Raising Lions Research Study

In 2018, the University of California, Santa Barbara released their findings from a year long research study on the effects of using the Raising Lions classroom-management method in 18 Elementary School classrooms. This research was presented by Shane R. Jimerson, Ph.D. at the International School Psychologists Conference in Tokyo on July 25-28th and at the American Psychological Association Conference in San Fransisco on August 10th, 2018.

u.c.s.b. Study

In September of 2017 U.C.S.B. began a year long study on the effects of using Raising Lions in the classroom.  1,800 classroom observations were done in three stages: pre RL training, 2 weeks after RL training, and 3 months after RL training.  The observers measured the frequency of off-task behaviors as well as the ways in which teachers responded to these behaviors.  They measured a 49% decrease in all off-task behavior school-wide.  The study showed a statistically strong correlation between using the Raising Lions method and the reduction of off-task behavior - The more the teachers used the method the greater the reduction in off-task and problem behaviors in their class.

more teaching and less talking about behavior

One of the most important findings was that when teachers used the Raising Lions method THE LESS TEACHERS TALKED ABOUT BEHAVIOR - THE BETTER IT GOT.  The Raising Lions method created a classroom environment that motivated student SELF-regulation and SELF-discipline rather than the teacher regulating and disciplining behavior.  The graph on the left shows the more teachers used the RL method (blue bars) the lower the off-task behaviors (green bars).

Children become responsible for self regulation

Teachers were taught to use short action consequences without judging or identifying the behaviors so children learned to internally self-prompt, self-correct and exercise better impulse control. 

The chart on the left is a summation of all the data collected during the three observation periods.  Two of the classrooms studied chose not use the Raising Lions method.  These two classrooms showed no statistically significant decrease in off-task behavior and are shown in red.  All classes in the school showed some decrease in off-task behavior. There appeared to be a cumulative effect as the school year went on. The more teachers used the method, the more the children self-regulated. The more children self-regulated the better they got at it and the more likely they were to proactively self-regulate.