Search

Weapon violence in schools is a pressing concern with serious consequences. In this study, we propose and evaluate a theoretical framework of school-based weapon violence comprised of contributors, triggers, and motivation leading to weapon behaviors, taking into account weapon type, origin, and availability. This framework provides a foundation to investigate the multifaceted nature of weapon violence in schools. Specifically, we examine the weapon violence experiences of 417 U.S. teachers based on their reports of their most upsetting experiences with violence in their schools from various aggressors (i.e., students, parents, colleagues). Qualitative open-ended survey data were coded in NVivo after achieving strong interrater reliability (Gwet's agreement coefficient with first-order chance correction, AC₁ = .97; κ = .80), and analyses were guided by the proposed theoretical framework. Results indicated that individual, school, peer, family, and community conditions contributed to situational triggers (teacher or other school-stakeholder actions), and aggressor motivation was typically instrumental or expressive. The type and origin of weapons also played a role in weapon behaviors of carrying, threats, and usage. Aggressors often used readily available objects (e.g., chair, pencil) as weapons against teachers in addition to traditional weapons (e.g., knives, guns). Findings suggest that weapon violence in schools requires a broader conceptualization beyond traditional weapons and violence between students. This study advances our understanding of pathways to weapon behaviors for prevention and intervention. Implications of findings for school-stakeholder training and policies are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The daily challenges resulting from all types of school violence-such as physical aggression, bullying, peer victimization, and general threats-have the potential to affect, longitudinally, students' mental health, school performance, and involvement in criminal or delinquent acts. Across primary and secondary studies, however, variation in how and how much school violence relates to these outcomes, has persisted. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis, therefore, was to clarify this uncertainty by synthesizing the longitudinal relations. We conducted exhaustive searching procedures, implemented rigorous screening and coding processes, and estimated an underused effect size, the partial correlation from multiple regression models, before estimating a random-effects meta-analysis using robust variance estimation. We meta-analyzed 114 independent studies, totaling 765 effect sizes across 95,618 individual participants. The results of the overall analyses found a statistically significant longitudinal relation between school violence, in any role, and the aggregated outcome variables (rp = .06). Given that this effect size inherently controls for multiple potential confounding covariates, we consider the relation's magnitude clinically meaningful. We end by discussing ways practitioners and researchers may use these analyses when implementing prevention programming and how the field of meta-analysis should more frequently utilize the partial correlation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Decades of research have categorized risk and protective factors for youth gang involvement in social contexts that include individual, family, peer, school, and community factors. However, most studies are cross-sectional and only examine 1 or 2 social-ecological contexts. This study, which used a time-to-event model with time-variant and time-invariant predictors, adds to this literature by using longitudinal social-ecological factors to examine increases in the hazard of gang entry among serious juvenile offenders followed for 7 years during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Lower socioeconomic status (SES), higher rates of exposure to violence, self-reported offending, and time spent in jail were associated with higher hazards rates of gang entry. Temperance (suppression of aggression and impulse control) was associated with decreases in the hazard of gang entry. Among family characteristics, higher parental hostility and having a father who had been arrested were associated with increases in the hazard of gang entry. Resistance to peer influence was a protective factor for gang entry. In addition, individuals who reported associating with delinquent peers or who had a higher proportion of friends who had been arrested had significant increases in the hazard for gang entry. School orientation was a significant protective factor, and neighborhood disorganization was associated with increases in the hazard for gang entry. Strategies for early intervention and prevention efforts are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

This article reports on an experiment designed to test whether the cartoon manipulation leads to significant increases in aggressive thoughts and aggressive behaviors among Chinese children (n = 3,000). Results indicated that brief exposure to a violent cartoon triggered higher aggressive thoughts and aggressive behaviors than a nonviolent cartoon. Females displayed higher aggressive thoughts and aggressive behaviors than males in a nonviolent cartoon condition, while males displayed higher aggressive behaviors than females in a violent cartoon condition. Mediation analysis suggested that the effect on aggressive behaviors was mediated by aggressive thoughts. The findings imply that cartoon developers, parents, and teachers should develop cartoons that inhibit children's aggressive thoughts to avoid aggressive behaviors. Females are the key group for the prevention and intervention of aggression in a nonviolent cartoon context, while males are the key group for the prevention and intervention of aggression in a violent cartoon context., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: School-based extracurricular activity participation is one of the primary avenues for prosocial activity engagement during adolescence. In this study, we test the "overscheduling hypothesis" or whether the negative relationship between structured activity intensity (ie, hours) and adolescent bullying and fighting levels off or declines at moderate to high intensity (ie, threshold effects)., Methods: This study uses the Dane County Youth Survey (N = 14,124) to investigate the relationship between school-based extracurricular activity participation intensity and bullying perpetration and physical fighting and whether there are threshold effects of activity participation intensity., Results: The results indicate that there is a negative relationship between extracurricular activity participation intensity and bullying perpetration and physical fighting and that there are threshold effects in these relationships at 3 to 4 hours per week. Results also suggest that low-income adolescents engage in more fighting than other youth and the negative relationship between activity participation intensity and physical fighting was mainly concentrated among low-income adolescents., Conclusions: School-based extracurricular activity participation-in moderation (ie, up to 3-4 hours per week)-may provide a positive, supportive context that could be a promising prevention strategy for bullying and fighting. Implications for future research on how school-based extracurricular activity participation intensity benefits adolescent functioning are discussed., (© 2019, American School Health Association.)

