Top

Published in:

05-04-2023 | Original Paper

Understanding parent aggression directed against teachers: A school climate framework

Authors: Susan D. McMahon, Kailyn M. Bare, Cori L. Cafaro, Kayleigh E. Zinter, Yesenia Garcia-Murillo, Gabrielle Lynch, Katie M. McMahon, Dorothy L. Espelage, Linda A. Reddy, Eric M. Anderman, Rena Subotnik

Published in: Learning Environments Research | Issue 3/2023

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

Teachers experience verbal and physical aggression from a variety of aggressors in schools worldwide. However, most school violence and aggression research is focused on students, with few empirical studies examining teacher aggression from parent offenders. This study investigated the school ecology associated with teachers’ experiences of aggression from students’ parents. We applied and adapted a school climate framework to examine the qualitative survey responses of 450 United States teachers who reported their most upsetting experiences involving parent aggression. Using a directed content analysis approach, teacher victimization was examined through the four school climate domains of safety, academic, institutional environment, and community. Significant socioemotional and physical safety concerns regarding verbal and physical aggression from parents, often related to school discipline practices, were identified. In the academic domain, parent aggression was associated with parent–teacher disagreements regarding grades and services, challenges with administrative leadership, and job stability concerns. The institutional environment domain illustrated where incidents took place, school resources, and policies regarding security and student placement as key factors in parent aggression. Results from the community domain highlighted issues of communication, mistrust, negative attitudes, accountability, diversity, and neighborhood and societal factors. Teacher experiences and exemplar themes provide context and further elaborate upon the school climate framework. Implications for research, school practice, and policy are presented.

previous article Comparing students’ and teachers’ perceptions about teachers’ interpersonal behaviour in Greek secondary education

next article A unidimensional model of emotion-focused teaching in early childhood

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Agnew, R. (1993). Why do they do it? An examination of the intervening mechanisms between “social control” variables and delinquency. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 30, 245–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427893030003001CrossRef

Ainsworth, M. S. (1989). Attachments beyond infancy. American Psychologist, 44, 709–716. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.44.4.709CrossRef

Aldridge, J. M., & McChesney, K. (2021). Parents’ and caregivers’ perceptions of the school climate: Development and validation of the Parent and Caregiver Survey (PaCS). Learning Environments Research, 24, 23–41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-020-09308-zCrossRef

Aldridge, J. M., McChesney, K., & Afari, E. (2018). Relationships between school climate, bullying and delinquent behaviours. Learning Environments Research, 21(2), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-017-9249-6CrossRef

Bandura, A. (1986). The explanatory and predictive scope of self-efficacy theory. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 4(3), 359–373.CrossRef

Barge, J. K., & Loges, W. E. (2003). Parent, student, and teacher perceptions of parental involvement. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 31, 140–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/0090988032000064597CrossRef

Bear, G. G., Yang, C., Pell, M., & Gaskins, C. (2014). Validation of a brief measure of teachers’ perceptions of school climate: Relations to student achievement and suspensions. Learning Environments Research, 17(3), 339–354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-014-9162-1CrossRef

Beckmann, L., Bergmann, M. C., Schneegans, T., & Baier, D. (2019). Importation and deprivation factors influencing teacher-targeted aggression among secondary school students in Germany: A multilevel analysis. Aggressive Behavior, 45(3), 337–347.CrossRef

Berg, J. K., & Cornell, D. (2016). Authoritative school climate, aggression toward teachers, and teacher distress in middle school. School Psychology Quarterly, 31(1), 122. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000132

Bireda, S., & Chait, R. (2011). Increasing teacher diversity: Strategies to improve the teacher workforce. Center for American Progress.

Blase, J., & Blase, J. (2000). Effective instructional leadership: Teachers’ perspectives on how principals promote teaching and learning in schools. Journal of Educational Administration, 38, 130–141. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230010320082CrossRef

Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss, Vol. 1. Attachment. International Psycho‐Analytical Library.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.

Cohen, J., McCabe, L., Michelli, N. M., & Pickeral, T. (2009). School climate: Research, policy, practice, and teacher education. Teachers College Record, 111, 180–213.CrossRef

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage.

de Wet, C. (2010). Victims of educator-targeted bullying: A qualitative study. South African Journal of Education, 30, 189–201.CrossRef

Eccles, J. S., Lord, S. E., & Roeser, R. W. (1996). Round holes, square pegs, rocky roads, and sore feet: The impact of stage-environment fit on young adolescents’ experiences in schools. In D. Cicchetti & S. Toth (Eds.), Adolescence: Opportunities and challenges (pp. 47–92). University of Rochester Press.

