Violence and aggression against educators and school personnel, retention, stress, and training needs: National survey results.

Aggression and violence against educators and school personnel have raised public health concerns that require attention from researchers, policymakers, and training providers in U.S. schools. School aggression and violence have negative effects on school personnel health and retention and on student achievement and development. In partnership with several national organizations, the American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Violence Against Educators and School Personnel administered two national, multi-informant, cross-sectional surveys. Time 1 data were collected in 2020-2021 from 14,966 respondents; participants reflected on their experiences of violence and aggression before COVID-19 and during COVID-19 restrictions in this survey. One year later, in 2022, 11,814 respondents completed the Time 2 survey after COVID-19 restrictions ended. Participants included teachers, school psychologists, social workers, counselors, staff members, and administrators from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Rates of violence and aggression directed against educators by students, parents, colleagues, and administrators were substantial before COVID-19, were lower during COVID-19 restrictions, and returned to prepandemic levels or higher after COVID-19 restrictions. After COVID-19 restrictions, 22%-80% of respondents reported verbal or threatening aggression, and 2%-56% of respondents reported physical violence at least once during the year, varying by stakeholder role and aggressor. Rates of intentions to quit the profession ranged from 21% to 43% during COVID-19 restrictions (2020-2021) and from 23% to 57% after COVID-19 restrictions (2021-2022), varying by stakeholder role. Participants across roles reported substantial rates of anxiety and stress, especially during and after COVID-19 restrictions, and identified specific training needs. Implications for theory, research, training, and policy are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A qualitative examination of weapon violence against teachers: A theoretical framework and analysis.

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).

How receiving welfare assistance could be linked to children's bullying victimization: Exploring the potential pathways.

The study proposes and tests the pathways from receiving welfare assistance to children's bullying victimization. Specifically, the study examines whether children's difficulty making friends and school disconnection mediate the association between welfare assistance receipt to children's bullying victimization. The 2019 National Survey of Children's Health dataset was used, and the sample consisted of 12,230 caregivers of adolescents, aged 12-17 years. A path model was utilized to explore the proposed pathways. Findings suggest that welfare assistance receipt was not significantly associated with children's bullying victimization. It was positively related to children's bullying victimization through the mediating roles of having difficulty making friends and school disconnection. Schools and communities need to create spaces where youth can connect with peers, which is an important part of their development.

Individual and Contextual Correlates of Latent Bystander Profiles toward Racist Hate Speech: A Multilevel Person-centered Approach.

Prior research into bystander responses to hate speech has utilized variable-centered analyses - such approaches risk simplifying the complex nature of bystander behaviors. Hence, the present study used a person-centered analysis to investigate latent hate speech bystander profiles. In addition, individual and classroom-level correlates associated with the various profiles were studied. The sample included 3225 students in grades 7-9 (51.7% self-identified as female; 37.2% with immigrant background) from 215 classrooms in Germany and Switzerland. The latent profile analysis revealed that four distinct profiles could be distinguished: Passive Bystanders (34.2%), Defenders (47.3%), Revengers (9.8%), and Contributors (8.6%). Multilevel logistic regression models showed common and distinct correlates. For example, students who believed that certain social groups are superior were more likely to be Revengers and Contributors than Passive Bystanders, students who felt more connected with teachers were more likely to be Defenders, and students who were more open to diversity were less likely to be Contributors than Passive Bystanders. Students were less likely Defenders and more likely Revengers and Contributors than Passive Bystanders in classrooms with high rates of hate speech perpetration. Further, in classrooms with high hate speech intervention, students were more likely to be Defenders and less likely to be Contributors than Passive Bystanders. In classrooms with stronger cohesion, students were more likely to be Defenders and less likely to be Contributors than Passive Bystanders. In conclusion, the findings add to our understanding of bystander profiles concerning racist hate speech and the relevance of individual and classroom-level factors in explaining various profiles of bystander behavior.

Racial/ethnic differences in the bullying victimization-suicidality link among LGBQ high school students in the United States.