This study examines the risk and protective factors for gang involvement among subgroups of youth (i.e., current or former gang members, youth who resisted gang membership, and non-gang-involved youth) using the social-ecological framework. Middle and high school students (N = 17,366) from school districts in a large Midwestern county participated. Results indicated that males were more likely than females to be involved in gangs. For the individual context, our findings indicate that racial and ethnic minorities, females, and youth with depression/suicidal ideation are likely to be at risk for gang involvement. For the family context, we found that having gang-involved family members and family dysfunction are related to youth gang involvement. For the peer context, peers' alcohol and drug use and bullying were significantly associated with gang involvement. For the school context, as our results demonstrate, youth who perceived fair treatment from teachers and other adults in school and those with a sense of belonging in school are more likely to avoid gang membership. For the neighborhood context, we found that presence of adult support in the neighborhood and perceived neighborhood safety are negatively associated with gang membership. Findings suggest that gang prevention efforts need to target multiple ecologies that surround and influence youth. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).)

Community violence exposure results in heightened risk for engaging in and being a victim of interpersonal violence. Despite this robust literature, few studies have specifically examined how the relation between community violence exposure, peer aggression, and victimization is modified by individual, peer, and familial influences (considered jointly). In the current study, we used risk and resiliency theory to examine links between community violence exposure and peer aggression and victimization. Impulsivity and parental monitoring were examined as potential moderators of the link between community violence exposure and outcomes, both directly and indirectly via deviant behavior. Survey data on bullying involvement, fighting, deviancy, parental monitoring, and impulsivity were collected on 3 occasions over an 18-month period among a large cohort of adolescents (N = 1,232) in 5th-7th grades. Structural equation modeling suggests that for both male and female adolescents, impulsivity exacerbates the effects of community violence exposure by increasing involvement in deviant behavior. Parental monitoring buffered the effects of community violence exposure on perpetration and victimization (for males and female adolescents) via reduced involvement in deviant behavior. Findings suggest that impulsivity and parental monitoring are implicated in modifying the effects of community violence exposure on both victimization and perpetration through deviancy, although deviancy is not as potent of a predictor for victimization. Thus, prevention efforts would seem to be optimally targeted at multiple ecological levels, including parental involvement and peer networks., ((PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).)

Violence directed against K-12 teachers is a serious problem that demands the immediate attention of researchers, providers of teacher pre-service and in-service training, school administrators, community leaders, and policymakers. Surprisingly, little research has been conducted on this growing problem despite the broad impact teacher victimization can have on schooling, recruitment, and retention of highly effective teachers and on student academic and behavioral outcomes. Psychologists should play a leadership role in mitigating school violence, including violence directed toward teachers. There is a need for psychologists to conduct research accurately assessing the types and scope of violence that teachers experience; to comprehensively evaluate the individual, classroom, school, community, institutional, and cultural contextual factors that might predict and/or explain types of teacher violence; and to examine the effectiveness and sustainability of classroom, school, and district-wide prevention and intervention strategies that target teacher violence in school systems. Collectively, the work of psychologists in this area could have a substantial impact on schooling, teacher experience and retention, and overall student performance., ((c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study examines the association between bullying experiences and sexual violence (SV) perpetration among a sample of middle school students (n = 1391; males and females in grades 5-8) across five middle schools in a Midwestern state., Methods: We include waves 1 and 2 of a larger longitudinal study that aimed to track the overlap between bullying and SV victimization and/or perpetration across a 3-year period. Wave 1 data were collected in the spring of 2008, and wave 2 data were collected in the fall of 2008. Student participants completed a series of scales in a paper and pencil survey. After missing data imputation, a total sample of 1391 students was analyzed., Results: Using cutoff scores, 12% of males and 12% of females could be considered bully perpetrators. Thirty-two percent of the boys (22% of girls) reported making sexual comments to other students, 5% of boys (7% of girls) spread a sexual rumor, and 4% of boys (2% of girls) pulled at someone's clothing. Bullying perpetration and homophobic teasing were significant predictors of sexual harassment perpetration over time., Conclusions: Given the overlap among bullying, homophobic teasing perpetration, and SV perpetration, future studies should address the link among these forms of aggression so that prevention programs can be enhanced to address gender-based bullying and sexual harassment., (Copyright © 2012 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.)

