BackgroundFrom the social-ecological perspective, exposure to violence at the different developmental levels is fundamental to explain the dynamics of violence and victimization in educational centers. The following study aims at analyzing how these relationships are produced in the Peruvian context, where structural violence situations exist.MethodsA multi-mediation structural model with 21,416 Peruvian adolescents (M = 13.69; SD = 0.71) was conducted to determine the influence of violence in the school environment on violence perceived within school and violence exercised by teachers. In addition, it was also intended to determine whether these violent relationships predict depression through loneliness, and bullying through peer victimization. The existence of differences between early and late adolescence was also verified.ResultsResults confirm that violence in the school setting has high influence on violence exercised by adolescents and teachers within the school. Teacher violence is the most important predictor of depression through loneliness, and encourages peer victimization and the emergence of aggressive behavior. Exposure to violence exercised by support sources—teachers and classmates—explains more than 90% of the total variance explained in bullying behavior. Differences were found between early and late adolescence models.ConclusionThe high prevalence of structural violence in school settings facilitates the bullying/victimization dynamics within school. From a social-ecological perspective, this result suggests the importance of network cooperation at a mesosystem level, with teachers from educational centers playing a crucial role in the prevention of bullying/victimization.

Identifying and understanding predictors of school safety perceptions is important due to its consequences for students. However, itis not clear what school-related factors most contribute to explaining students' perception of school safety, and how they relate to community-related factors such as neighborhood safety. The purpose of this study was to understand the factors associated with Chilean elementary and middle school students' perceptions of school safety. We used a sample of 5,455 students from low socioeconomic status public schools, and analyzed the predictive value of peer physical and verbal victimization; teacher and school staff victimization; teacher's social support; and perception of safety in the students' neighborhoods on perceptions of school safety. Findings showed that although different forms of school violence, particularly peer physical victimization and physical and sexual victimization from teachers and school staff, contribute to students' perception of school safety, the highest contribution came from students perceiving their neighborhoods as unsafe. In contrast, teacher social support contributed to increased levels of perceived school safety. We discuss the need for school-based interventions that address physical victimization and engage teachers in prosocial and less punitive approaches to foster a positive and safe school climate, and in fostering school-community partnerships.

Schools are an essential part of students’ lives and can promote and facilitate their well-being. Although research on well-being among school-aged children and adolescents has distinguished subjective well-being from social well-being, very few studies examined student’s social well-being at school (SWS). SWS is understood as students’ valuation of the circumstances and functioning of their school. This framework posits that the context of the schools can shape students’ perception of feeling integrated and making significant contributions to their schools. However, not much is known regarding the joint contribution of individual, family, and school characteristics to students’ SWS. This study analyzed these joint contributions in a nationally representative sample of 6,389 children and adolescents enrolled in 5th–11th grades. Findings show that being female and younger were individual predictors of SWS. Students’ satisfaction with their family and fewer changes of schools were also significant contributors. When students’ perceptions of their schools were incorporated, the individual and family characteristics decreased or lost significance. In the full model, the highest contribution to SWS was explained by the school-level aggregated perception of school climate. These findings call for integrated policies and practices to foster students’ sense of belonging, feeling integrated, and contribution to their schools, with a focus on school-level interventions to improve SWS through positive and engaging school climates that foster students’ sense of agency.

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BackgroundMental health among university students is a public health problem in Chile, understanding that this population is susceptible to mental disorders.ObjectiveThe present study aimed to determine the prevalence and variables influencing depression, anxiety, and stress in Chilean university students.MethodA representative sample (n = 1,062) of Chilean university students and a cross-sectional study design were used. Bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression were performed to identify risk factors associated with symptomatology. They were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A questionnaire with sociodemographic variables was applied in November 2022, in addition to the depression anxiety stress scale (DASS-21), instruments with excellent reliability in this population (α = 0.955; ω = 0.956). On the other hand, the Questionnaire of Problematic Alcohol and Drug Consumption (DEP-ADO) was applied. A descriptive analysis was performed, followed by bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression using SPSS version 25. The variables showed a value of p <0.05; they were declared statistically significant in the final model. Odds ratios (OR) were adjusted to a 95% confidence interval (95% CI), which was used to determine the independent predictors.ResultsThe prevalence of mental health problems in this population was high, with depressive symptoms in 63.1% of the sample; 69.2% with anxiety; 57% with stress; 27.4% with problematic alcohol consumption; and 14.9% with inappropriate marijuana consumption. Some 10.1% of the sample reported daily medication with antidepressants and/or anxiolytics. Concerning significant variables for depression, these were: being female, belonging to sexual, not having children, having problematic marijuana use, and using prescription drugs. Concerning anxiety, the significant variables were being a woman, belonging to sexual minorities, being an adolescent, and consuming prescription medication. Finally, concerning stress, the significant variables were being a woman, belonging to sexual minorities, being a student dedicated exclusively to academic activities, and taking prescription medication.ConclusionChilean university students presented a high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress, where being female and belonging to sexual minorities seem to be the variables that have the greatest impact on susceptibility to mental health problems. These results should call the attention of political and university authorities in Chile to improve this population’s mental health and quality of life since they are the following professional generation of our country.

La escuela puede ser considerada un espacio vital de desarrollo humano e incluso un factor protector para el desarrollo de conductas de riesgo en adolescentes. El presente estudio buscó examinar la percepción de un mayor apego escolar como un factor protector de la influencia de pares en conductas antisociales en el contexto chileno. Se usó una muestra estratificada con afijación igual de 815 escolares de 7° año básico a IV año medio provenientes de 15 establecimientos escolares seleccionados aleatoriamente de 5 diferentes NSE de la Región Metropolitana, 46,6% mujeres, con una edad promedio de 15,11 años DE = 1,78). Se utilizó una adaptación del instrumento Communities That Care Youth Survey, analizando el reporte de conductas antisociales en la escuela, relación con pares antisociales, consumo de drogas por parte de pares y apego con la escuela. Por medio de un análisis de regresión múltiple, se evidenció un efecto de interacción, en donde para aquellos estudiantes que perciben un mayor apego con la escuela, la influencia de los pares con conductas antisociales se ve moderada, en comparación con los estudiantes que tienen una percepción de bajo apego con la escuela. Este resultado provee evidencia sobre la importancia del apego con la escuela para prevenir conductas antisociales en adolescentes y para informar programas de prevención en contextos escolares.

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Trust and team communication are central aspects for the achievement of both individual and common goals, which affect not only work efficiency but also the well-being of its members. In addition, organizational justice could affect these indicators, as well as the perception of collective efficacy within organizations, in this case, schools. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of organizational justice on teachers’ subjective well-being, and how this is affected/mediated by collective efficacy. We worked with a sample of 693 teachers across Chile. Multiple mediation analysis was carried out, where the latent variables of the study were estimated (subjective well-being, organizational justice, and two dimensions of collective efficacy). The results indicate that there is full mediation of the collective efficacy dimensions between the predictor–criterion relationship. Our findings allow us to hypothesize that perceptions of collective efficacy are central to explaining well-being as an intrinsic factor.