Although the relationship between bullying victimization and suicidal behaviors of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (i.e., unsure of their sexual orientation) students has been well documented in research, few studies have focused on how bullying victimization might be related to suicidal behaviors among youth with intersectional identities. This study examines associations between bullying victimization and suicidal behaviors across racial/ethnic groups in a sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) students. Data for this cross-sectional study were derived from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Survey combined data set (2003-2019), with a sample of 95,603 students who identified as LGBQ. Analyses included descriptive statistics and logistic regression. We found that homophobic bullying victimization was associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation and plans among the total sample and Black and Hispanic students. School-based bullying victimization was associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts among white and Hispanic students and higher suicidal ideation among multiracial-non-Hispanic students. Cyberbullying victimization was not associated with suicidal behavior among Asian students, but it was associated with all forms of suicidal behavior among youth of other racial/ethnic identities. Addressing bullying victimization and suicidality with culturally relevant, evidence-based violence prevention strategies is critical.

Outcomes Associated with Adolescent Dating and Sexual Violence Victimization: A Systematic Review of School-Based Literature.

Dating and sexual violence (DSV) is a common occurrence among school aged youth and has been associated with numerous harmful long-term outcomes. The goal of this article is to better understand the range of outcomes associated with DSV during youth and adolescence. This systematic review consists of 28 school-based studies from 20 journals discussing outcomes of youth experiences of DSV. Results demonstrate significant associations between DSV victimization and mental health symptoms, substance use, sexual health, academic, and social outcomes. To better understand this issue, this article recommends that schools offer additional training for staff on recognizing DSV. Additionally, improved research is needed in this area including surveys that are inclusive of diverse student identities and include more comprehensive measures of DSV, and additional research on DSV explicitly focused on minoritized groups.

Validation of the multidimensional bystander responses to racist hate speech scale and its association with empathy and moral disengagement among adolescents.

Our understanding of how bystanders respond to hate speech is limited. This may be due, in part, to the lack of available measurement tools. However, understanding adolescents' responses to hate speech is critical because this kind of research can support schools in empowering students to exhibit courageous moral behavior. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the newly developed Multidimensional Bystander Responses to Hate Speech Scale (MBRHS) and to explore demographic differences and correlates of bystander behavior in school hate speech. The sample consisted of 3225 seventh to ninth graders from Germany and Switzerland. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a model with seven factors. We found that adolescents with immigrant background and boys showed particularly unfavorable response patterns. In addition, our study suggests that empathy is positively correlated with the factors comforting the victim, seeking help at school, and countering hate speech but negatively correlated with helplessness, revenge, reinforcing, and ignoring. Moral disengagement showed the opposite correlational pattern. The findings indicate that the MBRHS is a psychometrically valid and reliable measure that could aid in measuring varied responses to hate speech. In addition, this work highlights the relevance of empathy and moral engagement training in anti-hate speech prevention programs.

How school policies, strategies, and relational factors contribute to teacher victimization and school safety.

In this study, we examined how school policies and strategies (i.e., positive discipline, hardening strategies, and positive behavioral strategies) affect teacher relational factors and teacher reports of victimization and safety. Specifically, we examined the mediational roles of teacher support of student learning, maltreatment of students by teachers, and teachers' differential treatment of students in schools. Using a sample of 6643 pre-K-12th-grade teachers, path analysis results revealed that positive behavior strategies, hardening strategies, and positive discipline were indirectly associated with teacher victimization and sense of safety. Additionally, teachers' perceptions of other teachers maltreating students had the greatest contributions to their sense of safety and victimization by students. Positive discipline was directly and indirectly associated with teacher victimization and safety. Implications and directions for future studies are discussed.

Teacher-directed violence and anxiety and stress: Predicting intentions to transfer and quit.

Teacher well-being and experiences of violence have become issues of national concern, and teacher shortages have increased since the onset of COVID-19. In this national study, we examined verbal and physical violence against teachers from multiple aggressors and the role of anxiety and stress in predicting intentions to transfer positions or quit the profession. The majority of the sample of 9,370 pre-Kindergarten-12th grade teachers was White (79%) and female (79%). Descriptive analyses revealed that 25% of teachers reported intentions to transfer schools and 43% of teachers reported intentions to quit teaching. Structural equation model results indicated pre-COVID-19 verbal and threatening violence from students, parents, colleagues, and administrators predicted teacher anxiety and stress and intentions to transfer schools (R² ranged from .18 to .23) and quit the profession during COVID-19 (R² ranged from .34 to .36). Anxiety and stress significantly mediated the relation between verbal and threatening violence across all aggressors and teacher intentions to transfer schools and quit the profession. Physical violence from certain aggressors predicted anxiety and stress and intention to transfer schools (R² ranged from .15 to .18) and quit the profession (R² ranged from .32 to .34). Further, teacher and school characteristics, such as identifying as a person of color and teaching at the middle and high school levels, were associated with greater intentions to transfer schools and quit the profession. Implications for school-based research, practice, and policy are discussed to address violence and promote positive work and learning environments for all school stakeholders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Addressing violence against educators: What do teachers say works?