This paper has two purposes: First, we describe the components of the Student Ownership, Accountability, and Responsibility for School Safety (SOARS) framework in the context of the literature on school safety. Second, we offer outcomes from a pilot study testing the framework's impact on student perceptions of: (1) school belonging; (2) sense of personal safety; (3) level of disruption; (4) level of delinquency; (5) responsibility for school safety; (6) engagement in victimizing behavior; and (7) sense of being victimized by peers. We conducted a study with two conditions, intervention and control. The study was conducted in Oregon and Illinois. Four high schools participated in the study. Two high schools received access to the SOARS framework and two high schools served as controls. We collected usage data of the "Advocatr" app, the central components of the SOARS framework, as well as survey data from students. We examined "Advocatr" use by overall frequency as well as across student race and gender. Survey data were analyzed using an ANCOVA analytic approach. Almost all outcomes were in the desired direction. Intervention effects on student-reported school belonging, sense of personal safety, and level of disruption reached statistical significance. Effect sizes ranged from small to medium, with the largest effect in students' perceptions of personal safety. We contextualize our study in the literature on school safety and describe the alignment of the SOARS components with existing recommendations for increasing students' safety at school.

Student perpetrated violence against teachers is widespread, yet few studies differentiate teacher experiences of violence by school level (i.e., elementary, middle, and high school). This study, based upon 2,558 pre-kindergarten through 12th grade teacher survey responses, revealed differences in types of student aggression against teachers by school level. Middle and high school teachers were more likely to report verbal harassment compared to elementary school teachers. Middle school teachers were most likely to report property offenses. Elementary and middle school teachers were more likely to report physical aggression than high school teachers. Demographic predictors of teacher-directed violence were also examined at each school level. Across all school levels, urban teachers had a greater probability of experiencing a violent incident. For elementary teachers, race/ethnicity and teaching experience were also significant risk factors. Future research, policy, and practice implications and recommendations are discussed.

Homophobic name-calling and sexual violence are prevalent among US high school students and have been associated with a host of negative consequences including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders, especially among sexual and gender minority youth. Although homophobic name-calling and sexual violence are linked to common risk and protective factors, most prior studies have failed to include gender and sexual minority groups. The present study used path analyses to explore the associations between eight protective factors and the outcomes of homophobic name-calling perpetration, homophobic name-calling victimization, sexual violence perpetration, and sexual violence victimization. The sample included LGB (n = 938), transgender (n = 140), and heterosexual (n = 3,744) high school students in Colorado, USA (N = 4,822). Protective factors included: (1) family support; (2) peer support; (3) friendships with trusted adults; (4) participating in healthy activities; (5) helping others; (6) spirituality; (7) access to counseling; and (8) access to medical services. For homophobic name-calling perpetration and victimization, significant negative associations emerged across different groups for the protective factors of family support, peer support, helping others, spirituality, counseling, and medical access. For sexual violence perpetration and victimization, significant negative associations emerged across different groups for the protective factors family support, peer support, and counseling access. Findings suggest that prevention and intervention efforts to address gender-based harassment should focus on building protective, supportive environments across the schools, families, and communities.

The incidence of violence in dating relationships has a significant impact on young people, including decreased mental and physical health. This review is the first to provide a quantitative synthesis of empirical evaluations of school-based programs implemented in middle and high schools that sought to prevent or reduce incidents of dating violence. After a systematic search and screening procedure, a meta-analysis of 23 studies was used to examine the effects of school-based programs. Results indicated school-based programs influence dating violence knowledge (g-bar = 0.22, 95% confidence interval [0.05, 0.39]) and attitudes (g-bar = 0.14, 95% confidence interval [0.10, 0.19]); however, to date, the results for dating violence perpetration and victimization indicate programs are not affecting these behaviors to a significant extent. The results of this review are encouraging, but they also highlight the need for modifications to dating violence prevention programs including the incorporation of skill-building components and a need to address the role of bystanders.

