Term of Award
Spring 2019
Degree Name
Master of Science, Criminal Justice and Criminology
Document Type and Release Option
Thesis (open access)
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Department
Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Committee Chair
Laura Agnich
Committee Member 1
Chad Posick
Committee Member 2
Barbara King
Abstract
Bullying, defined as any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated, is becoming an epidemic in our schools, with rates of victimization rising (Donegan, 2012). This thesis examines mental health programs already established within schools, as well as schools where students do not have access to mental health resources and compares the amount of violence that is perpetrated within these schools. Next, this study explores the relationship between bullying victimization and perpetration and mental health, which is often very stigmatized in our society. This research utilizes linear regression models in order to explore this relationship while hypothesizing that student and community involvement as well as teacher training to recognize signs of bullying will be associated with lower levels of bullying. This research should therefore help to combat the issue of bullying in the future. The utilization of both social bond and labeling theory help to explain some reasoning behind perpetration of these issues. Results of this study show that while the presence of acceptance groups, such as LGBTQ+ support groups may not necessarily stifle the issues of bullying or cyberbullying, community involvement and smaller school and class sizes do have an impact of this issue within our schools.
OCLC Number
1111578183
Catalog Permalink
https://galileo-georgiasouthern.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01GALI_GASOUTH/1fi10pa/alma9916228365102950
Recommended Citation
Gray, Lillian R., "Effects of Mental Health Programs on School Violence" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1925.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1925
Research Data and Supplementary Material
No
