DISCIPLINE INDEX (DI)

Purpose: Reflects the manner in which a child is being socialized, to delay gratification of impulses, to think before acting. In an era of increasing incarceration rates and racial diversity in the workplace, appropriate delay of impulse expression is essential. Emotional regulation has become a prime concern in the field of neuroscience, as exemplified by research articles such as “The Neuroscience of Emotion Regulation Development” by R. Martin & K. Nochsner, and “Developmental Neuroscience Perspectives on Emotion Regulation” by H. Goldsmith & S. Pollak. Positive emotional regulation in parents is a common target in neuroscience research. In using the DI, the user is instructed to watch carefully for a parent-respondent’s emotional tone. A meta-analytic review of 53 studies published between 2000 and 2020, showed that parents with better emotion regulation skill or fewer difficulties are higher in positive parenting behaviors and have children with better emotion regulation and fewer internalizing symptoms. M. Zimmer-Gembeck, J. Rudolph, & J. Kerin: “Parent emotional regulation: A meta-analytic review of its association with parenting and child adjustment.”

Age: 6 years and up

Testing Time: 35 minutes

Scoring: 10 minutes

The Discipline Index systematically obtains information from a child about the child’s overall perceptions of each parent’s socialization and discipline style and practices. Its non-verbal responses spare the child both loyalty conflicts as well as the need to verbalize directly negative statements about either parent. The child can also offer spontaneous verbal comments to the assessor. It is suitable for use in cases covering an exceptionally broad range of issues, and an exceptionally broad range of ages (from 6 on up).

The manner and means by which parents choose to socialize and discipline a child are significantly correlated with many important ultimate outcomes for a child:

• Children who have not been adequately socialized do more poorly in school behaviorally and academically.

• They have poor relationships with peers

• They seek out peers who also have problems

• They fail to negotiate the perils of childhood and adolescence very well

• Excessive punishment and lack of attunement can help create a child who may become withdrawn and potentially explosive or acts out

• Inconsistent discipline can often create a child with an inappropriate sense of boundaries

The DI can be helpful in a large number of areas: CHILD THERAPY, NORMAL CHILD DEVELOPMENT, CUSTODY ASSESSMENTS, FAMILY THERAPY, PARENTING AND FAMILY ISSUES PLANNING, CHILDREN WHO NEED HELP, INVESTIGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT, ASSESSMENT OF PRE- AND POST-PARENTING INTERVENTIONS, CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTS OF BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT.

The Discipline Index yields information about parental disciplinary practices in 6 categories. Each has its own scale: CLEAR EXPECTATIONS, EFFECTIVELY MONITORS, CONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT, FAIRNESS, ATTUNEMENT, MODERATES ANGER.

Contains: DI Manual, 8 sets of DI Response Cards, 8 Scoring Summaries, Stylus-pen, Placement dots, Response Card box with foam insert.

You might also be interested in...