NCJ Number
229104
Journal
Journal of School Violence Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Dated: October-December 2009 Pages: 301-311
Date Published
October 2009
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study conducted a qualitative analysis of an intervention that uses the online version of the Succeeding in School Program, in order to analyze students' perspectives on their relationships with peers, teachers, and themselves for the purpose of drawing implications for reducing violence at school.
Abstract
The study found that students who responded to prompts given in the Succeeding in School instrument gave few, if any, indications that their relationships with peers and teachers were in serious trouble and likely to lead to aberrant or violent behavior. Responses indicated that students had reasonably well-adjusted attitudes about how to foster and maintain relationships with peers and with teachers. Although students were somewhat concerned about negative perceptions of themselves from peers, the prevalent perceptions were positive, indicating self-confidence in peer relationships. As students reflected on their interactions with teachers, they expressed and exhibited little fear about asking teachers for help. Students also had concrete, simple ideas about how to develop positive relationships with teachers. Students also seemed to have reasonably positive views of themselves and expected family members to hold equally positive views. No study responses indicated any negative views of self that would contribute to future acts of violence at school. One limitation of the research, however, is that many students did not respond to some prompts and may have been unmotivated or confused about how to respond to some of the online prompts. Consequently, it is difficult to make sweeping and conclusive generalizations about the implications of students' responses for potential violent behavior at school. The 139 students (10-12 years old) who participated in this study were largely of American Indian heritage and attended an elementary school (K-6) in southeastern North Carolina. 1 table and 18 references