Glimpse Into Urban Middle Schools on Probation for "Persistently Dangerous" Status: Identifying Malleable Predictors of Fighting

• NCJ Number: 229103
• Journal: Journal of School Violence Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Dated: October-December 2009 Pages: 284-300
• Author(s): Vanya C. Jones; Catherine P. Bradshaw; Denise L. Haynie; Bruce G. Simons-Morton; Andrea C. Gielen; Tina L. Cheng
• Date Published: October 2009
• Length: 17 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study used data from students at two urban middle schools that were on probation for a "persistently dangerous" designation under the provisions of the Federal No Child Left Behind Act, in order to examine three malleable factors that might be targeted for preventive intervention in reducing school violence.

Abstract

The three malleable factors explored in relation to student physical fights at school were adult/youth partnerships, deviant peer behavior, and parental expectations about violent behavior. Forty-one percent of the 213 sixth-grade African-American boys and girls in the study sample reported fighting in the 30 days prior to the survey, indicating that this is common behavior among this sample. The study also found that fighting was more common among those who used alcohol, tobacco, and cigarettes compared to those who did not use them. In addition, youths who perceived that their parents endorsed fighting in resolving conflict were more likely to fight. Further, the study found that having peers who engaged in violent and aggressive behavior correlated with a youth engaging in similar behavior. Many youths in the study reported having adult mentorship, and these youths engaged in less fighting than those youths who did not report high mentorship with an adult. These findings suggest that schools where student fighting is prevalent should focus on developing mentoring programs, parent education about setting nonviolent standards for their children in resolving conflicts, and advising students on value-based friendships. Underage drinking and tobacco use should also be addressed. Study data came from the first year of a larger 3-year randomized controlled trial of a school-based mentoring program for sixth-grade students conducted at two urban middle schools on probation for being "persistently dangerous" in Maryland. Youths in the study sample completed a series of self-report measures in the school computer labs. 3 tables and 46 references