School personnel safety and well-being have received increased attention via national outlets; however, research is limited. The current investigation is the first to examine the reported use and perceived effectiveness of commonly used school-based intervention approaches for addressing school violence, specifically violence against teachers in U.S. schools. A sample of 4,471 prekindergarten-12th grade teachers was asked to rate the use and perceived effectiveness of common school-based approaches, namely exclusionary discipline (e.g., suspensions), school hardening (e.g., metal detectors, school police), prevention (e.g., school climate improvement, social-emotional learning, classroom management), and crisis intervention practices (e.g., de-escalation, physical restraint) to address verbal/threatening, physical, and property violence against teachers. Findings revealed that teachers rated prevention practices as most effective in reducing violence against teachers. The use of exclusionary discipline and crisis intervention practices at school was positively associated with all three forms of violence. Ratings of the effectiveness of specific practices were associated with lower likelihoods of verbal/threatening (i.e., hardening, prevention), physical (i.e., exclusionary discipline, hardening, prevention), and property (i.e., hardening) violence. Implications for school practice, research, and policy are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A systematic review of how social connectedness influences associations between racism and discrimination on health outcomes.

Racial discrimination is a well-known risk factor of racial disparities in health. Although progress has been made in identifying multiple levels through which racism and racial discrimination influences health, less is known about social factors that may buffer racism's associations with health. We conducted a systematic review of the literature with a specific focus on social connectedness, racism, and health, retrieving studies conducted in the United States and published between January 1, 2012, and July 30, 2022, in peer-reviewed journals. Of the 787 articles screened, 32 were selected for full-text synthesis. Most studies (72%) were at the individual level, cross-sectional, and among community/neighborhood, school, or university samples. Studies had good methodological rigor and low risk of bias. Measures of racism and racial discrimination varied. Discrimination scales included unfair treatment because of race, schedule of racist events, experiences of lifetime discrimination, and everyday discrimination. Measures of social connectedness (or disconnectedness) varied. Social-connectedness constructs included social isolation, loneliness, and social support. Mental health was the most frequently examined outcome (75%). Effect modification was used in 56% of studies and mediation in 34% of studies. In 81% of studies, at least 1 aspect of social connectedness significantly buffered or mediated the associations between racism and health. Negative health associations were often weaker among people with higher social connectedness. Social connectedness is an important buffering mechanism to mitigate the associations between racial discrimination and health. In future studies, harmonizing metrics of social connectedness and racial discrimination can strengthen causal claims to inform interventions.

Violence directed against teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A social-ecological analysis of safety and well-being.

Violence against teachers is a public health crisis that has devastating effects on school personnel well-being, health, and retention, as well as students' educational outcomes. In collaboration with national organizations, the American Psychological Association Task Force on Violence against Educators conducted the first national survey on educator victimization that included 4,136 pre-K through 12th-grade teachers from all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico during the pandemic. In the current study, 43.7% of teachers reported experiencing at least one verbal threat, physical assault, and/or property damage, with verbal threats being the most prevalent form of victimization during the pandemic. Using a social-ecological framework and logistic regression analyses, characteristics of teachers, school climate, and school organizational and community factors were examined as predictors of teacher victimization (i.e., verbal threats, physical, property violence) during the pandemic. Findings revealed that teacher role (i.e., special educators), negative and positive dimensions of school climate, as well as school organizational and community factors (i.e., percent of students receiving free and reduced lunch, instructional modality, school level, and urbanicity) significantly predicted greater teacher victimization. While findings revealed that in-person instruction significantly predicted teacher violence across aggressors, teacher victimization was reported across instructional modality (in-person, hybrid, remote). Results offer insights into possible contextual antecedents to teacher victimization, sense of safety, and well-being in schools. Implications for research and school practice are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Adults and Family as Supportive of Adolescent Sexual Development in the Age of Smartphones? Exploring Cybersexual Violence Victimization, Pornography Use, and Risky Sexual Behaviors.

