Contextual Determinants of Aggressive Behavior Among Blacks In Urban-City Schools
There has been a substantial amount of research focusing on the aggressive behavioral tendencies displayed within African American students, particularly within the urban setting. This primary focus has resulted in a gap in the literature that would allow for a full understanding of the causes behind such behaviors within Black urban students. This in turn would help school programs against violence to lead towards prevention strategies, rather than merely formulating methods to intervene, as research has shown that such tertiary approaches to aggressive behavior have not caused a significant decrease in violent behaviors in schools. Therefore, this study will allow for culturally influenced explanations within the contexts of neighborhood scales, family, school and peer groups. Factors leading to aggression (e.g., bullying and fighting) are examined within one urban middle school. Data from a survey administered over two days were obtained from a middle school located in a Midwestern city with a large African American population (n = 324). Scales utilized in the study measured bullying, victimization, aggression, deviant peers, neighborhood characteristics, and parental involvement. Regression analyses demonstrated that sibling aggression was the best predictor of both bullying and fighting perpetration, followed by association with delinquent friends. Findings suggest that prevention programs need to move beyond strictly classroom-based curricula and incorporate factors, such as family and peer influences.
School:
Lincoln University
Department:
Psychology
Research Advisor:
Dorothy L Espelage
Department of Research Advisor:
Educational Psychology
Year of Publication:
2008