Participation in extracurricular activities is associated with positive developmental indicators and wellbeing. However, involvement in some activities may place adolescents at-risk for peer victimization. This study focuses on the effect of participating in sports and academic/arts extracurricular activities on relational victimization, focusing on the role that gender (stereotypical activities for boys and girls) and school norms (proportion of participation) might have in this association. The study uses data from the Chilean National Survey on Violence in the School Context (ENVAE, 2014), considering a national representative sample of 38,286 7th to 12th graders. Results indicate that for boys breaking school social norms is associated with experiencing victimization, whereas for girls breaking gender norms increases their likelihood of being victimized. Implications for research and intervention are discussed.

Much research has been dedicated to supporting school communities in combating the problem of school violence. However, violence directed toward teachers is under-investigated, and knowledge of how to support teachers is limited. This qualitative study used conventional content analysis to assess teachers' recommendations for preventing and improving the response to teacher-directed violence. The sample included 245 prekindergarten through 12th grade teachers, all of whom experienced school violence and participated in a larger national survey study on violence against teachers. Using a social-ecological framework and conventional content analysis, teacher recommendations for addressing teacher victimization were identified and organized at the individual, school, community, and society levels. Themes around conflict resolution strategies; improving policies, resources, and relationships with administrators; increasing parental involvement; and changing culture and laws were highlighted. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.

Interactive and mediating effects have the ability to elucidate variable relationships. The goal of the current study was to explore how these two effects potentially clarify the victimization-offending relationship. Examining three waves of longitudinal data, it was predicted that Wave 1 victimization would enhance Wave 2 cognitive impulsivity, Wave 2 victimization would interact with Wave 2 cognitive impulsivity, and Wave 2 cognitive impulsivity and the victimization x cognitive impulsivity interaction would both fuel a rise in Wave 3 delinquency. All predicted relationships were observed when evaluated in a group of 960 early adolescents (457 boys, 503 girls) from the Illinois Study of Bullying and Sexual Violence (ISBSV). When cognitive insensitivity replaced cognitive impulsivity as the mediator, the mediating and moderating effects were no longer significant. These results suggest that victimization stimulates reckless thinking, which, when aided by subsequent victimization, encourages future delinquency.

School violence and bullying are two public health concerns with consequences for youth in and out of school, for families, students, and community members. In this article, a social-ecological framework is briefly described as a way to understand bullying and school violence; then the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) longitudinal and cross-sectional data sets are described in detail. Data that assess bullying and/or school violence are described, and recommendations for additional items are proposed. In general, a longitudinal, multisite, multi-informant study is needed to address definitional and etiological issues related to school violence and bullying so that prevention efforts can be developed, implemented, and evaluated that incorporate multiple levels of the ecology, including peers, schools, communities, and neighborhoods.

BACKGROUND: Research indicates that victimization exposures are associated with sexual risk-taking behaviors, but there is a relative lack of research on the relation between peer victimization and sexual risk taking among adolescents. This study fills this gap through examining how bullying, cyberbullying, and dating violence victimization at baseline are related to sexual risk-taking behaviors 1 year later. METHODS: Participants were a convenience sample of 220 sexually active high school students who were drawn from a larger sample of 2205 adolescents attending 6 high schools in Illinois. Adolescents completed Wave 1 surveys in Spring 2015 and Wave 2 surveys in Spring 2016. RESULTS: Latent difference score models indicated that bullying victimization was not related to sexual risk-taking behaviors. Baseline levels of cyberbullying and verbal teen dating violence, however, were both associated with more sex under the influence of alcohol at Wave 2. Further, findings revealed that changes over time in verbal teen dating violence victimization were associated with changes over time in sex under the influence of alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: Given links between peer victimization exposures and sexual risk-taking behaviors, school-based prevention and intervention efforts should address these in concert with one another.

This retrospective investigation examined the association among childhood bullying victimization, multiple forms of victimization, and psychological functioning in a college sample. Four hundred-and-eighty-two undergraduate students participated in the study (M = 19.98 years, SD = 1.82). The sample included 65% women. For race/ethnicity, 66.4% were European-American (N = 320), 16.8% African-American (N = 81). For grade level, 21.6% were freshmen (N = 104), followed by 38.2% sophomores (N = 184), 16.2% juniors (N = 78), and 23.4% seniors (N = 113). Participants completed a survey packet of measures assessing childhood bullying victimization experiences and current levels of psychological functioning. Findings indicated that bullying victimization significantly predicted greater levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress (PTS) after controlling for other childhood victimization experiences. PTS symptoms were predicted by exposure to community violence and child abuse with bullying victimization was found to be the strongest predictor. College-level practitioners need to assess for a wide range of childhood victimization experiences, including bullying victimization.

