An Exploratory Study of Violence and Aggression Against Teachers in Middle and High Schools: Prevalence, Predictors, and Negative Consequences

ABSTRACT

Limited empirical findings suggest that teacher victimization at school is highly prevalent, with detrimental negative impacts on victimized teachers. Given the scarce body of literature on teacher victimization, further research is necessary to investigate its extent, predictors, and negative consequences. The present research, using a representative sample of 1,628 teachers in the southwest region of the United States, indicates a high prevalence of violence and aggression directed against teachers. Also, the research found that teachers’ uncertain and helping/friendly behaviors toward students were significantly related to various types of teacher victimization. Experiences involving the five victimization types (theft/property damage, physical assault, verbal abuse, sexual harassment, and noncontact aggression) are correlated with teachers’ self-reported job performance, student trust, safety at school, and thoughts about quitting. Directions for future research and policy implications are considered in the context of these findings.

KEYWORDS:

• Violence against teachers
• school safety
• violence
• victimization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The results show that the primary perpetrators of five different types of teacher victimization at Wave I were students, ranging from almost 99% (physical assault) to 90% (verbal abuse).

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by Award No. 2015-CK-BX-0019, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice;National Institute of Justice [2015-CK-BX-0019].