Functional Communication Training in Schools: A Systematic Analysis of the Evidence for Ecological Validity

Area of Science:

• Education
• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Special Education

Background:

• Ecological validity is crucial for intervention adoption in educational settings.
• Functional communication training (FCT) is used to address challenging behaviors in students with disabilities.
• Understanding the ecological validity of FCT is essential for its practical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evidence for the ecological validity of FCT in school-age individuals with disabilities.
• To evaluate the quality of behavioral assessment and FCT procedures described in research.
• To assess the practical significance of FCT interventions in real-world school settings.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 19 single-case experimental design (SCED) studies (1985-2023).
• Evaluation using What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Standards for empirical evidence.
• Analysis of procedural descriptions and ecological validity of behavioral assessment and FCT.

Main Results:

• 95% of SCED studies met WWC Standards.
• Complete procedural descriptions were available for 50% of behavioral assessments and 11% of FCT.
• Evidence for ecological validity was low for 83.3% of behavioral assessments and all FCT procedures.

Conclusions:

• The ecological validity of FCT procedures in school settings is currently low.
• Incomplete procedural descriptions limit the assessment of FCT's practical application.
• Future research should focus on enhancing the ecological validity of FCT interventions for students with disabilities.