Extant scholarship has primarily examined demographic predictors of teacher victimization. Teacher multiple victimization, or the extent to which teachers experience multiple types of violence, has not been examined. Using social-ecological theory, we examine correlates of violence among 2,324 teachers who reported having been victimized at least once. Male teachers were more likely to report student-generated multiple victimization, and White teachers were more likely to experience multiple forms of violence generated by students and parents. Teacher attributions also played an important role. Characterological and behavioral self-blame were associated with higher colleague and student-generated multiple victimization, respectively. Regarding contextual variables, teachers who reported less administrative support were more likely to report multiple forms of violence by students and colleagues, and teachers working in urban settings reported more student-generated multiple victimization. This study underscores the importance of accounting for individual and contextual factors. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Teachers in U.S. schools report high rates of victimization, yet previous studies focus on select types of victimization and student perpetrators, which may underestimate the extent of the problem. This national study was based on work conducted by the American Psychological Association Classroom Violence Directed Against Teachers Task Force and is one of the few national studies to examine violence directed at teachers. Participants included 2,998 kindergarten through 12th-grade (K-12) teachers from 48 states who completed an anonymous web-based survey assessing their experiences with victimization. Results revealed that 80% of teachers reported at least one victimization, and of these teachers, 94% reported being victimized by students. Nearly three-fourths of all teachers experienced at least one harassment offense, more than half experienced property offenses, and 44% reported physical attacks. Findings suggest that specific teacher and community characteristics are associated with a higher likelihood of victimization, namely, male gender and urban settings; whereas, African American teachers were less likely to report victimization. Implications for teacher training, school interventions, public policy, and future research are discussed.

Bronfenbrenner's (1977) classic ecological theory is used as a framework to review the documented risk and protective factors associated with involvement in school-related bullying during childhood and adolescence. Microsystems such as peers (socialization during adolescence), family (violence, lack of parental monitoring), community (exposure to violence), and schools (teacher attitudes, climate) contribute to the rates of bullying perpetrated or experienced by youth. The interaction between components of the microsystem is referred to as the mesosystem, and offers insight into how contexts can exacerbate or buffer experiences for youth who are involved in bullying (e.g., family support can buffer impact of peer victimization). Recommendations are provided for teachers and other adults who work with youth.

Violence directed toward teachers has been understudied despite significant media and empirical investigation on school violence, such as student-to-student victimization and bullying. To date, there are relatively few published studies scattered across many countries. To address this void, the American Psychological Association, in collaboration with the National Education Association, created the first Violence Directed Against Teachers Task Force. Task Force recommendations and results from the Task Force U.S. national survey on teacher victimization are presented, together with teacher-reported case studies. The case studies are used to illustrate the range of educators, reported incidents, resulting actions by educators and schools, and stress faced by teachers. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Dating violence can involve a multitude of behaviors, including physical and emotional abuse, sexual violence and coercion, and/or behaviors that are intended to control or intimidate a dating partner. Students can be either perpetrators or victims of teen dating violence, with some youth being both a perpetrator and a victim. This review will include studies of programs implemented in schools (grades 4-12) that sought to address attitudes or beliefs supportive of teen dating violence, encourage bystander intervention or peer support, or sought to reduce the incidence of dating violence perpetration or sexual coercion in dating relationships. This review will be the first to quantitatively synthesize empirical evaluations of school-based programs aimed to reduce behaviors or change attitudes related to dating violence. This review has the potential to impact school policy and prevent consequential victimization. If indeed programs are demonstrated to be effective at reducing behaviors or attitudes supportive of teen dating violence, the strong empirical support that is gained with this type of review will bolster efforts to advocate for administrative support and funding to implement prevention programs in schools. This review can also provide insight into the type of programming (i.e. universal, psycho-educational, individual or classroom level) that is most effective in preventing victimization in dating relationships. [For the full study, see ED557967.]