Among adolescents, engagement in risky sexual behavior is an important public health concern. Research has begun to explore the impact of adolescents' online experiences with their social and behavioral health as approximately 95% of adolescents have access to a smartphone connected to the internet. However, little research has specifically examined how online experiences impact sexual risk behaviors among adolescence. To fill gaps in the existing research, the current study sought to investigate the association between two potential risk factors and three sexual risk behavior outcomes. We examined how experiencing cybersexual violence victimization (CVV) and using pornography during early adolescence was associated with condom use, birth control use, and use of alcohol and drugs before sex among U.S. high school students (n = 974). Additionally, we explored multiple forms of adult support as potential protective factors of sexual risk behaviors. Our findings suggest that CVV and porn use may be associated with risky sexual behaviors for some adolescents. In addition, parental monitoring and support from adults at school may be two ways to support healthy adolescent sexual development.

Developing a Multi-Tiered System of Support-Based Plan for Bullying Prevention Among Students with Disabilities: Perspectives from General and Special Education Teachers During Professional Development.

Students with disabilities or at risk for disability identification (SWD) are disproportionately affected by the bullying dynamic; however, professional development and educator-focused training on preventing bullying for this population is lacking. To address this gap, this study presents an analysis of qualitative data collected from general and special education teachers (n = 33) participating in an online professional development training using Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to prevent bullying among students with disabilities. Braun and Clarke's six-step process was used to identify key themes and exemplar quotes from qualitative reflections collected as knowledge check responses embedded within two training modules. Three themes were identified and examined based on MTSS tiers: (1) teacher perceptions of SWD and their inclusion in a MTSS-based bullying prevention plan; (2) identifying key stakeholders for preventing bullying within a MTSS-based bullying prevention plan; and (3) potential challenges and solutions of implementing a MTSS-based bullying prevention plan within the individual, classroom, and school contexts. Findings highlight the need to educate teachers on how to use MTSS, especially for bullying prevention and interventions that are inclusive of SWD. Implications from this work extend to all students including those with mental health considerations, regardless of disability status. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12310-023-09589-8.

Proxies of Emotion Dysregulation and Teen Dating Violence Perpetration: A Latent Profile Analysis.

PURPOSE: Teen dating violence (TDV) must be addressed as a public health issue due to its prevalence and association with negative health outcomes among victims. To prevent TDV, it is essential to examine the risk factors of dating violence perpetration's applicability to younger samples. Using a population health approach, this study explored the associations among variables that affect emotion regulation and TDV perpetration of multiple types among a diverse sample of high school students. METHODS: Latent profile analysis of four self-reported variables related to emotion regulation (anger regulation, depressive symptoms, impulsivity, and alcohol use) was conducted among a sample of 1,508 students. Next, regression analyses were used to test the relation between latent profile membership and self-reported TDV perpetration across two time points. RESULTS: A three-profile solution was found to be the solution of best fit (profile 1: n = 1,023, profile 2: n = 43, and profile 3: n = 442). Profile one had low means across all indicators; profile two had a high mean of recent alcohol use; and profile three had low to moderate means across all indicators. Profile two was associated with the most frequent lifetime perpetration and perpetration one year later. However, all three profiles were only associated with infrequent perpetration. DISCUSSION: This study found that an emotional regulatory framework was applicable to assess some risks of TDV. These findings justify further research on the relation between emotion regulation and TDV perpetration; however, risk factors at other socio-ecological levels should be incorporated to strengthen existing theories.

The relation of classroom climate to adolescents' countering hate speech via social skills: A positive youth development perspective.

INTRODUCTION: Hate speech is a current challenge for schools around the globe. At the same time, students worldwide stand up to hate speech by countering it. Guided by a positive youth development perspective, the present study investigated the direct and indirect associations between classroom climate (environmental assets), social skills (personal assets), and countering hate speech (as a proxy of thriving) among adolescents. METHODS: The sample included 3225 students in grades 7-9 (51.7% self-identified as female) from 40 schools in Germany (n = 1841) and Switzerland (n = 1384). Students completed self-report questionnaires that assessed classroom climate, three facets of social skills (i.e., perspective-taking, prosocial behavior, assertiveness), and counterspeech. RESULTS: The results of the 2-(1-1-1)-1 multilevel mediation analysis revealed that classroom climate (L2) and the three facets of social skills (L1) had a direct positive effect on counterspeech (L1). Furthermore, classroom climate (L2) also had a direct positive effect on the three facets of social skills (L1). Finally, classroom climate (L2) had an indirect positive effect on counterspeech (L1) via all three aspects of social skills (L1). CONCLUSION: The findings highlight that successful anti-hate speech programs may entail a combination of environmental and personal factors for increasing adolescents' active contribution to an inclusive and discrimination-free classroom environment where hate speech is not tolerated.

