Early Education Settings , 2004 .

[8]  James G. Shriner,et al.  The IDEA Amendments of 1997: A School-Wide Model for Conducting Functional Behavioral Assessments and Developing Behavior Intervention Plans , 1999 .

[9]  M. Wallace,et al.  Training educators to implement functional analyses. , 2004, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[10]  J. Stichter,et al.  The Application of Antecedents in the Functional Assessment Process , 2003 .

[11]  Shenyang Guo,et al.  Analyzing Longitudinal Rating Data: A Three-Level Hierarchical Linear Model , 1999 .

[12]  James W Moore,et al.  Teacher acquisition of functional analysis methodology. , 2002, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[13]  Frank M. Gresham,et al.  Functional Behavioral Assessment: Principles, Procedures, and Future Directions , 2001 .

[14]  K. Young,et al.  Behavioral Intervention Planning: Increasing Appropriate Behavior of a Socially Withdrawn Student , 2007 .

[15]  F. Gresham,et al.  Relevance of functional behavioral assessment research for school-based interventions and positive behavioral support. , 2004, Research in developmental disabilities.

[16]  Hariharan Swaminathan,et al.  A generalized least squares regression approach for computing effect sizes in single-case research: application examples. , 2011, Journal of school psychology.

[17]  K. Kavale.  Potential Advantages of the Meta-Analysis Technique for Research in Special Education , 1984 .

[18]  M. Wolery,et al.  The Use of Single-Subject Research to Identify Evidence-Based Practice in Special Education , 2005 .

[19]  Kwang‐Sun Cho Blair,et al.  Young Children With Challenging Behavior , 2009 .

[20]  Carol Ann Davis,et al.  Functional Behavior Assessment in Schools: Current Research Findings and Future Directions , 2005 .

[21]  Allison Gorman Faith,et al.  Meta-analysis of Single-Case Research , 2014 .

[22]  Ronald C. Serlin,et al.  Meta-analysis for single-case research. , 1992 .

[23]  W. H. Edwards,et al.  Identifying the Effects of Idiosyncratic Variables on Functional Analysis Outcomes: A Case Study. , 2002 .

[24]  Carl J. Liaupsin,et al.  Improving Academic Engagement through Systematic, Function-Based Intervention. , 2006 .

[25]  S. Ardoin,et al.  A Quantitative Review of Functional Analysis Procedures in Public School Settings , 2010 .

[26]  Terrance M. Scott,et al.  Antecedent-Based Interventions for Young Children at Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders , 2009 .

[27]  P. Onghena,et al.  Combining single-case experimental data using hierarchical linear models. , 2003 .

[28]  P. Friman,et al.  Refining Functional Behavioral Assessment: Analyzing the Separate and Combined Effects of Hypothesized Controlling Variables During Ongoing Classroom Routines , 2005 .

[29]  Leslie A. Rogers,et al.  Function-Based Interventions for Students Who Are Nonresponsive to Primary and Secondary Prevention Efforts , 2007 .

[30]  Terrance M. Scott,et al.  The Future of Functional Behavioral Assessment in School Settings , 2007 .

[31]  P. Larson,et al.  Training A General Education Teacher To Apply Functional Assessment. , 2004 .

[32]  Robert H. Horner,et al.  A Meta-Analysis of Positive Behavior Support , 2000 .

[33]  B. Gorman,et al.  Design and Analysis of Single-Case Research , 1996 .

[34]  Sharon E. Grandy,et al.  The Use of Functional Assessment and Self-Management with a First Grader , 1997 .

[35]  Erin E. Barton,et al.  Comparison of Overlap Methods for Quantitatively Synthesizing Single-Subject Data , 2010 .

[36]  S. Johnston,et al.  Searching for Effectiveness and Efficiency in Conducting Functional Assessments , 2001 .

[37]  Alan E. Kazdin,et al.  Single-Case Research Designs: Methods for Clinical and Applied Settings , 2010 .

[38]  K. Lane,et al.  Efficacy of a Function-Based Intervention in Decreasing Off-Task Behavior Exhibited by a Student With ADHD , 2006 .

[39]  John Umbreit,et al.  Functional Assessment and Intervention in a Regular Classroom Setting for the Disruptive Behavior of a Student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder , 1995 .

[40]  M. Yell.  The Law and Special Education , 2005 .

[41]  K. Weber,et al.  The status of Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA): Adherence to standard practice in FBA methodology , 2005 .

[42]  Kathleen Lynne Lane,et al.  An Examination of the Evidence Base for Function-Based Interventions for Students with Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders Attending Middle and High Schools , 2009 .

[43]  Jonathan M. Campbell,et al.  Efficacy of behavioral interventions for reducing problem behavior in persons with autism: a quantitative synthesis of single-subject research. , 2003, Research in developmental disabilities.

[44]  P J Nichols,et al.  Functional Assessment , 2019, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Human Communication Sciences and Disorders.

[45]  B. Iwata,et al.  Toward a functional analysis of self-injury. , 1994, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[46]  K. Blair,et al.  Using Structural Analysis to Facilitate Treatment of Aggression and Noncompliance in a Young Child At-Risk for Behavioral Disorders , 1997 .

[47]  Howard P. Wills,et al.  An Example of an Elementary School Paraprofessional-Implemented Functional Analysis and Intervention , 2007 .

[48]  D. Kamps,et al.  Active Teacher Participation in Functional Behavior Assessment for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Risks in General Education Classrooms , 2006 .

[49]  K. Lane,et al.  Functional Assessment Research on Students with or at Risk for EBD , 1999 .

[50]  Kay E. Ketzenberger,et al.  American Association on Mental Retardation , 2008 .

[51]  Sharon Vaughn,et al.  Contemporary Special Education Research : Syntheses of the Knowledge Base on Critical Instructional Issues , 2000 .

[52]  J. Kamps,et al.  Teacher and Peer Participation in Functional Analysis and Intervention for a First Grade Student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder , 2009 .

[53]  Timothy J. Lewis,et al.  The Impact of Targeted Classroom Interventions and Function-Based Behavior Interventions on Problem Behaviors of Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders , 2008 .

[54]  L. Hedges,et al.  Introduction to Meta‐Analysis , 2009, International Coaching Psychology Review.

[55]  Patrick Onghena,et al.  A multilevel meta-analysis of single-subject experimental design studies , 2008 .

[56]  B. L. Hopkins,et al.  A Critique of the Usefulness of Inferential Statistics in Applied Behavior Analysis , 1998, The Behavior analyst.

[57]  Feng Li,et al.  An Introduction to Metaanalysis , 2005 .

[58]  L. Bambara,et al.  Individualized Positive Behavior Support in School Settings , 2012 .

[59]  J. Stichter,et al.  Putting Quality Indicators to the Test: An Examination of 30 Years of Research , 2011 .

[60]  S. R. Mathur,et al.  Has Public Policy Exceeded Our Knowledge Base? A Review of the Functional Behavioral Assessment Literature , 1999 .

[61]  S. Magee,et al.  Determination of Environmental Correlates of Disruptive Classroom Behavior: Integration of Functional Analysis into Public School Assessment Process. , 1999 .

[62]  William R. Shadish,et al.  Using UnGraph to extract data from image files: Verification of reliability and validity , 2009, Behavior research methods.