Associations among bullying, peer victimization, sexual harassment, and dating violence were examined among 684 middle and high school students. Cluster analysis of self-report measures revealed four distinct bully-victim subtypes: uninvolved, victims, bully-victims, and bullies. African-American students comprised the bully cluster more than White students, but did not report higher rates of dating violence or peer sexual harassment. Bully-victims reported significantly more physical dating violence victimization than members of all other groups, and more emotional abuse in dating relationships than uninvolved students and victims. Bully-victims and victims also reported the highest amount of peer sexual harassment. Anxiety/depression levels were highest among victims and bully-victims. Sexual harassment and dating violence experiences moderated the association between bully-victim subtype and anxiety/depression. That is, victims with the highest levels of sexual harassment and victims and bully-victims with the highest levels of dating violence reported the highest levels of anxiety/depression. Findings highlight the high-risk nature of the bully-victim group and the importance of assessing multiple forms of victimization affecting youth.

Victimization in dating relationships was examined among 681 African American and Caucasian adolescents. Specifically, perceived social support was evaluated as a moderator between (a) physical dating violence victimization and anxiety/depression and (b) emotional abuse in dating relationships and anxiety/depression. Youth completed self-report measures of victimization in dating relationships, psychological functioning, and perceived familial and peer social support. Results indicated that 37% reported physical dating violence and 62% reported emotional abuse in dating relationships. Greater physical and emotional dating victimization was associated with more anxiety/depression. Moreover, social support moderated the association between victimization and psychological well-being, particularly for African American males. Findings highlight the powerful influence of perceived social support among adolescent targets of physical violence and emotional abuse in dating relationships. (Contains 4 tables, 2 figures and 2 footnotes.)

Evaluated the impact of Smart Talk, a computer-based violence prevention program for adolescents. Control and intervention-group middle-school students completed assessments before and after program implementation. Results indicated that the intervention successfully diminished intervention students' beliefs supporting violence and increased intentions to use nonviolent strategies. There were no differences by gender, race, or socioeconomic status. (SM)

Reports on the development and pilot testing of a multimedia tool (SMART Talk) that teaches anger management, perspective taking, and mediation skills. Results indicate that SMART Talk is popular with both males and females, and its use increases knowledge and practice of prosocial behaviors. (Author/GCP)

