Child Trends serves as a strategic planning and research partner to Conscious Discipline, a trauma-informed, social-emotional learning (SEL) and classroom management program. Since 2017, Child Trends has worked with Conscious Discipline to develop a coordinated approach to research, partnerships, and funding, and on expanding Conscious Discipline’s representation on evidence-based program registries. Our work includes helping Conscious Discipline validate its tools created to assess fidelity of implementation, providing technical assistance for researchers studying Conscious Discipline across various program contexts, and planning and conducting selected special studies.

In 2018, Child Trends helped develop a theory of change and logic model for Conscious Discipline. We also updated the program’s process for managing research inquiries, including the development of FAQs for researchers, program evaluators, and school districts interested in conducting research on Conscious Discipline. Child Trends also completed a descriptive study of the Conscious Discipline Parenting Education Curriculum delivered in four Head Start programs. The study found that, after the seven-week Conscious Discipline parenting class series—and again at 12-week follow-up—Head Start parents that completed the class series reported decreased use of harsh discipline techniques and improved relationships with their children.

Child Trends is currently developing plans to examine changes in adult and child executive function, children’s social-emotional competencies, and school discipline referrals in selected CD-implementing school districts. Child Trends is also designing an impact study of Conscious Discipline and seeking funds to complete it. For more information, contact Kristen Darling (kdarling@childtrends.org).

Resources

Conscious Discipline Partners with Child Trends for Enhanced Research Support

Logic Model and Theory of Change

Assessment Tools & Queries

Frequently Asked Questions About Supporting Data-Informed Conscious Discipline Implementation

Frequently Asked Questions About Conducting Research on Conscious Discipline

Conscious Discipline Parenting Education Curriculum Yields Positive Outcomes

Resilience and Conscious Discipline

March 2018