Impact Evaluation of the Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting Programme (PDEP)

The Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting (PDEP) programme is based on the theory that a person’s behavioural beliefs determine whether the person perceives that behaviour as positive or negative. It is designed to reduce parents’ approval of physical punishment by increasing their understanding of: i) the long-term developmental risks of physical punishment, and ii) the long-term developmental benefits of trust, attachment, and communication. This is achieved by enhancing parents’ knowledge and skills through a series of interactive activities and problem-solving exercises that build on their existing strengths. Currently, in some form, the PDEP programme has been used in 30 countries, with support from the not-for-profit organisation (Positive Discipline in Everyday Life – PDEL) that have developed the programme and financial support, in the main, from Save the Children Sweden.

To date, there has been a lack of evidence that PDEP works at the long-term outcome level. In terms of the most important long-term outcome, children’s well-being, this evaluation shows that the programme works. It also works when considering care-giver behaviour.