Antecedents of sibling aggression and bullying victimization: The parallel and serial contributions of depressive symptoms and substance use.

PURPOSE: Sibling aggression has been recognized as a common form of family violence. However, further research is needed to elucidate several antecedents of sibling aggression perpetration and bullying victimization, such as substance use and depressive symptoms. Also, more studies are needed to identify the mediating pathways of depressive symptoms and substance use, which could explain the association between bullying victimization and sibling aggression perpetration as well as the association between sibling aggression victimization and bullying victimization, controlling for exposure to family violence and demographic variables. The current study tested two separate mediational models guided by the displaced aggression theory and self-medication hypothesis. METHOD: The study used the Bullying, Sexual, and Dating Violence Trajectories From Early to Late Adolescence in the Midwestern United States, 2007-2013 dataset. The original sample consisted of 1162 middle school students who were initially surveyed and followed into three high schools. The first wave was used, which included a sample of 1101 adolescents. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to first examine whether bullying victimization was associated with sibling aggression perpetration. Then another model was conducted to test whether sibling aggression victimization was associated with bullying victimization. RESULTS: In the first model, results suggest that bullying victimization is positively associated with sibling aggression. Mediation results indicated depressive symptoms and substance use serially mediated the relationship between bullying victimization and sibling aggression. In the second model, results suggest that sibling aggression victimization is positively associated with bullying victimization. Parallel mediation results indicated that depressive symptoms alone explained the association between sibling aggression victimization and bullying victimization. Finally, serial mediation results indicated that depressive symptoms and substance use serially mediated the association between sibling aggression victimization and bullying victimization. LIMITATIONS: Limitations include self-report measures and cross-sectional design; therefore, we could not make casual inferences. CONCLUSION: The implications of these findings suggest the need for continued attention to school-based bully prevention efforts and family interventions. Such efforts could result in a significant reduction in bullying victimization and sibling aggression.

Would Caring Teachers Buffer the Link Between Violence Victimization and Early Sexual Initiation? Comparing Heterosexual and Non-Heterosexual African American Youth.

This study investigated the relationship between youth violence exposures (i.e., peer and neighborhood) and early sexual initiation. It also explored whether caring relationships with teachers might moderate this relationship and whether results differed for heterosexual versus non-heterosexual African American youth. The study sample (N = 580) comprised 475 heterosexual and 105 non-heterosexual youths, 319 female and 261 male, ages 13 to 24 years (M age = 15.8). Students were assessed for peer and neighborhood violence, relationship with teachers, early sexual initiation, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. Major results indicated a positive relationship between exposure to peer and neighborhood violence and early sexual initiation for heterosexual youth but not those who identified as non-heterosexual. Further, identifying as female (vs. male) was significantly associated with later sexual initiation for both heterosexual and non-heterosexual youth. In addition, caring teachers moderated the relationship between exposure to peer violence and age of sexual initiation among non-heterosexual youth. Programs and interventions to curtail violence sequelae would need to consider the unique effects of various types of youth violence exposures and the significance of sexual orientation.

"I'm a security professional, a counselor, a leader, and sometimes a father figure": Transformative social emotional learning through the eyes of school security professionals.

Schools are increasingly hiring full-time, unarmed school security professionals (SSPs), who are different from School Resource Officers (SROs), to help facilitate safe and supportive school climates. However, there is a paucity of literature about how they describe and engage with social emotional learning (SEL), particularly equity-focused or transformative SEL. The current study is a secondary data analysis using qualitative responses to content embedded in two online professional development (PD) modules created for school security: SEL and cultural competence (CC). Forty-eight SSPs completed the SEL module and 18 of these SSPs also completed the CC module. Informed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning's transformative SEL literature, researchers sought to understand how SSPs describe SEL and how they apply transformative SEL in their work. A qualitative transcript analysis was performed, and transformative SEL's five subthemes were identified through this iterative process: working collaboratively, equity and inclusion, cultural humility, ties to identity, and advocacy. Findings demonstrated that SSPs who completed the modules apply transformative SEL principles in various, overlapping ways, illustrating their capacity to support student SEL. However, some SSPs struggled to make ties to their own identity, highlighting the need for widespread training and additional emphasis on self-awareness in transformative SEL PD.