Disruptive BehaviorNCT07515742
Empowering Youth With School Discipline Referrals as Peer Coaches
A study testing Peer Coach Training (PCT) in people with Disruptive Behavior, run by University of Southern California at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The study will examine the effects of Peer Coach Training (PCT), a strengths-based behavioral intervention for discipline-referred middle-school youth who might benefit when trained to act as change agents for their peers. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 10 to 15 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Disruptive Behavior
- What is being tested?
- Peer Coach Training (PCT)
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 150 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 24 Mar 2026to 30 Jun 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 10 to 15 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Youth who have received at least one disciplinary referral between the first day of school and recruitment
Who cannot join
- Youth who have not received any disciplinary referrals between the first day of school and recruitment
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, 90007
Janus J Wong, Ph.D., 9173856245, januswon@usc.edu
Janus Wong, B.A., 213-740-2203, januswon@usc.edu
About this study
The study will examine the effects of Peer Coach Training (PCT), a strengths-based behavioral intervention for discipline-referred middle-school youth who might benefit when trained to act as change agents for their peers. Successful completion of this study will provide support for implementing PCT in school communities to empower youth in prosocial peer engagement.
Read the detailed description
In this proposal, the investigators evaluate the effects of PCT, an approach that deemphasizes existing problems and focuses instead on training youth to help their peers.
In urban public school districts across the US, exclusionary discipline (e.g., suspension and expulsion) disproportionally affects Black and Latinx youth. Although many school-based interventions are promising, they overlook the motivational potential of helping others and fail to build on the culturally grounded prosocial orientation of Black and Latinx students. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Peer Coach Training (PCT), a strengths-based intervention that deemphasizes existing problems and focuses instead on empowering youth to help their peers. A cluster randomized trial will be conducted across ten middle schools (n=150 youth), with schools randomized to either PCT or control (i.e., delayed treatment). Youth referred for disruptive behavior at intervention schools will receive PCT immediately, whereas youth at control schools will receive PCT nine months later. Outcomes related to disruptive and prosocial behavior, school engagement, and empowerment will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. Successful completion of this trial will not only provide support for implementing PCT in school communities to empower youth prosocially, but also potentially validate an approach to reducing discipline disparities within school contexts.
- Conditions
- Disruptive Behavior
- Being tested
- Peer Coach Training (PCT), Delayed control
- Keywords
- Strengths-based interventions, Help-giving, Youth prosociality, Disruptive behaviors, Discipline-referred middle-school youth
- Medical subject headings
- Problem Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Peer Coach Training (PCT)Behavioural
Six to seven session strengths-based behavioral intervention focusing on skills development and help-giving practices
Delayed controlBehavioural
Services offered by middle schools for students according to their standard practice of care. These youth will then receive PCT after completion of follow-up assessments.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Peer Coach Training (PCT) | Experimental | Discipline-referred middle-school youth in schools randomized to the experimental arm will be offered immediate PCT delivered by trained research team members Receives: Behavioral: Peer Coach Training (PCT) |
| Delayed control | Active comparator | Discipline-referred middle-school youth in schools randomized to the delayed control will be provided behavioral services according to their middle school's standard practice of care. These youth will receive PCT after completion of follow-up assessments. Receives: Behavioral: Delayed control |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Behavioral Problem Checklist
12-item self-report questionnaire that assesses youth behavioral problems
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
25-item self-report questionnaire that assesses youth emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, and prosocial behavior, along with additional questions related to functioning
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Teacher Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale
45-item self-report questionnaire that assesses symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
School archival data of youth behavior and discipline
School archival records of behavioral and disciplinary outcomes such as the number of disciplinary referrals and citations, as well as suspensions and exclusions
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Secondary outcomes (11)
Engagement versus disaffection with learning - student report
20-item self-report questionnaire that assesses youth behavioral and emotional engagement in learning
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status - Youth Version
2-item self-report measure that assesses youths' perceived social status relative to society and peers in school
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessmentMacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status - Youth Version
Moral Identity Internalization Scale
5-item self-report measure that assesses the degree to which a list of personal characteristics are important to an individual
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Personal Efficacy Scale
10-item self-report measure that assesses an individual's perceived ability to deal with challenges and influence outcomes
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Psychological Empowerment Indices - Youth School Belonging and Identification
6-item self-report measure that assesses school belonging and identification
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Wentzel Prosocial Peer Goals and Compliance Goals Scales
22-item self-report measure that assesses the frequency youth work towards prosocial, compliance, mastery, and evaluation goals
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Esbensen Gang Involvement Scale
20-item self-report measure that assesses the level of youth gang involvement and behaviors of the youths' friends
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Possible selves survey
Self-report measure that assesses youths' future-oriented self-concept (expected, hoped-for, and feared selves) using open-ended prompts and a rating scale
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Behavioral Problem Checklist - Youth Peer Assessment
12-item self-report questionnaire that assesses behavioral problems of the youths' peers
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (Social Network Interview)
48-item interview that assesses youths' perceived social support from parents, teachers, classmates, and friends
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Teacher Construals Indices
23 self-report items that assesses teacher's commitment and feelings towards their students
Measured: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Apr 2026
- Study start24 Mar 2026
- Primary completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Jun 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Disruptive BehaviorStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Southern CaliforniaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Cluster randomized controlled trial
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Southern California
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Stanley Huey, University of Southern California
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07515742
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UP-25-00414
- Other IDs
- MG-203910
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 31 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 13 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Empowering Youth With School Discipline Referrals as Peer Coaches
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07515742
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UP-25-00414
- Conditions
- Disruptive Behavior
- Keywords
- Strengths-based interventions, Help-giving, Youth prosociality, Disruptive behaviors, Discipline-referred middle-school youth
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Study start
- 24 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 7 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The study will examine the effects of Peer Coach Training (PCT), a strengths-based behavioral intervention for discipline-referred middle-school youth who might benefit when trained to act as change agents for their peers. Successful completion of this study will provide support for implementing PCT in school communities to empower youth in prosocial peer engagement.
