School Violence Victimization Research Articles

An Analysis of the Relationship between Victimization and Violent Behavior at School

Previous studies have identified two subgroups of school violence victims: submissive and aggressive. Submissive victims are characterized by their withdrawal in violent situations, while aggressive victims combine hostile behavior with victimization. This study focuses on the second subgroup and aims to analyze possible factors influencing the transition from passive victimization to involvement in aggressive behaviors within the school context. To test these relationships, 1319 adolescents between 12 and 16 years of age were recruited from seven secondary schools in various Spanish provinces. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to analyze the data. Results supported Emler's theory, which posits that the victim's helplessness in situations of intimidation, along with disappointment resulting from a lack of expected protection from adult authority figures, may result in adolescents searching and developing an antisocial and non-conformist reputation that helps them defend themselves against future attacks. Practical implications of these results are further discussed.

동물매개치료 프로그램이 학교폭력 피해경험 청소년의 우울과 자아존중감에 미치는 영향

This study aimed to see if as companion animals living with human beings, dogs could provide emotional stability or play a therapeutic role for human beings. Of 12 middle school boys as victims of school violence, 6 were assigned to the experimental group that was provided with an animal-assisted therapy program over a total of 12 sections, one section per week, 60 minutes per section, between September and November 2011, followed by post-test 1 and, one month later, post-test 2. In the experimental composition, the remaining 6 boys were assigned to the comparison group that was allowed to read freely. Analysis was performed by using the scales of depression and self-esteem, and the results showed that the experimental group provided with the animal-assisted therapy program generated more significant therapeutic effects than the comparison group. The therapeutic effects were found to persist one month after the completion of the program. Therefore, it is believed that sensitive adolescents who suffer from depression or have lost self-esteem because of school violence can significantly benefit from an animal-assisted therapy program by reducing the recovery time or by getting lots of help with emotional stability. Further research on the basis of this study is expected to help adolescents with emotional therapy in other areas.

A Study on the Factors influencing Teachers' Intervention Efficacy for Helping Victims and Offenders of School Violence -Focused on Double Mediators by Using Nonlinear Analysis-

A Study on the Factors influencing Teachers' Intervention Efficacy for Helping Victims and Offenders of School Violence -Focused on Double Mediators by Using Nonlinear Analysis-

Perceptions of teachers’ support, safety, and absence from school because of fear among victims, bullies, and bully‐victims.

This study examines the distribution of the types of involvement in school violence (bullies, victims, bully-victims, and students not involved in violence) among the general population of Israeli school students. The prevalence of these different types of involvement was also examined according to gender, age or school level (junior high vs. high school), and ethnicity (Jewish vs. Arab). Further, the study examines the relationships between type of involvement in school violence and students' perceptions of teachers' support, safety, and absence from school because of fear. Data were obtained from a nationally representative, stratified sample of 13,262 students in grades 7-11 who responded to a self-report questionnaire on victimization by, and perpetration of, school violence and on perceptions of school climate. Data revealed that 3.6% of all students were victims of bullying (18.5% of those involved in violence). The proportion of bully-victims among male students was 6.4% (21.9% of all involved) compared with 1.1% (11.2% of all involved) among females. Bully-victims reported the lowest levels of teacher support and feelings of security and missed school because of fear significantly more often. The results point to the uniqueness of the bully-victim group. This group presents multiple challenges for school staff with these students needing special attention.

A Study on the Legislation for the Protection to Victims of School Violence

A Study on the Legislation for the Protection to Victims of School Violence

Cuando las víctimas de violencia escolar se convierten en agresores: “¿Quién va a defenderme?”

Estudios previos han identificado dos subgrupos de víctimas de violencia escolar: víctimas sumisas y víctimas agresivas. Las víctimas sumisas se caracterizan por su retraimiento ante la situación de violencia, mientras que las víctimas agresivas presentan un comportamiento hostil combinado con la situación de victimización. El presente estudio se centra en el segundo subgrupo y tiene como objetivo analizar posibles factores influyentes en el proceso que conduce del estado de victimización a la implicación en conductas agresivas en la escuela. La asunción de partida se fundamenta en la teoría de Emler que sostiene que el sentimiento de indefensión producido por la situación de victimización, junto con la decepción en las figuras adultas de autoridad ante su fracaso en la protección esperada, generan en el adolescente la necesidad de buscar una reputación antisocial y no conformista que le permita defenderse de los ataques venideros. Para poner a prueba estas relaciones, se ha utilizado una muestra compuesta por 1.319 adolescentes de entre 12 y 16 años. Los análisis estadísticos mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales muestran resultados en la línea de la argumentación de Emler. En la discusión se comentan las implicaciones prácticas de estos resultados.

