Laurence Owens

'It Hurts a Hell of a Lot...' The Effects of Indirect Aggression on Teenage Girls

This article reports on a qualitative investigation of the effects of indirect aggression from peers (e.g. spreading false stories, exclusion from the group) on teenage girls. Focus groups, pair and individual interviews were conducted with teenage girls and their key teachers to explore the effects of indirect aggression on girls. The perceived characteristics of typical victims of indirect aggression also emerged from the study. The girls initially respond to indirect aggression with confusion and may deny suffering any ill-effects. However, as is the case with other forms of victimization, girls certainly experience a range of negative psychological effects including anxiety, loss of selfesteem and depression. This pain leads to a desire to escape through leaving the group or the school and even to thoughts of suicide. The girls fear that the harassment from peers may not end and witnesses or bystanders do not intervene for fear of what may happen to them. The pain of indirect aggression may be compounded by irrational self-talk by the girls. Some girls react to indirect aggression by retaliating against their aggressors and often conflict is resolved by girls who employ one-to-one strategies that avoid the power of the group. Some victims of indirect aggression are reported to bring the wrath of peers upon themselves through their actions in provoking others. However, the tendency to blame the victim may be a way of alleviating guilt on behalf of the perpetrators of aggression. Victims of indirect aggression may be particularly vulnerable if they are new or have few friends or lack assertiveness. An understanding of the painful effects of indirect aggression on girls is an important prelude to designing interventions to assist girls in their peer relationships.

Sticks and stones and sugar and spice: girls' and boys' aggression in schools

According to official figures, most of the trouble in schools is caused by boys. This is because boys are more openly disruptive and overtly aggressive. However, recent research has uncovered forms of aggression more common among girls. This paper reports on a study in South Australian schools which explores gender and developmental differences in aggression. A peer estimation scale was administered to students in years 2, 6, 9 and 11 in two high schools and four primary schools. Boys were found to be more physically and verbally aggressive than girls but girls used more indirect forms of aggression during the high school years. The gender differences in aggression are linked to gender differences in friendship patterns. Implications for schools are briefly discussed.

Gender Differences in Aggression in Children and Adolescents in South Australian Schools

ABSTRACT Violence in Australian schools is perceived to be on the increase and most of this violence is said to be caused by boys. The traditional view is that males are the more aggressive sex. Recent research in Scandinavia (Bjorkqvist, Lagerspetz and Kaukiainen, 1992; Bjorkqvist, Osterman and Lagerspetz, 1994a) however, has questioned this gender polarised view of aggression in suggesting that gender differences may be qualitative rather than quantitative. This paper reports a study of gender and developmental differences in aggression among students in South Australian schools. A modified version of a peer estimation technique, the Direct and Indirect Aggression Scales (Bjorkqvist et al., 1994a), was administered to students across four year levels (years 2, 6, 9 and 11) in two Catholic high schools and four Catholic primary schools. Boys were found to be more physically and verbally aggressive than girls but girls used more indirect aggression at the higher year levels. The practical and research imp...

'They Turned Around Like I Wasn't There': An Analysis of Teenage Girls' Letters About Their Peer Conflicts.

This study sought a clearer understanding of the aggressive behaviours and conflict resolution experiences of teenage girls. The participants were 39 Year 10 girls attending a single-sex school in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. The girls participated in a novel letter writing methodology designed to shadow adolescents’ existing use of letters as a form of communication between peers and encourage candour in their responses. The predominant indirect behaviours included talking about other girls, ignoring, neglecting and excluding peers and giving nasty looks. The girls explained that the victimization was primarily related to the manipulation and maintenance of their peer social networks. High levels of trust and intimacy were invested in their friendships providing the ideal forum for pain to be inflicted in powerful and effective, yet discreet, relational forms against one another. Victimization by others generated confusion and pain and, at times, empathy for the victims by onlookers. Consistent with the indirect, relational nature of girls’ victimization, in their resolution of conflicts, the girls often strove for the social support of peers.