Eccles, J. S., & Midgley, C. (1989). Stage/environment fit: Developmentally appropriate classrooms for early adolescents. In R. Ames & C. Ames (Eds.), Research on motivation in education (Vol. 3, pp. 139–181). Academic Press.

Espelage, D., Anderman, E. M., Brown, V. E., Jones, A., Lane, K. L., McMahon, S. D., Reddy, LA., Reynolds, C. R. (2013). Understanding and preventing violence directed against teachers: Recommendations for a national research, practice, and policy agenda. American Psychologist, 68, 75–87. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031307

Fisher, K., & Kettle, P. (2003). Teachers’ perceptions of school violence. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 17(2), 79–83.CrossRef

Gottfredson, G. D., & Gottfredson, D. C. (1985). Victimization in schools. Plenum Press.CrossRef

Gottfredson, G. D., Gottfredson, D. C., Payne, A. A., & Gottfredson, N. C. (2005). School climate predictors of school disorder: Results from a national study of delinquency prevention in schools. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 42, 412–444. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427804271931CrossRef

Graves, S. L., Jr., Blake, J., & Kim, E. S. (2012). Differences in parent and teacher ratings of preschool problem behavior in a national sample: The significance of gender and SES. Journal of Early Intervention, 34(3), 151–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815112461833CrossRef

Gregory, A., Cornell, D., & Fan, X. (2012). Teacher safety and authoritative school climate in high schools. American Journal of Education, 118, 401–425. https://doi.org/10.1086/666362CrossRef

Hirschi, T., & Stark, R. (1969). Hellfire and delinquency. Social Problems, 17, 202–213. https://doi.org/10.2039/799866CrossRef

Hsieh, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277–1288.CrossRef

Huang, F. L., Lloyd Eddy, C., & Camp, E. (2017). The role of the perceptions of school climate and teacher victimization by students. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517721898CrossRef

Koth, C. W., Bradshaw, C. P., & Leaf, P. J. (2008). A multilevel study of predictors of student perceptions of school climate: The effect of classroom-level factors. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(1), 96–104.CrossRef

Lawson, M. A. (2003). School-family relations in context: Parent and teacher perceptions of parent involvement. Urban Education, 38, 77–133. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085902238687CrossRef

Leithwood, K. A., & Riehl, C. (2003). What we know about successful school leadership. Laboratory for Student Success, Temple University.

Lesneskie, E., & Block, S. (2017). School violence: The role of parental and community involvement. Journal of School Violence, 16(4), 426–444. https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2016.1168744CrossRef

Lindstrom Johnson, S. (2009). Improving the school environment to reduce school violence: A review of the literature. Journal of School Health, 79(10), 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00435.xCrossRef

Longobardi, C., Badenes-Ribera, L., Fabris, M. A., Martinez, A., & McMahon, S. D. (2019). Prevalence of student violence against teachers: A meta-analysis. Psychology of Violence, 9(6), 596. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000202

Matjasko, J. L., Vivolo-Kantor, A. M., Massetti, G. M., Holland, K. M., Holt, M. K., & Dela Cruz, J. (2012). A systematic meta-review of evaluations of youth violence prevention programs: Common and divergent findings from 25 years of meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 17, 540–552.CrossRef

Maxwell, J. A. (2010). Using numbers in qualitative research. Qualitative Inquiry, 16(6), 475–482. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800410364740CrossRef

May, D. C., Johnson, J., Chen, Y., Hutchinson, L., & Ricketts, M. (2010). Exploring parental aggression toward teachers in a public school setting. Current Issues in Education, 13, 1–34.

McEwan, E. K. (2005). How to deal with teachers who are angry, troubled, exhausted or just plain confused. Sage Publications.

McMahon, S. D., Davis, J. O., Peist, E., Bare, K., Espelage, D. L., Martinez, A., Anderman, E. M., & Reddy, L. A. (2019). Student verbal aggression toward teachers: How do behavioral patterns unfold? Psychology of Violence. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000256

McMahon, S. D., Martinez, A., Espelage, D. L., Rose, C., Reddy, L. A., Lane, K., Anderman, E. M., Reynolds, C. R., Jones, A., & Brown, V. (2014). Violence directed against teachers: Results from a national survey. Psychology in the Schools, 51, 753–766. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21777.

