A Meta-Analysis of Functional Communication Training Effects on Problem Behavior and Alternative Communicative Responses
Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
Chezan, L. C., Wolfe, K., et al. (2018).
Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 33(4), 195-205.
This meta-analysis investigates the effects of functional communication on problem behavior and alternative communicative responses in children with disabilities (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, development disability).
No funding received
1985 and 2016
Single-case research design studies
44
<div>Results demonstrated that functional communication training (FCT) yielded large effects sizes (ES) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD; ES = 0.64), intellectual disability (ID; ES = 0.72), and developmental delays/disabilities (DD; ES = 0.67), which suggested that FCT could be equally effective for decreasing problem behavior in ASD, ID, and DD. The effect sizes of alternative communicative responses (ACRs) were reported to be very large for individuals with DD (ES = 0.85), large for individuals with ID (ES = 0.71), and moderate for individuals with ASD (ES = 0.57)."Results suggest that FCT is more effective for increasing the ACR of individuals with DD and other diagnoses than for individuals with ASD" (p. 201).</div>
<div>The following effect sizes (ES) were reported on the modality in which alternative communication responses were taught:</div>
<ul>
<li>moderate effects (ES = 0.56) for aided alternative and augmentative communication (e.g., communication devices, pictures);</li>
<li>large effects (ES = 0.63) for unaided alternative and augmentative communication, such as gestures or sign language;</li>
<li>large effects (ES = 0.74) vocal; and </li>
<li>very large effects (ES = 0.98) for multiple response modalities using any combination of the above modalities.</li>
</ul>
<div>Results indicated that functional communication training could be equally effective in increasing alternative communication responses when using unaided alternative and augmentative communication, vocal, or multiple response modalities.</div>
<div>Findings suggested that functional communication training (FCT) is equally effective in reducing problem behavior across age groups (i.e., preschool, child, adult), but FCT was suggested to be more effective in increasing alternative communicative responses (ACRs) of children than preschoolers. FCT was indicated to be more effective in increasing ACRs when the intervention was implemented by a therapist or practitioner (i.e., teacher, staff member).</div>
