Assertive Discipline: An Effective Classwide Behavior Management Program

Although Assertive Discipline is widely advocated as a classroom management system, there currently exists specious evidence to support this approach. The basic philosophy, necessary competencies, and procedures associated with Assertive Discipline are reviewed. The effects of an Assertive Discipline program on reducing out-of-seat and inappropriate talking among students of a third grade class were investigated using a reversal design. Results indicate a functional relationship between the program and the dependent measures. Social validation of the program is provided by informal measures of teacher behavior and by interviews with the principal, teacher, and students. It is concluded that the Assertive Discipline program is an effective and practical behavior management strategy that can yield socially valid outcomes.