We examined relations of U.S. teachers' perceptions of mastery and performance goal structures to violence perpetrated against them before and during COVID-19. We hypothesized that perceptions of an instructional emphasis on mastery (i.e. mastery goal structure) would be related to lower levels of victimization, whereas perceptions of an emphasis on performance (i.e. performance goal structure) would be related to greater victimization. Using a sample of 9,363 teachers, we conducted negative binomial regression analyses, controlling for teacher and school characteristics. Perceptions of a performance goal structure were related to higher levels of teacher-directed violence, whereas perceptions of a mastery goal structure were related to lower levels of violence. Results underscore the benefits of school mastery versus performance goal structures for bolstering student motivation and teacher safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, bullying research has focused on identifying protective factors associated with bullying involvement (e.g., victim, perpetrator) and adverse outcomes. In this study, religiosity was examined as a protective factor in the relationship between bullying involvement and friends' delinquency among a large sample of low-income urban African American adolescents (N = 753). Analysis of the cross-sectional data indicated that bullying perpetration, victimization, and victimization/perpetration were positively associated with greater friends' delinquency. Further, adolescents who bullied others were less likely to report having friends engaging in delinquency when they reported attending church or other religious services. Also, adolescents who reported both victimization and perpetration of bullying, who placed great importance on religious or spiritual beliefs, were less likely to associate with friends engaging in delinquency. This study demonstrates how religiosity should be considered in bullying prevention and intervention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal violence (IV)—which includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, teen dating violence, bullying, and other forms of violence—among youth (i.e., individuals 18 years of age or younger) is a public health crisis in the United States. As such, preventing IV among youth is a public health priority. Schools are natural settings for IV prevention among youth. However, conducting school-based IV prevention research with youth in school settings is riddled with challenges, and there is little systematic discussion of lessons learned from doing this work. As such, the purpose of this paper is to outline challenges, successes, and lessons learned from conducting school-based IV prevention research, as ascertained by four researchers with over 75 years of collective experience conducting school-based IV prevention research. Specifically, we focus on the importance of researchers (1) doing research on the school/school district prior to reaching out about potential partnerships; (2) establishing relationships with school partners that are characterized by being present, trustworthiness, and respect as well as the prioritization of school partners' ideas over one's research agenda; (3) working collaboratively with school partners to conceptualize and fund school-driven ideas; (4) preparing for pushback, often from parents/caregivers; and (5) embracing reciprocity (i.e., do things to support your school partners that may not directly benefit you). Additional considerations for recruitment, enrollment, and retention; program implementation and data collection; and dissemination are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bias-based aggression at school in the form of homophobic name-calling is quite prevalent among early adolescents. Homophobic name-calling is associated with low academic performance, higher risky sexual behaviors, and substance abuse, among other adverse outcomes. This longitudinal study examined risk and protective factors across multiple domains of the social ecology (individual, peer, family, school and community) and levels of analysis (within- and between-person) associated with homophobic name-calling perpetration and victimization. Students from four middle schools in the U.S. Midwest (N = 1,655; X ¯ age = 12.75; range = 10–16 years) were surveyed four times (Spring/Fall 2008, Spring/Fall 2009). For homophobic name-calling perpetration, significant risk factors included impulsivity, social dominance, traditional masculinity, family violence, and neighborhood violence; while empathy, peer support, school belonging, and adult support were significant protective factors. For homophobic name-calling victimization, significant risk factors included empathy (between-person), impulsivity, traditional masculinity, family violence, and neighborhood violence, while empathy (within-person), parental monitoring, peer support, school belonging, and adult support were significant protective factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual violence (SV) among adolescents continues to be a major public health concern with numerous consequences. Research, predominantly with male collegiate samples, has suggested an association between sports participation and SV perpetration, and has included other important risk factors such as substance use and attitudes. However, more research is needed in this area among adolescents. The current study uses latent class analysis (LCA) to examine data- driven classes of high school student athletes (N = 665) engaged in three risk factor areas for SV: sport contact level, likelihood of substance use, and attitudes dismissive of SV. Once classes were enumerated and fit separately for male and female samples, pairwise comparisons were conducted on scores on two forms of SV (perpetration of sexual harassment and unwanted sexual contact) as a function of class membership. A 5-class solution was retained for both males and females. In the female sample, regarding SV—harassment, those most likely to perpetrate sexual harassment were those characterized by high likelihood of use of cigarettes, marijuana, alcohol, vape products, and those who played any type of sport. Too few females endorsed perpetration of unwanted sexual contact for pairwise comparisons to be conducted. For males, the classes most likely to perpetrate both forms of SV were those who were likely to endorse high likelihood to use of cigarettes, marijuana, alcohol, vape products, endorse attitudes dismissive of SV, and play any type of sport but especially high contact sports. These findings implicate high school athletic spaces as important venues for sexual violence prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) are more likely to experience bullying and violence compared to the youth who do not identify as SGMY, leading to increased risk of poor mental and physical health outcomes, and poor academic performance. Few studies explore the entire range of bullying experienced by sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY). The purpose of this study was to qualitatively describe the ways in which SGMY experience bullying victimization. We conducted semi-structured interviews with a diverse sample of 20 SGMY aged 14–18 years (median age 16 years) recruited from online social media. The sample included 10 participants who identified as cisgender girls, 4 who identified as cisgender boys, 2 who identified as transgender, and 4 who identified as another gender identity. Ten participants identified as bisexual, six identified as lesbian, and four identified as gay. Findings indicated six common experiences of bullying among the participants: (a) verbal harassment; (b) gender policing; (c) physical violence; (d) sexual harassment; (e) treated as sexual perpetrators and deviants; and (f) and social exclusion. SGMY described how bullying victimization ranged from overt to concealed