Detailed description
In this proposal, the investigators evaluate the effects of PCT, an approach that deemphasizes existing problems and focuses instead on training youth to help their peers.
In urban public school districts across the US, exclusionary discipline (e.g., suspension and expulsion) disproportionally affects Black and Latinx youth. Although many school-based interventions are promising, they overlook the motivational potential of helping others and fail to build on the culturally grounded prosocial orientation of Black and Latinx students. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Peer Coach Training (PCT), a strengths-based intervention that deemphasizes existing problems and focuses instead on empowering youth to help their peers. A cluster randomized trial will be conducted across ten middle schools (n=150 youth), with schools randomized to either PCT or control (i.e., delayed treatment). Youth referred for disruptive behavior at intervention schools will receive PCT immediately, whereas youth at control schools will receive PCT nine months later. Outcomes related to disruptive and prosocial behavior, school engagement, and empowerment will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. Successful completion of this trial will not only provide support for implementing PCT in school communities to empower youth prosocially, but also potentially validate an approach to reducing discipline disparities within school contexts.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Cluster randomized controlled trial
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Peer Coach Training (PCT) | Experimental | Behavioral: Peer Coach Training (PCT)Discipline-referred middle-school youth in schools randomized to the experimental arm will be offered immediate PCT delivered by trained research team members |
| Delayed control | Active comparator | Behavioral: Delayed controlDiscipline-referred middle-school youth in schools randomized to the delayed control will be provided behavioral services according to their middle school's standard practice of care. These youth will receive PCT after completion of follow-up assessments. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 10 to 15 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Youth who have received at least one disciplinary referral between the first day of school and recruitment
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Youth who have not received any disciplinary referrals between the first day of school and recruitment
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Peer Coach Training (PCT)Six to seven session strengths-based behavioral intervention focusing on skills development and help-giving practices | Behavioural | Peer Coach Training (PCT) |
| Delayed controlServices offered by middle schools for students according to their standard practice of care. These youth will then receive PCT after completion of follow-up assessments. | Behavioural | Delayed control |
Primary outcome
Behavioral Problem Checklist
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
12-item self-report questionnaire that assesses youth behavioral problems
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
25-item self-report questionnaire that assesses youth emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, and prosocial behavior, along with additional questions related to functioning
Teacher Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
45-item self-report questionnaire that assesses symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder
School archival data of youth behavior and discipline
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
School archival records of behavioral and disciplinary outcomes such as the number of disciplinary referrals and citations, as well as suspensions and exclusions
11 secondary outcomes
Engagement versus disaffection with learning - student report
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status - Youth Version
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessmentMacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status - Youth Version
Moral Identity Internalization Scale
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Personal Efficacy Scale
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Psychological Empowerment Indices - Youth School Belonging and Identification
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Wentzel Prosocial Peer Goals and Compliance Goals Scales
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Esbensen Gang Involvement Scale
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Possible selves survey
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Behavioral Problem Checklist - Youth Peer Assessment
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (Social Network Interview)
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Teacher Construals Indices
Time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Apr 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Peer Coach Training (PCT) in people with Disruptive Behavior, run by University of Southern California at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Stanley J Huey, Ph.D. (213-740-2033, hueyjr@usc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Behavioral Problem Checklist (time frame: Baseline assessment, 3 months after baseline assessment, 8 months after baseline assessment). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Apr 2026.