In the FSN elementary efficacy RCT (Walker et al., 2009), effect sizes ranged from 0.44 to 0.87 with all intervention-control differences significant¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · reviewr2·q3·i2medium
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q3 i2 In the 200-student elementary efficacy RCT, Cohen's d effect sizes ranged from 0.44 to 0.87 and improvement indices from +17.0 to +30.8 across prosocial, problem behavior, and academic engaged time domains, with all differences significant. → Andy J. Frey 2023
Evidence¶
Andy J. Frey 2023¶
Andy J. Frey, Jason W. Small, Hill M. Walker, Brandon Mitchell, John R. Seeley, Edward G. Feil, Jon Lee, and Steven R. Forness. (2023). First Step Next: A Best-Evidence Synthesis of Replication Randomized Controlled Trials From 2009 to 2021. Remedial and Special Education, 44(1), 60-72. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325211068145
q3 · i2 · review · r2
Classroom-level randomized efficacy trial with 200 first- through third-grade students from 34 elementary schools in Albuquerque Public Schools. The review reports effect sizes from "0.44 (moderately small) to 0.87 (large)" and states all intervention-control differences were significant.
"Cohen' s d ESs ranged from 0.44 (moderately small) to 0.87 (large) and improvement indices ranged from +17.0 to +30.8 across prosocial, PB, and AET domains."
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- FSN's impact was less robust when delivered by school personnel than by research staff — related
- FSN's impact was more robust in the school setting than in the home setting across all five RCTs — related
- In the FSN national effectiveness trial (Sumi et al., 2013), effect sizes were smaller, ranging from 0.21 to 0.67 — related
- First Step to Success shows potentially positive effects on social outcomes (average improvement index +23) — related
- First Step Next replication RCTs produced small to large effect sizes and statistically significant behavioral gains compared with control conditions — a broader claim this one bears on
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
status |
review |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-11-01 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
Frontmatter is the page's machine-readable record — see the Schema & Guide.