School connectedness, anger behaviors, and relationships of violent and nonviolent American youth.
OBJECTIVE
Youth violence research often focuses on risk factors arising from early familial interactions rather than school-related factors.


METHODS
Via an Internet questionnaire, 282 girls and boys (ages 7-19, mean 15.3) from 47 states and Washington, DC, reported on school connectedness, interpersonal relationships, and anger behaviors.


RESULTS
Substantial percentages of violent youth did not perceive themselves to be liked by classmates and reported loneliness. If not liked by classmates, 80% hated school. Likers and haters of school differed on seven variables (all p < or = .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Insufficient attention is paid to the alienation experienced by disliked and lonely students. Mental health nurses could play a pivotal role in fostering change in the social climate of schools and helping youth to achieve better anger management and social skills.
Thomas
Sandra P
SP
College of Nursing, Knoxville, TN, USA. sthomas@utk.edu
Smith
Helen
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000786:Anger; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005195:Family Relations / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009769:Object Attachment; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D012573:School Nursing; D012918:Social Alienation / Q000523:psychology*; D012935:Social Justice / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001741:Black or African American