School violence roles and sociometric status among Spanish students

This study examines the relation between the social adjustment in the classroom and the role of aggressor or victim, in school violence situations. Participants were 1,635 students (aged 14-18 years old), from a representative sample, with different levels (compulsory secondary education, specific/initial training courses and vocational programs). Students filled out a questionnaire that included measures of types of violence (exclusion, verbal violence, physical violence), from the point of view of the three roles that are implicated (aggressors, victims and observants), and a sociometric questionnaire. The variables measured were: frequency of school violence (exclusion, psychological violence and physical violence) and the peer status (rejected, controversial, neglected, average or popular). The statistic analyses used were χ2and Ftests. From the results we can point out the importance of these variables in the school violence situations. The implications of these findings and the relevance for preventive programs are discussed. (Developmental and Educational Psychology, Complutense University, Madrid 28223, Spain)