The Efficacy of Teaching Conflict Resolution

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of Conflict Resolution Programs in an elementary school. The question to be studied was whether incidents of disciplinary referrals would be reduced after implementing a Conflict Resolution Program. The entire student population of Simpson Elementary School for the academic years 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 served as subjects for this study. Disciplinary referrals were tallied for the students for the 1994-1995 academic year (i.e., the control group or prior to the Conflict Resolution Program). A Conflict Resolution Program was implemented coincident with the start of the 1995-1996 academic year. Disciplinary referrals were again tallied for the students for the 1995-1996 academic year (i.e., the test group or after receiving the Conflict Resolution Program). Results of a Paired-T Test on the student population demonstrated that the Conflict Resolution Program had a statistically significant effect in reducing disciplinary referrals