Matthew T. Theriot

Student Reports of Peer Bullying Victimization in a Rural School

Three rural schools located in Appalachia, United States, were the site for this research study that examined the prevalence of bullying among children. A convenience sample of students in grades 3 through 8 completed the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Results found that of the 192 students included in this study, 158 children (82.3%) reported experiencing some form of bullying at least once in the past three months. This prevalence rate is substantially higher than the figures reported in other U.S. studies. Such a significant finding may confirm that school bullying is a bigger problem in rural communities than in urban areas. Given variations in the definition of bullying and measures of frequency, comparisons to other studies should be made cautiously. Instead, this finding should be viewed as a validation for further research rather than as a definitive conclusion.

Misperceptions of Sex Offender Perpetration Considering the Impact of Sex Offender Registration

A popular misconception among the general public is that sex offenders most often victimize strangers. To better understand these misconceptions about sex offenders, this study determines the frequency of misperception in the general public and establishes if the misconceptions are related to the policy of sex offender registration. Using a self-administered mail survey, it is found that on average, 3 out of 10 respondents indicate more worry about a child being sexually abused by a stranger than a child being sexually abused by someone known to them. In neighborhoods where registered sex offenders reside, awareness of a local sex offender significantly increases the likelihood that a respondent is more worried about a stranger sexually abusing a child. Interpretations of the findings follow, including discussing if the findings demonstrate an unintended consequence of sex offender registries.

Student Discipline Problems and the Transition From Elementary to Middle School

The transition from elementary to middle school is difficult for many students. However, the association between such transitions and changes in the types and frequencies of student discipline problems has not been adequately investigated. Using data from two school years, infractions and dispositions for all 5th-grade students (N = 4,196) from one school district are followed from the final year of elementary school through the first year of middle school. Results show a substantial increase in reported student discipline problems and the use of in-school suspension in middle school.This increase is most dramatic for subjectively defined infractions like “class disturbance” and “failure to follow rules” compared to more concrete, objective infractions. Implications for educators and school administrators are discussed.

Prevalence and Bullying Experiences of Victims and Victims Who Become Bullies (Bully-Victims) at Rural Schools

Abstract One of the most significant findings of school bullying research is the identification of bully-victims, or those students who are both bully and bullied. While researchers have hypothesized that this group has unique characteristics and experiences, limited research compares the perceptions and bullying experiences of this group to those of bullied children who do not bully others. This study seeks to fill such a research gap by contrasting the characteristics and bullying experiences of victims and bully-victims. Among 192 children at rural elementary and middle schools, 31 percent are victims while 11.5 percent are bully-victims. Based on chi-square and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) comparisons of bullying victimization, bully-victims experience more total bullying. They are also more likely to experience name-calling or teasing, physical assault, having money or items taken or damaged, and bullying based on race or color. They experience many of these behaviors with greater frequency than nonbullying victims. The authors discuss these findings and their implications for bullying research and antibullying interventions at rural schools.

Comparing Sex Offender Risk Classification Using the Static-99 and LSI-R Assessment Instruments.

Objective: This study compares sex offender risk classification using two popular actuarial risk assessment instruments—the Static-99 and the Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R). Despite their extensive use, the two scales assess different types of risk factors and research has yet to compare them. Method: Static-99 and LSI-R risk assessments were compared for 30 adult male sex offenders attending a community-based treatment program. Results: A paired Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed a significant difference (Z = –3.962,p < .001) between the instruments, with 63.3% of the sample classified as higher risk for reoffending by the Static-99 than by the LSI-R. Conclusions: The Static-99 may be a more conservative risk assessment tool. Yet because the LSI-R provides useful information about an offender’s current needs not included on the Static-99, treatment providers should use both instruments. This more comprehensive assessment of criminogenic risk and need will better inform supervision and intervention decisions.

The Impact of School Resource Officer Interaction on Students’ Feelings About School and School Police

School resource officer (SRO) programs that place sworn law enforcement officers at schools are a popular violence prevention strategy. Despite widespread implementation, little is known about the impact of interacting with these officers on students’ attitudes about SROs and feelings of school connectedness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of SRO interaction on the attitudes and feelings of 1,956 middle and high school students at 12 schools in one school district. Multivariate analyses showed that more SRO interactions increased students’ positive attitudes about SROs yet decreased school connectedness. Overall, the results suggested a complex relationship between SRO interactions, students’ attitudes, and experiences with school violence. The implications of these results and strategies for how officers can contribute to a positive school environment are discussed.

Using Popular Media to Reduce New College Students’ Mental Illness Stigma

In response to evidence that mental illness stigma is especially prevalent among college students, an innovative seminar was developed that mixed popular films and other media with lectures and class discussions to reduce new college students’ stigma. Multivariate analyses showed students in the seminar had more negative attitudes toward people with schizophrenia at the beginning of the seminar but possessed significantly more positive attitudes at the end when compared to a control group. Most notably, seminar students showed greater improvements in their feelings of fear, perceived dangerousness, and desire for segregation from people with schizophrenia than control group students. Implications for college students and anti-stigma programming are discussed.

Native American Youth Gangs

ABSTRACT The number of Native American youth gangs has increased dramatically since the 1990s. These gangs bring increases in crime and pose unique challenges to tribal leaders and local police departments. Using an integrated theoretical perspective, this article connects cultural and historical factors to explain the emergence of gangs in Indian country, identify risk factors for gang involvement, and outline important considerations for effective prevention and intervention strategies. It is expected that an improved understanding of Native American culture and experiences combined with the implementation of culturally-appropriate prevention and intervention programs will lead to more positive outcomes.

Attitudes about Mental Illness and Professional Danger among New Social Work Students.

This article describes the results of a study comparing attitudes toward mental illness and perceptions of professional danger among new social work students (n=64) and other university students (n=111). Such topics have implications for social work education and curriculum development but have not been studied adequately. Results from multivariate analyses showed that new social work students generally had more positive attitudes toward serious mental illness. They had less fear, were less avoidant, and were more willing to help people with severe mental illness than other students. There were no differences in other attitudes, however, including the dangers posed by mental illness and the perceived dangerousness of the social work profession. Implications for educating social work students are discussed.

School Resource Officers and Students’ Feelings of Safety at School:

The number of school resource officers (SROs) placed at schools has increased dramatically. These officers are tasked with making schools safer, yet the effect of interacting with SROs on students’ feelings of safety needs more investigation. To address this need, 1,956 middle and high school students were surveyed. Latent class analysis identified two groups of students, one who felt safe and another who did not. Regression showed that interacting with SROs was unrelated to these feelings of safety; instead, African American students and victimized students felt less safe while males, students with more school connectedness, and students with more positive attitudes about SROs felt safer.