The Causes and Consequences of School Violence: A Review

National Institute of Justice. 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531. Tel: 202-307-2942; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.nij.gov

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86

GS00F219CA

Violence; Educational Environment; School Safety; Delinquency; Antisocial Behavior; Predictor Variables; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Child Abuse; Peer Acceptance; Moral Values; Peer Influence; Personality Traits; Family Environment; Psychological Patterns; Prosocial Behavior; Victims; At Risk Persons; Social Influences; Parent Influence; Demography; Individual Characteristics; Institutional Characteristics; School Security; Environmental Influences

Although school violence is on the decline, it remains a significant concern for the general public, policymakers, and researchers. This report commissioned by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) takes a comprehensive look at the state of the research on school violence and includes additional discussions about research on serious violence and studies that were funded by NIJ's Comprehensive School Safety Initiative. It is based on an empirical review of 55 meta-analyses and a supplemental review of the methods and findings of 362 recent research studies. The research found that the strongest predictor of school violence perpetration was delinquent/antisocial behavior. Other strong predictors were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, child maltreatment, peer rejection, and moral disengagement. The reviews identified several other moderately strong predictors of school violence, including deviant peers, callous unemotional traits, narcissism, exposure to domestic violence, agreeableness (inverse association), prosocial behaviors (inverse association), positive school climate (inverse association), and victimization.

As Provided

2022

ED619329