“You just stare at them and give them daggers”: Nonverbal Expressions of Social Aggression in Teenage Girls

ABSTRACT Social aggression is aimed at hurting others through damaging their peer relationships, and occurs more typically among girls than boys, especially in the teenage years. We have previously reported that Australian teenage girls and their teachers explain such behaviours in terms of friendship-group processes and creating excitement. While verbal behaviours such as spreading rumours play an important part, this paper presents evidence that nonverbal behaviours are also an important aspect of social aggression, serving functions such as conveying dislike and excluding individuals from peer groups. Such behaviours are often subtle and can be used in ways which enable offenders to protest their innocence. Implications for interventions to alleviate the damaging effects of social aggression are discussed.

Early Challenges in Evaluating the KidsMatter National Mental Health Promotion Initiative in Australian Primary Schools

This article describes, analyses and reflects on the challenges of planning and conducting the evaluation of the KidsMatter Initiative (KMI) in Australian primary schools during the first year of the two-year initiative. The purpose of the evaluation is to inform the Australia-wide rollout of the KMI. The discussion is arranged under four headings: conceptual challenges, design challenges, practical implementation challenges and managing collaborative complexity. Emphasis is placed on how the challenges were theorised as a basis for responding to the requirements of the evaluation. Conclusions include recognising and enabling contributions from diverse stakeholders, using the domain expertise of the evaluation team, operating flexibly to meet the needs and exigencies of the KMI, the clients and the diverse participant groups, maintaining focus on the core conceptual frameworks underlying the KMI and the evaluation, and the implications of the evaluation for developing wider knowledge relating to schools and their effects, as well as about factors contributing to educational change.

“Overconfidence” versus “helplessness”: A qualitative study on abstinence self-efficacy of drug users in a male compulsory drug detention center in China

BackgroundCompulsory drug detention is the most frequent way to control drug use in China; however, it has often been criticized. This qualitative study aimed to investigate abstinence self-efficacy and its sources of drug users in a compulsory male drug detention center in Shanghai, China, and the attitudes of the drug users to this form of rehabilitation.MethodsThirty-six participants were interviewed (semi-structured, in depth) about their history of drug use and rehabilitation, self-evaluation of addiction, motivations to abstain, plans for the future and attitudes toward rehabilitation. A thematic analysis was undertaken of the transcripts with responses to interview questions being coded for content.ResultsTwo main types of self-efficacy were found – “overconfidence” (n = 16) and “helplessness” (n = 17). Overconfident participants underestimated their levels of addiction, overestimated their self-control and held external motivations and attributions. In contrast, helpless participants overestimated their levels of addiction, underestimated their self-control and had internal motivations and attributions. Compared to overconfident participants, helpless participants had more relapse history, and were more inclined to interpret relapse as a failure and attribute relapse to themselves. More helpless participants were abandoned by their family members, and received blame from the family members instead of encouragement, but their family members motivated them to abstain. Helpless participants experienced more negative emotions and had worse physical status. They said compulsory detention was a strong support for them and was the most effective way to abstain; while overconfident participants said compulsory detention was not necessary and not useful.ConclusionIt is important to increase the motivation of overconfident drug users and the perceived control of helpless drug users. Compulsory drug detention has strengths in supporting drug users who feel helpless to resist drug use. Adjustments and improvements of compulsory drug detention are suggested.

Great Expectations: African Youth from Refugee Backgrounds and the Transition to University

Engagement in post-compulsory education is a means by which resettled refugees can gain social and economic mobility. Given the importance of education in shaping the futures of both individuals and societies, understanding the challenges facing students from refugee backgrounds and those involved in their education constitutes an important area of research. While such issues have received attention in primary and secondary school contexts, very little research has addressed these issues in higher education. This chapter examines the educational experiences and challenges associated with the transition to university for African youth from refugee backgrounds. It presents the perspectives of educators, social service providers, African students and African community leaders who participated in a qualitative investigation of the education and career pathways of African youth from refugee backgrounds. The chapter invites academics to reflect upon their experiences and challenges in teaching these students and to consider their own professional development needs with a view to better supporting these students. Recommendations are offered in an effort to identify key areas of support for academics and students in higher education.