School Violence and Primary Prevention

Paralleling the public concern generated by high-profile school shootings and the growing dialogue about bullying, professionals in school and public health settings need effective strategies for preventing violence, treating victims, and assessing at-risk children. In School Violence and Primary Prevention, more than three dozen clinicians, counselors, educators, and researchers provide readers with multiple levels of understanding on the subject: the scope of school violence, possible roles of the home environment, and the contexts of child/teen/school culture. Various forms of student aggression and antisocial behavior—from bullying to sexual harassment to mass shootings (including the Virginia Tech massacre)—are discussed in depth, and the book evenly balances theoretical knowledge with practical applications from elementary school to college.

Among the topics covered:

• School-based prevention strategies, from character education to the Bully Free Program.

• Developmental, trauma, and neurobiological perspectives on school violence.

• Sociocultural and cross-cultural approaches to prevention.

• Threat and risk assessment in individuals and schools.

• The roles of teachers and mental health personnel in prevention and intervention.

• Rarely explored areas including cliques, cults, body image issues, and the impact of violence on perpetrators.

Matching the prevalence of the problem with its range of ideas, School Violence and Primary Prevention is critical reading for school professionals including teachers, counselors and administrators, medical and mental health professionals working with children, and makes a valuable graduate text in psychology, public health, and social epidemiology.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Gary B Kaniuk, Psy.D.(Cermak Health Services)
Description:This book covers various aspects of school violence from elementary school through college, including bullying, sexual harassment, and mass shootings, addressing both assessment and prevention issues. It also sets forth theoretical concepts that are hypothesized to underlie aggressive behavior.
Purpose:According to the editor, the purpose is to provide "a compendium of papers addressing school violence and the critical ingredients in prevention interventions that contribute to reducing and/or eliminating various forms of violence in the school setting.
Audience:The book is intended for teachers, counselors, and administrators as well as medical and mental health professionals working with children. It also can serve as a graduate text in psychology, public health, and social epidemiology. The editor has been on the faculty at the University of Kentucky for 36 years and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Psychology and Fellow of the American Psychological Association.
Features:The book covers theoretical, assessment, treatment, and prevention aspects of school violence. Interesting theoretical hypotheses are presented, including neurobiological and psychological (attachment, social information processing). The assessment chapters are very helpful, describing imminent and early warning signs and the risk for harm categories. The tables and figures add great clarity to the material. The forms in the book could easily be adapted for use in schools. Many of the chapters cover the very important problem of bullying and the book addresses both perpetrators and victims. Chapter 21 reviews two important studies regarding family and community violence prevention. This easy to read book presents practical ideas and there are no obvious shortcomings. However, more case studies would greatly enhance the book.
Assessment:This excellent book, combining theory, assessment, intervention, and prevention will be useful to teachers, administrators, and mental health personnel. There is a need to thoroughly understand violence in schools and discover prevention and intervention methods. This book assists in that purpose. Readers will not be disappointed!

Thomas W. Miller is Professor at Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky as well as a senior research scientist with the University of Connecticut’s Center for Health Intervention and Prevention. He is also a University Teaching Fellow and a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology in clinical psychology. He also is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Royal Society of Medicine.

The author of 10 books, his research has included cross-cultural studies of trauma in veterans; victims of natural disasters; medical conditions, including HIV; and applications of telemedicine in providing access to care for rural and underserved populations.