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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Decreasing disruptive behavior

Overview

  • Influence: Decreasing disruptive behavior
  • Domain: Classroom
  • Sub-Domain: Classroom management
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to considerably accelerate
  • Influence Definition: Disruptions by students often aimed to exert a negative influence on the greater classroom environment. Generally caused by a greater factor than just acting out. Can stem from boredom, lack of attention, the task being too challenging, the student not feeling heard, etc.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 2
  • Number of studies: 109
  • Number of students: 5,262
  • Number of effects: 300
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.81
  • Robustness index: 3

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Behavioral Disorders Skiba & Casey Interventions for behaviorally disordered students: A quantitative review and methodological critique.  1985 Classroom disruptive behavior 10 205 11 1.16
School Psychology Review Stage & Quiroz A meta-analysis of interventions to decrease disruptive classroom behavior in public education settings 1997 Decreasing disruptive behavior 99 5,057 289 0.78
TOTAL/AVERAGE 109 5,262 300 0.97
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