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.
<div>This meta-analysis investigates the effects of functional communication on challenging behavior (e.g., self-injurious behavior, aggression, or<br>property destruction) and alternative communicative responses in children with disabilities (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, development disability).</div>
No funding received
1985 and 2016
<div>Single-case research design studies</div>
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<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 challenging 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>Functional communication training using alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) showed significant effects in increasing alternative communication responses when using unaided alternative and augmentative communication, vocal, or multiple response modalities. Effect sizes (ES) varied by AAC modality as follows:</div>
<ul>
<li>Aided AAC (e.g., communication devices, pictures) showed moderate effects (ES = 0.56).</li>
<li>Unaided AAC, such as gestures or sign language, demonstrated large effects (ES = 0.63).</li>
<li>Vocal communication showed large effects (ES = 0.74).</li>
<li>Multiple response modalities using any combination of the above modalities resulted in very large effects (ES = 0.98).</li>
</ul>
<div>Findings suggested that functional communication training (FCT) is equally effective in reducing challenging 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>
