Troubled teens turned peer coaches: a new approach to school discipline

NCT ID NCT07515742

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Southern California Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether middle-school students who have received disciplinary referrals can benefit from being trained as peer coaches. The Peer Coach Training (PCT) program is a strengths-based behavioral intervention that teaches skills for helping peers. Researchers will compare these students to those receiving standard school services, measuring changes in behavior, emotional symptoms, and school engagement. The goal is to see if this approach can reduce disruptive behavior and empower youth in a positive way.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Peer Coach Training (PCT) – a strengths-based behavioral intervention
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer schools a new way to help at-risk youth by turning them into positive peer leaders.
What could go wrong: This is an early-stage study with only 150 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The intervention is behavioral, so effects may be modest or short-lived.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

disruptive behavior disorder Problem Behavior

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

DISCIPLINARY OUTCOMES DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR PROSOCIALITY

Contacts and locations

Locations

University of Southern California
RECRUITING

Los Angeles, California, 90007, United States

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