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Link between school climate and violence confirmed

Date:
April 25, 2013
Source:
Université du Luxembourg
Summary:
Schools may be a step closer towards the development of effective strategies to prevent violent behavior. New research shows that there is a direct link between school climate and school violence.
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Schools may be a step closer towards the development of effective strategies to prevent violent behaviour. New research from the University of Luxembourg shows that there is a direct link between school climate and school violence.

School violence is a very important social issue world-wide. It poses a significant threat to the health, achievement, and well-being of students. Although the most highly publicised incidents involve serious physical violence, less serious forms of physical aggression and psychological violence (including harassment, bullying, and relational aggression) present far more prevalent and persistent problems.

During the last twenty years there has been extensive research on identifying risk factors of school violence. Especially the concept of school climate has received increased attention. Most importantly, the social climate in class and in school is assumed to have a significant effect on the prevalence of violence in schools. But, the lack of clear definitions and empirically validated measures of school climate has resulted in a multitude of findings that are often difficult to interpret.

Professor Georges Steffgen and his team of researchers from the University of Luxembourg’s Integrative Research Unit on Social and Individual Development (INSIDE) analysed the statistical results of a collection of empirical research studies, to find out if a relevant effect size could be detected between the relationship of school climate and school violence.

The meta-analysis of 36 independent studies reporting a relationship between school climate and school violence, showed a moderate negative relationship between students’ perception of school climate and violence. Students’ characteristics such as age, and gender, as well as school size and school grade do not influence this relationship.

The results, published in the April edition of the prestigious international review journal “Aggression and Violent Behaviour” show that there is a relationship between school climate and violence. The analysis concludes that changes in the school environment can reduce the appearance of violent behaviour.

Professor Steffgen who is head of the University of Luxembourg’s research group “Health promotion and aggression prevention” said:

“The research shows that implementing school educational and social functions do play a role, overturning the idea that violent perpetrators are themselves all alone responsible for school violence. Thus, it is recommended that future prevention programmes should consider both individual and environmental factors of school violence. “


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Materials provided by Université du Luxembourg. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Georges Steffgen, Sophie Recchia, Wolfgang Viechtbauer. The link between school climate and violence in school: A meta-analytic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 2013; 18 (2): 300 DOI: 10.1016/j.avb.2012.12.001

Cite This Page:

Université du Luxembourg. "Link between school climate and violence confirmed." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 April 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130425091450.htm>.
Université du Luxembourg. (2013, April 25). Link between school climate and violence confirmed. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 10, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130425091450.htm
Université du Luxembourg. "Link between school climate and violence confirmed." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130425091450.htm (accessed October 10, 2024).

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