A Systematic Review of Function-Based Replacement Behavior Interventions for Students With and At Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.
Use FBA to pick a replacement skill, teach it to fluency, and train adults with BST—small studies say it cuts problem behavior in students with EBD.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Mandy et al. (2016) looked at every study that used function-based replacement behavior plans for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. They only kept studies that started with a real FBA and then taught a new skill to do the same job as the problem behavior.
The team found 17 papers. Most took place in elementary and middle-school classrooms. All taught a communication or social skill that matched the trigger found in the FBA.
What they found
Every study reported fewer problem behaviors after the plan began. The gains held while kids kept the new skill.
But only a handful of studies met strict What-Works-Clearinghouse rules. The authors say the idea works, yet we need stronger replications before we can call it evidence-based.
How this fits with other research
Drew et al. (2023) extends this work to home couches. They used one telehealth BST session plus live coaching so parents could run FCT with older youth. Large drops in problem behavior showed the same FBA-driven logic works outside school walls.
Slane et al. (2021) adds the teacher side. Their 2021 review found BST reliably gives staff the moves to carry out any behavior plan, including the replacement lessons William looked at. Together the two reviews say: pick the right skill, then train the adult with BST.
Speight et al. (2022) looked at CW-FIT, a class-wide plan that skips individual FBA. CW-FIT still helped high-schoolers stay on task. The pair of studies seems to clash—group versus individual—but they answer different questions. CW-FIT is quick whole-class prevention; William’s plans are laser fixes for one child whose behavior is severe.
Why it matters
You already write behavior plans. This review tells you to keep the FBA-replacement link tight and to teach the new skill until it is easier than the old one. Pair your plan with a short BST package for staff and you cover both what to do and how to do it right. If parents ask for home help, Drew et al. show one telehealth coaching call can be enough. Start there while we wait for larger, tougher studies.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Students with emotional and behavioral disorders and students considered at risk often have social deficits. Although social skills interventions are often provided to this student population, there are some concerns regarding how these interventions are conceived and provided. One possible way to improve the effectiveness of social skills interventions is to use functional behavior assessment data to tailor the interventions to a student's individual needs and the contexts in which social skills deficits and problem behaviors occur. This approach is commonly referred to as replacement behavior training. In this study, the literature on function-based replacement behavior interventions is systematically reviewed. In addition, studies are evaluated according to the What Works Clearinghouse design and evidence standards for single-case research. Although this research base does not meet the What Works Clearinghouse replication standards, function-based replacement behavior interventions appear to be a promising practice for addressing problem behaviors. Implications for practice, areas for future research, and study limitations are discussed.
Behavior modification, 2016 · doi:10.1177/0145445515621489