McMahon, S. D., Peist, E., Davis, J. O., Bare, K., Martinez, A., Reddy, L. A., Espelage, D. L., & Anderman, E. M. (2020). Physical aggression toward teachers: Antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. Aggressive Behavior, 46, 116–126. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21870

McMahon, S. D., Peist, E., Davis, J. O., McConnell, E., Reaves, S., Reddy, L. A., Anderman, E. M., & Espelage, D. L. (2020). Addressing violence against teachers: A social‐ecological analysis of teachers' perspectives. Psychology in the Schools. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22382

McMahon, S. D., Reaves, S., McConnell, E., Peist, E., Ruiz, L., & APA Task Force on Classroom Violence Directed Against Teachers (2017). The ecology of teachers’ experiences with violence and lack of administrative support. American Journal of Community Psychology, 60, 502–515. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12202

Microsoft Corporation. (2018). Microsoft Excel.

National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Characteristics of traditional public, public charter, and private school teachers: Condition of education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 1/8/23, from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/sld.

Ozmedir, S. (2012). An investigation of violence against teachers in Turkey. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 39, 51–62.

Peist, E., McMahon, S. D., Davis, J. O., & Keys, C. B. (2020). Teacher turnover in the context of teacher-directed violence: An empowerment lens. Journal of School Violence, 19(4), 553–565. https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2020.1779081

Peterson, R. L., & Skiba, R. (2001). Creating school climates that prevent school violence. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 44(3), 122–129.CrossRef

Pomerantz, E. M., & Moorman, E. A. (2018). The how, whom, and why of parents’ involvement in children’s academic lives: More is not always better. American Educational Research Association, 77(3), 373–410. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430305567CrossRef

Rutter, M. (2006). Implications of resilience concepts for scientific understanding. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1094, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1376.002CrossRef

Sheldon, B., & Epstein, J. (2002). Improving student behavior and school discipline with family and community involvement. Education and Urban Society, 35, 4–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/001312402237212CrossRef

Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2010). Teacher self-efficacy and teacher burnout: A study of relations. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26, 1059–1069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2009.11.001CrossRef

Uline, C., & Tschannen-Moran, M. (2008). The walls speak: The interplay of quality facilities, school climate, and student achievement. Journal of Educational Administration, 46, 55–73. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230810849817CrossRef

Varjas, K., Henrich, C. C., & Meyers, J. (2009). Urban middle school students’ perceptions of bullying, cyberbullying, and school safety. Journal of School Violence, 8(2), 159–176. https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220802074165CrossRef

Wang, M. T., & Degol, J. L. (2016). School climate: A review of the construct, measurement, and impact on student outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 28, 315–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9319-1CrossRef

Woudstra, M. H., Van Rensburg, E. J., Visser, M., & Jordaan, J. (2018). Learner-to-teacher bullying as a potential factor influencing teachers’ mental health. South African Journal of Education, 38, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v38n1a1358CrossRef

Zimmerman, M. A., & Arunkumar, R. (1994). Resiliency research: Implications for schools and policy. Social Policy Report, 8, 1–18.CrossRef

Title: Understanding parent aggression directed against teachers: A school climate framework
Authors: Susan D. McMahon
Kailyn M. Bare
Cori L. Cafaro
Kayleigh E. Zinter
Yesenia Garcia-Murillo
Gabrielle Lynch
Katie M. McMahon
Dorothy L. Espelage
Linda A. Reddy
Eric M. Anderman
Rena Subotnik
Publication date: 05-04-2023
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Learning Environments Research / Issue 3/2023
Print ISSN: 1387-1579
Electronic ISSN: 1573-1855
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-023-09460-2

Springer Professional

Abstract

Please log in to get access to your license.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Other articles of this Issue 3/2023

A unidimensional model of emotion-focused teaching in early childhood

Personal learning environment: instrument system for learning beyond the boundaries of the university

Innovative learning environments and student orientation to learning: a kaleidoscopic framework LERI-D-21-00243R2

Situating semester schools in the landscape of high school learning

Correction: Innovative learning environments and student orientation to learning: a kaleidoscopic framework

Teacher profiles in higher education: the move to online education during the COVID-19 crisis

Premium Partner