First Step Next replication RCTs produced small to large effect sizes and statistically significant behavioral gains compared with control conditions¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Across five replication RCTs, FSN produced small to large effect sizes, positive improvement indices, and statistically significant gains on prosocial and problem behavior versus randomized controls. → 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 · i? · review · r2

Best-evidence synthesis of five replication RCTs of First Step Next (N = 200, 286, 379, 126, 160) plus four subsample analyses. The review reports "small to large ESs" and "statistically significant behavioral gains" relative to randomized control conditions; no pooled effect size is printed.

"The best-evidence synthesis, along with subsample analyses, resulted in small to large ESs, very positive improvement indices, and statistically significant behavioral gains compared with students randomized to control conditions."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• First Step Next significantly improves pro-social behavior in at-risk preschoolers, with Hedges' g effect sizes from .34 to .91 — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• FSN's impact was more robust in the school setting than in the home setting across all five RCTs — related
• 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 — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• The revised, unified First Step Next retains the efficacy of the original program in preschool settings, though parent-reported effects remain small — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• FSN showed similar effects for students with or at risk of comorbid ADHD, ASD, or anxiety disorders — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• First Step Next reduces relational aggression and child-teacher conflict in at-risk preschoolers — related
• First Step to Success shows potentially positive effects on social outcomes (average improvement index +23) — related
• First Step to Success shows potentially positive but not statistically significant effects on emotional/internal behavior (effect size 0.26) — related