Pocket Restorative Practice Approaches to Foster Peer-Based Relationships and Positive Development in Schools

Abstract

In schools, the implementation of restorative practices is linked to an improvement in school climate, discipline and management of conflict. There are a few systematic reviews about the implementation of pocket restorative practice approaches (PRPA) in schools but they are restricted in terms of practices included, outcomes and study design. Moreover, none of them seem to include evidence-based recommendations for their implementation. We have dealt with such issues by carrying out a systematic review of the effectiveness of PRPA and developing evidence-based practice guidelines. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria and we developed eighteen evidence-based practice guidelines. The implementation of PRPA seems to be more common in secondary education and may be used to improve social and emotional skills and relationships, and to deal with and prevent conflicts while changing school culture in disciplinary terms. The greatest evidence available is for a specific model of mediation that is recommended to decrease aggression levels in primary education. Our guidelines may offer support to improve the quality of prevention and intervention actions used in schools. The implementation of these kinds of approaches may help to promote mental health and youth development, and deal with adverse behavioral outcomes such as bullying, which are all major public issues in the school community.