Increasing the on-task homework behavior of youth with behavior disorders using functional behavioral assessment.

Dudley et al. (2008) tested homework help for four students with emotional and behavior disorders. They used an alternating-treatments design to compare two kinds of help.

One kind came from a quick functional behavior assessment. The other kind came from common classroom tricks that were not tied to a function. Sessions rotated day by day so each kid tried both plans.

Kids stayed on task more when the help matched the reason they were off task. The FBA-based plan beat the generic plan in every comparison.

The gap was clear enough that teachers could see it without counting. Function-based help won even though it took a little extra time up front.

DeRoma et al. (2004) looked at every school study in JABA and found half skipped FBA. They also found FBA did not promise better results across the board. Dudley et al. (2008) seems to disagree, but the older review mixed all types of problems. The new study zoomed in on homework and used a head-to-head test, so the clash is more about focus than fact.

Call et al. (2024) later showed FCT works even when the FBA skips a full functional analysis. That extends O et al. by saying you may not need the longest path, yet you still need a function-based plan.

Rasing et al. (1992) first proved brief FAs can work in classrooms. O et al. built on that by linking the brief data straight to a homework fix.

You do not need a huge team or a long FA to help kids finish homework. A short check of why they drift off gives you a better plan than stock prompts or prizes. Try a five-minute FBA next time a student stalls on work; match your fix to the function and watch the pencil move.