Also in this Issue:
-
Predicting
Violent Behaviour in Youth
-
Treatments for Antisocial
and Aggressive Children
-
A Treatment Program for
Delinquents
-
Factors
Contributing to Bullying
-
Predicting Behaviour Problems
from Kindergarten Assessments
-
Genetic and Environmental
Factors in Conduct Disorder
-
Psychiatric Disorders in
Aggressive Youth
-
Youth Violence and Mental
Illness 
Predicting
Violent Behaviour in Youth 
Borum,
R. (2000). Assessing violence risk among youth. Journal of Clinical
Psychology, 56:10, 1263-1288.
Although
the rate of serious violent crime has been declining because of high profile
school shootings, there is a need and a demand to identify youth that
are at risk of becoming violent.
There
has been a great deal of research done to determine risk factors for aggression
and violence in children and adolescents. These factors can be classified
into three categories:
Historical
Factors
- School Problems:
these include truancy, and academic failure.
- Victim of maltreatment
or abuse: physical or sexual abuse, neglect.
- Family maladjustment:
family conflict, parental criminality and poor bonding with the family.
Clinical
Factors
- Substance abuse
- Risk taking and impulsivity
- Negative attitudes:
lack of empathy, remorse and attributing aggression.
Contextual
Factors
- Negative peer relations:
gang involvement and delinquent peers.
- Poor parental management:
extreme or inconsistent discipline.
- Neighbourhood crime
- Lack of social support
- Stress and losses
The
author states the following principles, which should be used in conducting
risk assessment of youth for violence:
- Assessment should be systematic
and in accordance with some structured or guided scheme.
- There should be a detailed
inquiry into the history of violence.
- Base rates and the age of
onset of violence should be considered. Base rate refers to the known
prevalence of a specified type of violent behaviour, within a given
population, over a given period of time. It is important because some
rates may be very high and therefore the act may not be as serious when
the base rate is taken into account. For example, in a national survey
of high school students in the United States, 46% of boys reported being
in a physical fight one or more times in the past 12 months. The age
of onset is important, as violent behaviour is more likely to continue
into adulthood if it starts before age 11 than if it starts in adolescence.
- It is important to determine
patterns and precipitants in past acts of violence and to determine
whether there is an increase or decrease in the severity or the frequency
of violent acts and the factors associated to these changes.
- Situational factors are
important and include people perceived to be stressful by the youth
such as; family, peers, or any specific type of individual or group.
- It is advised to receive
a consultation if the situation allows it.
Factors
Contributing to Bullying
Espelage,
D.L., Bosworth, K., & Simon, T.R. (2000). Examining the social context
of bullying behaviour in early adolescence. Journal of Counseling and
Development, 78:3, 326-333.
This
study was carried out in a large middle school, 558 students participated.
Students were given a questionnaire to complete at midyear. This study
examined the social factors that contribute to the development of bullying
during early adolescence. Social factors examined included family and
adult influences, peer influences, neighbourhood and school safety concerns,
economic status and access to guns.
Bullying
is defined as a set of behaviours that are intentional and cause physical
and psychological harm to others. It includes behaviours such as name-calling,
teasing, social exclusion and hitting.
Results
- 80.5% of male and female
students reported bullying their peers in the past month.
- The use of physical discipline
by the parents was associated with bullying.
- Those who had friends who
indulge in antisocial and illegal activities were more likely to bully.
- Those who were concerned
about safety in the neighbourhood and were more exposed to violence
were more likely to bully.
- Those who had access to
guns were more likely to bully and surprisingly 24.2% reported that
they can get a gun very easily.
- Those students who spent
time with adults who were against violent and aggressive behaviour and
suggested non-violent ways of dealing with conflict were less likely
to indulge in bullying.
- Students who spent more
time with adults were less likely to bully.
Conclusions
Parents
and their behaviour and attitudes influence bullying behaviour in their
children. The friends the child has influence bullying behaviour. The
neighbourhood and exposure to violence influences bullying. Authors suggest
that bullying should be seen as a behaviour, which occurs in varying degrees
in the majority of children rather than focusing on simply identifying
the "bullies." They suggest that school counsellors, in efforts
to reduce bullying, should include interventions aimed at parents, peers
and social factors including the neighbourhood.
.
References
- A.S.A.P.: A School-based
Anti-Violence Program, revised 2nd ed.,available at www.yrbe.edu.on.ca/~safeschl/bullying1.htm
or through the London Family Court Clinic
- Education Act, R.S.O. 1990,
c.E.2, s.23(1)
- Ibid., s.23(3)
- A principal may suspend
a student for up to 20 school days. There is no fixed end to an expulsion;
however, an expelled student may apply for re-admission. Many school
boards in the Greater Toronto Area will not consider an application
for re-admission for one to two years after expulsion.
- Education Act, supra, s.265(a)(j)(m)
- Operation of Schools Regulation,
R.R.O. 1990, Reg.298, as amended, s.11(30(e)(f)
- Legal fairness in administrative
law is a complex concept that cannot
be described in detail in this article.
- E.Eron, Psychology Today,
September, 1995
- G.Lajoie, A.McLellan, and
C.Seddon, Take Action Against Bullying, www.bullybeware.com
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Institute
for the study of Antisocial behaviour in Youth (lAY) 
