A comprehensive needs assessment to facilitate prevention of school drop out and violence

Abstract

The present study addresses school violence and school drop out and proposes that the underlying factor of school connectedness/school climate should guide preventive and intervention efforts. Data were gathered from five schools in a small city school district in north Georgia. Group and individual interviews served as the basis for constructing a 78-item district-wide survey administered to 304 school employees. Data are presented on individual items from the survey. Principal components analysis revealed five distinct factors: school connectedness/ positive school climate, causes of violence, causes of school drop out, interventions for drop out, and interventions for violence. The principal components analysis was the basis for construction of a revised scale. Differences between revised scale scores were noted as a function of whether respondents were from central office, elementary or secondary schools. The five revised scales had correlation ranging from .31 to .59. Implications for research and practice are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Ecological models and prior research indicate that violence and drop out are long-term processes involving multiple levels of influence (Bronfenbrenner, 1989;Coie, Lochman, Terry, & Hyman, 1992;Finn, 1993;Grannis, 1991;Tolan & Guerra, 1994). The literature on violence and drop out prevention shows considerable overlap regarding the factors contributing to these problems and recommendations for interventions (Frick et al., 1991;Hinshaw, 1992). Further, it has been suggested that the problems of drop out, absenteeism and truancy, disruptive classroom behavior, and delinquency can all be seen as outcomes of an early pattern of withdrawal from school; however, the ways in which these problems co-occur has received little attention in the literature (Finn, 1989). Although the antecedents to drop out and violent behavior have been linked, these problems are rarely addressed together in research on intervention and prevention studies. The common risk factors between these problems suggest there may be certain underlying mechanisms related to these problems. The present study contributes to current literature in two ways. First, perceptions about violence and school drop out and perceptions of the underlying mechanisms that cause these problems to co-occur, as well as suggestions for interventions will add to what is currently known about violence prevention and drop out prevention. Second, the present study details an approach to conduct and use a comprehensive needs assessment to guide the implementation of preventive interventions.Risk factors for drop out include tardiness, chronic absenteeism, truancy, suspensions and expulsions, retention, socioeconomic status, minority status, disability status, mobility, negative family interactions, behavior problems, academic problems, sense of alienation and disengagement from school, and poor peer acceptance (Barton, Watkins, & Jarjoura, 1997;Cairns, Cairns, & Neckerman, 1989; Eckstrom, Goertz, Pollack, & Rock, 1986;Korterin...

Violence Among Young Adults Receiving Housing Assistance: Vouchers, Race, and Transitions Into Adulthood

“…Teens who feel more connected with their schools and teachers are less likely to participate in violent behavior (Brookmeyer et al, 2006). In addition, a positive school climate reduces school fighting and other undesirable behaviors (Anderman, 2002;Hunt et al, 2002;KhouryKassabri, Benbenishty, Astor, & Zeira, 2004).…”

School Size and Youth Violence: Potential Mediating and Moderating Role of School Connectedness

“…Hunt et al (2002) emphasized the importance of considering school connectedness as a primary preventative approach to youth violence, rather than secondary or tertiary. It also has been argued that in order to support nonviolence, schools need to encourage a climate of genuine acceptance and caring and trusting relationships among students and school personnel (Edwards, 2001).…”

Contribution of Student and Instructor Relationships and Attachment Style to School Completion

“…For example, Hunt et al (2002) found that school employees regarded ethnic minority status as a contributor to school dropout. In a study comparing differences for leaving school among Hispanic and non-Hispanic students, Hispanic students were more likely to leave school for family reasons (Aloise-Young & Chavez, 2002 Crosnoe, Johnson, and Elder (2004) ascertained that after controlling for family background, the magnitude of racial or ethnic differences in school attachment and student-teacher bonding depended on the characteristics of the schools but not on school size.…”