Summary
Conscious Discipline provides organizational and teaching practices approaches to SEL. It includes programming for grades Pre-K-5 and demonstrates evidence of effectiveness at Pre-K. Translated materials for Conscious Discipline are available in Spanish.
Strategies supporting educational equity (CASEL)
Conscious Discipline offers strategies for working with bias. This includes training for adults to examine bias and understand how it creates barriers to authentically connecting with students, assessing students SEL needs, and responding to conflict constructively and impartially.
Implementation
Below are key implementation details for this program. These specifications help determine if the program is a good fit for your school or organization.
Grade(s)
Pre-K, Elementary (K-5)
Setting
Classroom, Schoolwide, Home
Language
English, Spanish
Cost
Pricing available through provider
# Lessons
Unspecified
Program Design
Tier 1 (Universal)
Technology Requirements
Unspecified
Staffing Requirements
No additional staffing required
Professional Development
No additional staffing required
Outcomes
Advocate for reducing stigma associated with emotional and mental and behavioral health
Compare & contrast emotional, mental-behavioral illness, mental well-being and concurrent disorders
Decreased suicidal behavior
Describe how self-harm or suicide impacts other people
Describe laws related to minors accessing mental health care
Explain how to help someone who is thinking about attempting suicide
Identify school and community resources that can help a person with emotional, mental and behavioral health concerns
Improved Academic Performance
Improved attitude/behavior related to suicide
Improved identification of individuals at-risk for suicide
Improved Identity Development/ Agency
Improved Prosocial Behavior
Improved School Climate
Improved School Connectedness
Improved SEL Skills and Attitudes
Improved Teaching Practices
Increased help-seeking behavior
Reduced Emotional Distress
Reduced Problem Behavior
Evidence of Effectiveness
Results from a quasi-experimental evaluation conducted in the 2012-2013 academic year (unpublished report from 2014) supported the effectiveness of the Conscious Discipline program for preschool students. In sum, these evaluations included 1,386 Pre-K students in three states (approximately 90% Black/African American and 69% Hispanic; approximately 53% from households with incomes under $25,000). This evaluation found that students receiving the Conscious Discipline program showed significantly greater growth in teacher-reported social skill behaviors, observer-reported classroom behaviors, school readiness, and both teacher- and parent-reported social emotional skills than the control group (outcomes reported approximately 36 weeks after baseline, while controlling for outcome pretest). Additionally, teachers implementing and receiving training on the Conscious Discipline program showed improvement in their teaching practices. More specifically, in comparison to the control group, Conscious Discipline-implementing teachers demonstrated significantly greater: self-reported personal SEL skills development and use of positive classroom structures, rituals, and routines; observer-reported use of positive discipline strategies; and both observer- and self-reported positive emotional climate.
Published Studies
Refer to the provided CASEL for the most up-to-date published studies.
Rain, J.S. (2014). Conscious Discipline Research Study Findings. Rain & Brehm Consulting Group. Unpublished Manuscript.