NCJ Number
51424
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE ON 253 CLASSROOM TEACHERS IN LOS ANGELES, CALIF., SHOWED THAT THEIR REACTIONS TO THE LONG-TERM STRESS WERE SIMILAR TO COMBAT NEUROSIS.
Abstract
THE PATIENTS SELECTED FOR THE STUDY, INCLUDING 158 FEMALES AND 95 MALES FROM INNER-CITY SCHOOLS WHO WERE VICTIMS OF VARYING PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL TRAUMA, WERE EVALUATED BETWEEN 1971 AND 1976. DURING THE EVALUATIONS, PATTERNS EVOLVED THAT WERE DRAMATICALLY SIMILAR TO EARLY STUDIES OF COMBAT NEUROSIS. MEDICAL RECORDS WERE REVIEWED PRECEDING EACH PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION OF THE PATIENT'S EGO FUNCTIONING, ATTITUDES, CURRENT LIFE SITUATION, AND THE PRESENCE OF ANY PREDISPOSING FACTORS. A BATTERY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS ALSO WERE ISSUED. MEDICAL RESULTS SHOWED THAT A MAJORITY OF THE PATIENTS HAD EXTENSIVE MEDICAL HISTORIES REPRESENTING 2-10 YEARS OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO CONTINUED STRESS, AND CLINICAL EVALUATION INDICATED THAT 28 PERCENT OF THE PATIENTS HAD SUSTAINED ACTUAL PHYSICAL ASSAULT ON CAMPUS, ALTHOUGH MOST INJURIES WERE MINOR. ALMOST ALL PATIENTS PRESENTED SOME MANIFESTIONS OF LONG-TERM STRESS. PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING GENERALLY INDICATED OBSESSIONAL, PASSIVE, IDEALISTIC, DEDICATED PERSONS WHO WERE UNABLE TO COPE WITH, OR UNDERSTAND, THE VIOLENCE DIRECTED AT THEM. LEVELS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WERE CONSISTENTLY HIGH WITH A TENDENCY TO FOCUS UPON VARIOUS SOMATIC EXPRESSIONS OF ANXIETY. FACTORS PREDISPOSING TO NEUROSIS IN MILITARY PERSONNEL WERE APPLICABLE, PRIMARILY CENTERING AROUND AN IMPAIRED ABILITY TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH FEAR OR ANGER. ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS FACTORS IDENTIFIED WERE THREATS OF MURDER AND RAPE, ACTUAL PHYSICAL ASSAULT AND INJURY DIRECTED AT TEACHERS, AND THEFT, ARSON, AND VANDALISM OF THEIR PROPERTY. CAMPUS VIOLENCE NOT DIRECTED AT TEACHERS INCLUDED BOMBINGS, THEFT AND VANDALISM, THE PRESENCE OF GANG MEMBERS AND CAMPUS VAGRANTS, AND THE PRESENCE OF WEAPONS ON CAMPUS. TEACHERS REPORTED NO SUPPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WHEN A DISRUPTIVE CHILD WAS REPORTED, A POLICY OF DISCOURAGING TEACHERS TO DISCUSS INCIDENTS WITH OTHER FACULTY MEMBERS, AND A TENDENCY TO DENY REQUESTS FOR TRANSFER. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAINING SHOULD BE GIVEN TO TEACHERS TO PREPARE THEM FOR STRESSFUL SITUATIONS AND THAT PROGRAMS AND POLICY BE ENACTED TO SUPPORT TEACHER MORALE. A CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM SHOULD BE ASSIGNED TO EACH SCHOOL COMPOSED OF TEACHERS AND A PSYCHIATRIST. DATA ON PHYSICAL COMPLAINTS REPORTED ARE INCLUDED AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)