attitudes and behaviors, and they articulated how several forms of bullying are likely not experienced by heterosexual and cisgender youth. These results support findings from prior qualitative studies and suggest that efforts to address school-based bullying may benefit from a more complete awareness of the range of bullying victimization experienced by SGMY. Development of multi-item scales of bullying that reflect the six common experiences of bullying presented in this study would allow researchers to quantitatively explore the range of bullying behaviors experienced by SGMY, and would aid in the conceptualization and successful implementation of anti-bullying interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study tested differences in social network characteristics of high school students who report perpetrating sexual violence (SV) versus those who do not. N = 4554 students (49% male, 49% female, 2% another gender identity; 45% Hispanic, 43% white, 12% another racial identity) from 20 high schools reported how often they had perpetrated 13 sexually violent behaviors. Using their responses, students were classified as follows: non-perpetrators, sexual harassment perpetrators, low contact perpetrators, or high contact perpetrators. Students named up to 7 close friends and up to 7 trusted adults at their school and answered questions about other behaviors and attitudes. This information was used to assess (1) students' connections with peers, (2) students' connections with trusted adults, and (3) friends' characteristics. Multilevel models indicated that compared to their peers, high contact perpetrators were less involved in the peer networks, less connected to trusted adults, and more likely to have friends who were involved in risky behaviors (e.g., sexual violence, homophobic name-calling, substance use). Low contact perpetrators were as connected to peers and trusted adults as non-perpetrators but were more likely to have friends engaged in sexual violence and homophobic naming-calling perpetration. By contrast, sexual harassment perpetrators were more involved and held higher status in the peer network (e.g., received more friendship nominations) but otherwise had similar friendship characteristics and similar connections to trusted adults as non-perpetrators. Building on these results, social network-informed SV prevention should use opinion leaders to change SV norms throughout the network and encourage new relationships between low- and high-risk students so as to disseminate norms that do not tolerate SV. Promoting connections to trusted adults also may be a useful avenue, especially for isolated adolescents. Trial Registration This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01672541. Syntax code is available from the authors upon request. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to compare the applicability of the Social Disorganization Theory, General Strain Theory, and Social Control Theory in the exploration of violent delinquency in Chicago's Southside. The study participants included 546 adolescents in Chicago. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Supporting the Social Disorganization Theory, affiliation with delinquent peers mediated the association between poor neighborhood conditions and delinquency. Supporting the General Strain Theory, emotional distress mediated the relationship between peer victimization and delinquency. Inconsistent with the Social Control Theory, however, religiosity did not buffer the relationship between feeling disconnected from parents and delinquency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family violence and youth violence have received a significant amount of research attention over the years. A large body of research findings has substantiated a significant association between experiences in family violence, such as maltreatment and exposure to parental violence, and youth violence, such as bullying, fighting, dating violence, gang violence. In honor of the late Dr. Anna Costanza Baldry, this special issue brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines (psychology, criminal justice, social work, and health science) to explore how family violence and youth violence are interrelated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The prevalence of verbal aggression in schools is well documented; however, most of this research focuses on verbal aggression between students. Examination of student verbal aggression toward teachers is limited. This qualitative investigation explores events that frequently precede and follow student verbal aggression toward teachers using an antecedent-behavior-consequence (A-B-C) framework. Method: The sample includes 98 prekindergarten through 12th-grade teachers who experienced verbal aggression from a student and identified an antecedent and consequence of the incident. Conventional content analysis was conducted to identify common types of verbal aggression, antecedents, consequences, and A-B-C patterns among teacher-directed verbal aggression incidents perpetrated by students. Results: Findings reveal threats were the most common type of verbal aggression and varied across developmental level, with high school teachers reporting more threats than elementary teachers. In terms of A-B-C patterns, student verbal aggression was precipitated by disciplinary action; the aggression then led to the student's removal from the classroom or school, school staff becoming involved, or a positive outcome (e.g., an apology or a service provision). Teacher directives (e.g., requesting a student to sit down or complete classwork) led to verbal aggression, resulting in administrative inaction. Finally, academic performance–related situations (e.g., grades) led to verbal aggression followed by student removal. Conclusions: Common antecedents, consequences, and patterns suggest strategies for preventing and addressing verbal aggression, such as training for teachers and administrators, effective classroom rules, facilitation of student engagement, and improved discipline policies and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined heterogeneity in parental and community violence exposure during middle school and its association with bullying perpetration and victimization in high school. Youth (N = 1,611) in four Midwestern middle schools participated. Parallel process growth mixture latent transition analysis was used to understand how trajectory profiles of middle school violence exposure was associated with high school bullying profiles. Impulsivity, depression, school belonging, and delinquency were assessed as moderators of the transition probabilities. A three class solution was found for violence exposure: decreasing parental violence/increasing community violence (n = 103; 6.4%), stable high parental violence and low community violence (n = 1,027; 63.7%), and increasing parental violence and stable high community violence (n = 481; 29.8%). Similarly, a three class solution was found for high school bullying: High Bullying Perpetration and High Victimization class (n = 259; 16%), Victimization only (n = 1145; 71%), and low all class (n = 207; 13%). The largest proportion of youth transitioning into the high bullying and high victimization class were from the decreasing parental violence/increasing community violence. Depression, impulsivity, school belonging, and delinquency all had various moderating effects on transition probabilities. Our findings make it apparent that early forms of parental and community violence are associated with aggressive behaviors and experiences with victimization during high school. Prevention and intervention efforts should target individuals who display early and chronic patterns of exposure to violence as these individuals have the greatest risk of later aggressive and victimization in high school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]