Prevalence and prevention of interpersonal violence in urban secondary schools: an ecosystemic perspective

Abstract

English: This article aims to describe the prevalence and nature of learner violence in urban secondary schools and what school staff members, learners and parents perceive as the major contributing factors to either promoting or preventing interpersonal adolescent violence. Adolescents’ behaviour and development are to a large extent influenced by the type of relationship they have with school staff members, their parents and peer group. This article provides an overview of the empirical study and a discussion of the main research findings that should assist schools and families with collaboratively identifying and addressing the social and ecological factors that either promote or prevent aggressive or violent adolescent learner behaviour.

Afrikaans: Die doel van die artikel is om die navorsingsbevindings van ’n studie oor die voorkoms en aard van adolessente geweld in stedelike sekondêre skole te beskryf en aan te dui wat skoolpersoneel, leerders en ouers beskou as die belangrikste faktore vir die bevordering of voorkoming van interpersoonlike adolessente geweld. Tienergedrag en -ontwikkeling word in ’n groot mate beïnvloed deur die tipe verhouding wat hulle met die skoolpersoneel, hul ouers en portuurgroep het. Die artikel bied ’n oorsig van die empiriese studie en bespreek die belangrikste bevindinge wat skole en families in staat sal stel om gesamentlik daardie sosiale en ekologiese faktore wat óf tot adolessente leerder-geweld bydra óf dit kan verhoed, te identifiseer en aan te spreek.