Behavior Threat Assessment Management Across OECD Countries: A Systematic Review

Behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) is a preventive approach to school safety involving identifying students who may pose a risk of violence, assessing the level of concern, and implementing management strategies to mitigate risk (Fein et al., 2002; Vossekuil et al., 2002). BTAM models originated from Secret Service research following targeted school violence incidents and have been increasingly adopted as alternatives to zero-tolerance disciplinary policies (Cornell & Sheras, 2006). The relationship between BTAM implementation and school disciplinary outcomes has important implications for educational equity and student wellbeing. Exclusionary discipline practices are associated with negative outcomes for students, with disproportionate impact on students of color and students with disabilities (Losen & Gillespie, 2012; Fabelo et al., 2011). A recent systematic review by Stohlman et al. (2021) synthesized evidence on BTAM implementation in United States schools, finding limited high-quality research and mixed evidence regarding effects on disciplinary outcomes. However, BTAM has been adopted internationally in countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other OECD member countries. These countries have different educational structures, discipline policies, legal frameworks, and cultural contexts that may influence both BTAM implementation and outcomes (Sellman et al., 2013). No systematic review has examined BTAM implementation and disciplinary outcomes from an international perspective, limiting understanding of how context shapes BTAM processes and effects.