Research and Positive Discipline

Current research demonstrates that quality relationships with adults and peers make a tremendous difference for young people. A sense of connection or belonging is an important protective factor. Students who perceive a sense of connectedness or community at school and/or home are less likely to engage in risky behaviors (smoking, using drugs, engaging in violence). They are also more likely to be successful academically. Young people who grow up in families that they perceive as both kind and firm are more likely to thrive. Positive Discipline teaches parents and teachers how to be kind and firm at the same time and how to invite a sense of connection from the youngsters they are involved with. The approach is neither permissive nor punitive. Positive Discipline is an effective way for parents, teachers and students to learn life skills and build a sense of community and connectedness based on mutually respectful relationships.

This review of the existing literature was supported by Empowering People and Jane Nelsen, Ed.D. The review is made from an Adlerian perspective and makes no attempt to evaluate any statistical analysis.

The article "research supporting...." includes a review of the current literature and a lengthy reference list. click here for the full article.

Research Supporting Positive Discipline in Homes Schools and Communities

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The following studies support Positive Discipline and Adlerian[1] approaches to parenting and classroom management

Adlerian Parenting Skills help parents be "happier with their children".

A 1994 study showed that introducing STEP positive parenting skills to families identified as "vulnerable" had positive results. There were 48 participants in the program and 37 (77%) responded to the evaluation.   92% of the parents felt "happier with their children" after they learned the parenting skills (65% were "a lot happier and another 27% were "a little happier").  All but one respondent noted positive change as a result of the course.  The published study: Angeli, N, Christy, J, Howe, J, and Wolff, B :"Facilitating Parenting Skills in vulnerable families".  HEALTH VISITOR v67 P130-132  1994.

A 1994 report showed "authoritative parenting" increased "child competencies" and decreased the risk of children becoming smokers.  In this report, "authoritative parenting" is described as a parenting style that "balances responsiveness and control....  (A)uthoritative parents establish and enforce clear standards for behavior, they also are responsive to their children’s needs and rights".  (This is the balancing that Positive Discipline refers to as "kindness and firmness".)  The "competencies" that the authors measured included self esteem, social confidence, work orientation and academic performance.

The study looked at 937 students in grade 3-8 from elementary schools in Northern California.

The study showed that there was a high correlation between the "child competencies" and the authoritative parenting style.  They also showed a significant difference in the rate of starting smoking depending on parenting style.  The children of parents with authoritative parenting styles were 21% less likely to initiate smoking behavior.  The published study: Jackson, C, Bee-Gates, D., And Henricksen, L. "Authoritative Parenting, Child Competencies, and Initiation of Cigarette Smoking".HEALTH EDUCATION Quarterly, Vol. 21(1): 103-116. 1994

Class meetings transform a school.

This is a description of a school that implemented a system of  class meetings  called circle meetings.  Their plan was initially based on Kohlberg’s ideas but the implementation isvery consistent with Positive Discipline.  The meetings were based on real issues and at least some of the classrooms were using regular class meetings with compliments.  There is no "hard data" just reported improvement in the schools atmosphere and behavior issues.  It is clearly impressive. "Six years ago students at Birch Meadow Elementary School were callous and uncaring.  Today they feel a sense of ownership of the school and a sense of responsibility for their classmates"  Interesting reading.  Murphy, Dennis  "The Just Community at Birch Meadow Elementary School"PHI DELTA KAPPAN Feb 1988

Giving students some power and control over what they learn and over the classroom environment enhances learning.
(Class meetings are a great tool to gives students control and to teach responsibility)

Alfie Kohn is a tireless advocate for improving learning environments by giving students real responsibilities and some real power over their environment.

This article has no real data but offers compelling reasons to promote class meetings and working with children by empowering them instead of using power over them.  As usual, all of his arguments are supported by research citations.  Kohn, Alfie "Choices for Children:Why and How to Let Students Decide" PHI DELTA KAPPAN 1993

Classroom meetings enhance student problem solving skills, their decision making skills, their acceptance of responsibility, and their interpersonal skills.

In this controlled study the researchers found that the students who participated in classroom meetings improved their behavior significantly more than did those in the control group.   Sorsdahl, Sandra and Sanche,Robert  "The effects of classroom meetings on self-concept and behavior" ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING V20 n1 p49-56 Oct 1985

Alfred Adler developed a social psychology that proposed that human behavior is driven by our need to feel belonging and significance.  Many popular parenting programs including Positive Discipline, Systematic Training for Effective Parenting, and Developing Capable People are based on the Adlerian Approach as are the writings of Rudolf Dreikurs (Children the Challenge) and Faber and Mazlisch (How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk, Siblings without Rivalry) and of course Jane Nelsen, Lynn Lott, Cheryl Erwin, et.al. (Positive Discipline Series).

Download the following in PDF format

     The University of San Francisco The Effectiveness of Alderian Parent and Teacher Study Groups in Changing Child Maladaptive Behavior in a Positive Direction

Excerpts from a Dissertation Presented to the faculty of the school of education Educational Psychology Program in Partial Filfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education
by
Jane Wood Nelsen
San Francisco, California 94117
December 1979

     Learning Through Positive Discipline and Intrinsic Motivation

A Teacher Inquiry Project Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree Master of Education
by
Annalisa Esquivel, B.S.I.S
Southwest Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas

     What Do You Mean "Think Before I Act?" Conflict Resolution With Choices

A Teacher Inquiry Project Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree Master of Education
by
Lonisa Browning, B.S.LS.
Southwest Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas

    The Winner's Circle: Effect of Class Meetings on Class Climate and Student Behavior.

Contact Person
Mark Broder, Ed.D.
[email protected]
(480) 834-6615

     Efficacy of Class Meetings in Elementary Schools

Ann Roeder Platt
B.A., California State University, Sacramento