A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Classroom Management Strategies and Classroom Management Programs on Students' Academic, Behavioral, Emotional, and Motivational Outcomes

54 random and non-random controlled intervention studies published 2003-2013

Primary education.

The best available synthesis of classroom management as a general practice rather than a branded programme. Mixes randomised and non-randomised controlled designs, which caps the grade at C, and most behavioural and social-emotional outcomes are rated by the teachers delivering the intervention.

Small but significant average effect, g = 0.22, on academic, behavioural and social-emotional outcomes; no significant effect on motivational outcomes. Programmes focusing on students' social-emotional development contributed most to overall effectiveness, particularly on social-emotional outcomes. A tentative finding was that academic outcomes benefited most from TEACHER-focused programmes.

Medium. Includes non-randomised controlled studies where schools and teachers choose to adopt; the randomised subset is not separately reported.

Directly replicated and extended by the same group in 2025 with 22 additional studies (76 total), returning g = 0.23 — an unusually clean reproduction of a meta-analytic estimate.