Psychological adjustment in bullies and victims of school violence

The present study examined psychosocial adjustment in the following four groups of students: victims, bullies, bully/victims and a control group of adolescents not involved in bullying or victimization problems. Psychosocial adjustment was measured considering as indicators: level of self-esteem, depressive symptomatology, perceived stress, feeling of loneliness, and a general measure of satisfaction with life. Participants (N=1319) were aged from 11 to 16 (47% male) and drawn from seven state secondary schools in Valencia (Spain). ANOVAs revealed significant differences among groups, reporting adolescents not involved a general better psychosocial adjustment; they had higher levels of self-esteem and satisfaction with life, and lower levels of depressive symptomatology, perceived stress and feeling of loneliness. The scores for this group were equivalent to those of bullies with respect to self-esteem, depressive symptomatology and loneliness. However, bullies perceived more stress and expressed less satisfaction with life, as did the other two groups, namely victims and bully/victims. Victims reported the strongest feelings of loneliness. Bully/victims seemed to share characteristics with both bullies and victims, though showing more similarities with the latter and a general poor psychosocial profile.

A Cluster Analytic Investigation of School Violence Victimization Among Diverse Students

Despite nationwide improvements in school safety, victimization at school continues and affects the well-being of a significant number of students. This study uses the California Healthy Kids Survey, a statewide surveillance instrument administered to students in grades 7, 9, and 11 in California (N = 70,600) to address the multiple victimization experiences of students at school. The authors identify subgroups of students based on victimization experience; assess how perceptions of being targeted due to bias relate to cluster membership; and relate victimization to perceptions of school safety, depression, grades, truancy, and internal assets. Victimization rates are given across grade, gender, and ethnicity. Cluster analysis reveals five victimization subgroups--nonvictims, polyvictims, and victims who are predominantly sexually harassed, predominantly physically victimized, and predominantly teased. Compared to nonvictims, students who are victimized report worse outcomes on measures of psychosocial adjustment, with polyvictims faring the worst. Victims are more likely to perceive that they are targeted due to their gender or perceived sexual orientation. Implications for research and practice are provided.

Internet as A Source of Help in Dealing with School Violence

In this study we examined possible advantages of the Internet as a medium for help and support for victims of school violence in Israel. Students in sixth, eighth, and tenth grades were asked about their willingness to seek help on the Internet for dealing with various forms of school violence, and the underlying force-driving processes of such approach was examined. Findings revealed that students are most willing to seek help for relational violence, followed by sexual, physical, and verbal forms of violence. The anonymity that the Internet can provide and the availability of help via Internet are the two foremost contributing factors to the willingness of students to seek help. In addition, the common gender differences in help-seeking behavior were mostly dismissed. Other situational variables and individual characteristics are discussed and possible implications are suggested.

Predictors of student fear of school violence: a comparative study of eighth graders in 33 countries

Ensuring a safe learning environment for students is a major responsibility of educators and policymakers around the world. Based on the secondary analyses of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data collected from 33 countries in 1999, the study found that 8th graders who witnessed their friends' violence victimization and who experienced theft victimization were most likely to fear becoming the victims of school violence in all 33 countries. Male students also reported greater fear than female students in a majority of countries including the USA. In addition, U.S. 8th graders reported greater fear in the schools with higher levels of classroom and school disorders and in the schools where teachers practice student-centered instruction less frequently. While individual predictors of student fear were relatively consistent, school predictors varied across the countries. It is important that policymakers and educators in each country work toward promoting school environments associated with a lower level of student fear and reforming environments that lead to greater fear among students.

Violent Behaviors in Rural and Urban Schools

Despite the fact that many incidents of extreme violence have taken place in rural areas there is still some resistance on the part of rural school administrators to admit that violence is a problem in their schools. This article provides a comparison of rural and urban student and staff self-report of school violence (perpetration, victimization and weapon carrying) and discusses the implications of these findings.

School Violence Victimization Among Secondary Students in California: Grade, Gender, and Racial-Ethnic Group Incidence Patterns

During the past seven years, secondary schools in California have used the California School Climate and Safety Survey to evaluate violence victimization on their campuses and to help guide their school safety planning efforts. Sufficient information has now been gathered to provide educators with normative information about school violence victimization in California. This paper examines victimization patterns for a sample of 7,534 students in grades 7 to 12 attending 18 different junior or senior high schools in southern and central California. Past-month incidence for 21 violence types is provided. Results show that in a given month the typical student reported experiencing 3.96 types of victimization at school. The most predominate forms of victimization were verbal in nature: cursing and teasing, reported by more than one half of the students. About one third of students reported having personal property stolen, seeing a student with a knife on campus, or having someone try to intimate them by staring them down. Male, junior high, African American, and Native American students reported the highest rates of violence victimization.

Assessing the Reliability and Validity of Student Self-Reports of Campus Violence

Responses of adolescents who failed reliability and/or validity checks on a school climate and violence questionnaire (n = 109) were compared with a randomly selected matched group of students (n = 109) who answered consistently and accurately. Results indicated significant differences between the two groups on indexes of school violence victimization, perceived danger at school, peer connections, and course grades. The most critical finding was that students with invalid and/or unreliable responses reported significantly more violence victimizations than the comparison group. The need for research addressing the accuracy of school violence self-reports and concerns about the accuracy of existing school violence prevalence information are discussed.