A new What Works Clearinghouse intervention report finds a process called “functional behavioral assessment” could help students with emotional disturbances become more engaged in school.
The strategy looks at the environmental context just before a student misbehaves to identify why the behavior might have happened and how to target interventions. Based on an analysis of 17 studies that met the clearinghouse’s evidence standards, the report found “potentially positive effects” for the intervention in reducing problematic behavior and increasing engagement at school for students with, or at risk of, emotional disturbances.