Verbal Abuse among Students in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand

Abstract

IntroductionNowadays, Aggressive behaviors of teenagers such as quarrelling, physical abuse, verbal abuse, bullying and other inappropriate behaviors often are common news in various media. The study of grade 6 students with bullying behaviors revealed that bullying behaviors were of more verbal than physical ones at the statistical significance 0.001 (Heem & Chongrak, 2012). The aggressive behaviors of teenagers were increasing (Pantuworn, 2003) because they were undergoing change in body, attitudes and social lives, transforming themselves from childhood to adulthood. It was an important transition in life. It is the period when they are entering the reproductive age while they are not yet fully emotionally developed. Teenagers are thus sensitive, susceptible to change and being confused with their own identity (Gustin, 1967, cited in Chaiyasu 2004) Teenagers experience adjustment, conflicts, and mental problems, which lead to their aggressive behaviors, and thus they are more prone to inappropriate behaviors. As a consequence, the problems of aggressive behaviors of teenagers are very crucial, especially verbal abuse such as harsh criticism, obscene language, making fun of other people's faults. It was found that aggressive abusive behaviors of teenagers were: blaming other people, quarreling, disturbing and disrupting classroom, lying and holding grudges, defying, being rude and disrespectful to adults (Thipthara, 1978, pp. 99-100, cited in Chiyachean 2009). In addition, teenagers often express through verbal communication, sarcasm, cynicism, obscene language when they feel angry or pissed off. (ABAC POLL, 2006). Such verbal abuse hurts other people's feelings (Stets, 1990). This kind of verbal abuse is often found in communication which can hurt other people's feelings. This is in agreement with Buss (1971) who states that abusive language that is intended to defame other's people can damage other people's mental health. The effect can be as severe as or even more damaging than physical abuse. Psychiatric research has showed that verbal abuse can lead to other kinds of aggressive behaviors (Stets, 1990; Straus, 1974; Walker, 1979). Verbal abuse could occur into two types: quarreling and bullying in school. The first form of verbal abuse is obvious and will result in punishment while the second type of bullying is often overlooked by teachers and parents. This is because they consider the bullying behaviors are normal among kids (Pokpong & Musikphan, 2010). Verbal abuse can harm physical and mental health of other people. If it is not stopped or prevented, it will cause negative affect on the students' learning performance and other behaviors that might affect learning and teaching in school. This will inevitably lead to long-term problems in society such as alcohol and drug abuse, and other crimes (Pokpong & Musikphan, 2010).Based on the review of documents and research studies, it is found that various factors cause aggressive language abuse by kids and teens. If nothing is done to prevent such behaviors, it will influence children and teens to become adults who will use aggressive language abuse as normal part of their lives. However, there has been no research study done on aggressive language abuse by children and teens in the Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. The present research attempts to investigate language behaviors and aggressive language abuse committed by students in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. It is hoped that the study results would provide guidelines for prevention and correction measures so as to reduce aggressive language abuse.Objectives of Research1. To find out the violence levels of verbal abuse by the students in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.2. To study factors influencing the students in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand to use verbal abuse.Research MethodsThe present study used mixed methodology research: both qualitative and quantitative research. …