Predicting and Reducing Aggression and Violence toward Teachers: Extent of the Problem and Why it Matters

Abstract

Although violence prevention has largely focused on students, national and state‐level studies suggest that teacher‐directed violence warrants attention by researchers, policy makers, and school stakeholders. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the empirical literature on teacher‐directed violence, including the extent of the problem, types of violence teachers experience, measurement issues, and how this problem varies across perpetrators and social contexts. We specify recommendations for assessment, including developing and using reliable and valid measures to better understand teachers' experiences with violence. Violence prevention approaches are described, and we advocate for assessment and intervention that incorporate teacher experiences. Using a social–ecological model, we outline intervention strategies that address school violence that affects students, teachers, and administrators at the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem levels. Ultimately, we need to take the entire school ecology into account to reduce violence and create an effective teaching and learning environment where everyone feels safe.

The Ecology of Teachers’ Experiences with Violence and Lack of Administrative Support

“…Fourth, we need to develop and validate multidimensional quantitative measures of violence that take into account multiple perspectives and perpetrators, teacher experiences, and administrative support. Measures could be utilized for research and to identify teachers and administrators who need additional supports and professional development (McMahon, Martinez, Reddy, Espelage & Anderman, ). Other qualitative research methods, such as direct classroom observation and in‐depth interviews, could provide additional insight into teacher‐directed violence.…”

“…Finally, study findings illustrate how teacher‐directed violence is an experience that involves stakeholders at multiple levels of the school setting and underscores the importance of school climate. Multilevel interventions focused on implementing school‐wide initiatives to improve school culture and practices and prevent school violence may create a more positive work environment, increase teacher retention, and enable students and teachers to focus on academics (McMahon et al., ).…”

Untitled

“…M. Floro (1996) tried such a differentiation, using three criteria: the functional, topological, and ethical criteria. The unprecedented expansion of social networks has moved this traumatic The concept of violence is found in a multitude of forms in society, it is determined by certain factors related to the education of individuals, access to information resources and their evolution in today's society, their mentality and interests in society, political trajectory, religiosity, changes in the family, personal experiences that make their mark on behavior (Sandu, 2008;Bonea, 2015;McMahon, Martinez, Reddy, Espelage & Anderman, 2017a). Drăgănescu (2018) distinguishes the typological situations related to both individual and collective violence, as well as the three categories of factors that generate these types of violence.…”

“…(Sandu, 2008;Cace, 2010;Bonea, 2019). Regarding the individual factor, it is seen that they are constituted in two categories: constitutional factors, related to the hereditary dowry and the neuro-psychic structure and the particularities of the individual's personality (Boncu, 2004;Baciu, 2011;McMahon et al, 2017a;Drăgănescu, 2018;Nielsen & Einarsen, 2018).…”

School Violence and Teacher Professional Engagement: A Cross-National Study

“…Research examining how school violence impacts teachers' well-being, job satisfaction, and future career decisions has been very limited. More importantly, very little research has addressed how the effects of school violence on teachers can vary in conjunction with school-related and culture-related contextual factors (e.g., Galand et al, 2007;McMahon et al, 2017).…”