A rapid review of what is known about the effectiveness of strategies to address challenging and disruptive behaviours in students in a classroom setting

Background

This research looks at the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic, and measures used to try to control it, had on the psychological wellbeing of children and adolescents. This follows reports from teachers of an increased trend in challenging and disruptive behaviour amongst school children. Researchers conducted a rapid review to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions put in place to address challenging behaviours, including sexual harassment, attendance/truancy or suspensions/exclusions, in both schools and further education settings.

Aim

The researchers aimed to examine the effectiveness of interventions used to address disruptive and challenging behaviour in educational settings during the pandemic, with a view to informing solutions to support teachers and schools in tackling the problem. However, due to a lack of evidence based directly on the impact of the pandemic, the search for existing literature was widened to include pre-pandemic and pandemic period studies from 2015 - 2022.

Method

14 studies of school-based interventions were identified. Of these, 10 were randomised controlled trials and four were non-randomised controlled trials.

Results

There was no strong evidence from recent controlled studies that school-wide interventions or training for students led to long term improvements in behaviour.

There is moderate evidence that some school-wide interventions may help to combat sexual harassment in the short term, but it is unclear what works and for whom.

There is evidence that suggests neither school-wide nor training/educational interventions affect attendance. However, five of the sevem studies reviewed were based in primary school settings. Evidence around secondary school age groups and older is therefore lacking. 

Policy Implications

More evidence is needed to understand the cause of school suspensions and exclusions. There is a small amount evidence to suggest that school-wide interventions work to reduce the duration and frequency of periods of suspension when carried out thoroughly.  Further analysis of the impact of this would be needed.

Confidence in the findings on attendance/truancy is moderate, whilst confidence in the findings on sexual harassment and school exclusions/suspensions is low.

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Summary author: Debs Smith