The meaning of "the times" in this context?

Hello guys~ In the following phrase in underlined, what could be the best interpretation of the words "the times" in this context?

Period? Or occasions? Or good time?

Thanks for your help in advance.

The next evolution in school discipline on the surface looked more evolved, yet had the same mixed results as the punitive approach. Individuals who did not believe that consequences are effective sought to counsel students. The hope was that by helping them better understand why they did what they did, the students could learn how to control their behavior better. The issue with this approach is that students who tend to consistently violate rules are inclined to score high on the Machiavellian Index. The Machiavellian Index rates how inclined an individual is to manipulate others to avoid consequences. These students, when interacting with a person in authority, experience activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a region responsible for evaluating the threat of punishment. The constant activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex when violating social norms and institutional rules helps these individuals be more skilled in manipulating others and avoiding consequences. With this profile student, the counseling approach is often manipulated. The student determines what the authority figure wants to hear and becomes skilled at feigning sincerity. However, counseling is effective with individuals whose issues are not as severe. Therefore, those who favor the counseling approach tend to focus on the times counseling proved effective.