SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Uluslararası Davranış, Sürdürülebilirlik ve Yönetim Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 13 Sayı: 24

Violence Against Teachers in the School Context: An Analysis of Case Studies in Italy

Okul Bağlamında Öğretmenlere Yönelik Şiddet: İtalya’daki Vaka Çalışmalarının Bir Analizi Özet

Francesca Falliti(University of Messina)0009-0001-4077-1403
Cristina Foti(University of Messina)0009-0006-1422-0727
Valentina Pelide(University of Messina)0009-0003-6651-758X
Martina Barbera, Phd(University of Messina)0009-0008-6872-7931
Francesca Bruno(University of Messina)0009-0007-1842-2470
Francesco Chirico(University of the Sacred Heart)0000-0002-8737-4368
Amelia Rizzo(University of Messina)0000-0002-6229-6463
Pages
14–26
Publication Date
2026-06-29
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These findings underline the need for effective prevention strategies and increased support for teachers in order to ensure a safer and more respectful school environment.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Assaults against teachers represent a growing phenomenon that raises concerns about the safety and well-being of school personnel.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Through a systematic search, 25 episodes were identified and classified based on the type of aggressor (students, parents, or family members), the motivation behind the assault (disciplinary actions, negative evaluations, school-related measures), and the consequences for the parties involved.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:These findings underline the need for effective prevention strategies and increased support for teachers in order to ensure a safer and more respectful school environment.
🔬Design:Olgu Sunumu
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Öğretmene yönelik saldırılar · okulda şiddet · okul-aile çatışmaları

Abstract

Assaults against teachers represent a growing phenomenon that raises concerns about the safety and well-being of school personnel. This study analyzed episodes of violence reported in major Italian newspapers, collecting data on cases of physical, verbal, and psychological assaults that occurred within school institutions. Through a systematic search, 25 episodes were identified and classified based on the type of aggressor (students, parents, or family members), the motivation behind the assault (disciplinary actions, negative evaluations, school-related measures), and the consequences for the parties involved. The findings highlight that disciplinary actions are the most common triggering factor, while the involvement of parents and family members in the assaults reflects a shift in the school-family relationship. The analysis also reveals an increase in incidents following the pandemic, along with greater difficulties in managing conflicts within the school environment. However, the study presents some limitations, including its reliance on journalistic sources, which may not report all episodes of violence, and the lack of in-depth data on the social and psychological context of the aggressors. These findings underline the need for effective prevention strategies and increased support for teachers in order to ensure a safer and more respectful school environment.

Özet

Öğretmenlere yönelik saldırılar, okul personelinin güvenliği ve refahı açısından endişe verici, giderek artan bir olguyu temsil etmektedir. Bu çalışma, büyük İtalyan gazetelerinde bildirilen şiddet olaylarını analiz ederek, okul kurumları içinde meydana gelen fiziksel, sözlü ve psikolojik saldırı vakalarına dair verileri toplamıştır. Sistematik bir tarama yoluyla 25 vaka belirlenmiş ve saldırganın türüne (öğrenciler, ebeveynler veya aile üyeleri), saldırının nedenine (disiplin cezaları, olumsuz değerlendirmeler, okul ile ilgili önlemler) ve taraflar üzerindeki sonuçlara göre sınıflandırılmıştır. Bulgular, en yaygın tetikleyici unsurun disiplin önlemleri olduğunu ortaya koyarken, ebeveynlerin ve aile bireylerinin saldırılara dahil olması okul-aile ilişkisinde yaşanan bir dönüşüme işaret etmektedir. Analiz aynı zamanda pandemiden sonra olaylarda artış olduğunu ve okul ortamındaki çatışmaların yönetilmesinde daha fazla zorluk yaşandığını göstermektedir. Ancak çalışmanın, yalnızca gazetecilik kaynaklarına dayanması nedeniyle tüm şiddet olaylarını kapsamaması ve saldırganların sosyal ve psikolojik bağlamına ilişkin derinlemesine verilerin bulunmaması gibi bazı sınırlılıkları bulunmaktadır. Bu bulgular, daha güvenli ve saygılı bir okul ortamı sağlamak amacıyla etkili önleme stratejilerine ve öğretmenlere yönelik desteğin artırılmasına duyulan ihtiyacı vurgulamaktadır.

🔖

Cite This Article

Falliti, F., Foti, C., Pelide, V., Barbera, M., Phd, P., Bruno, F., Chirico, F., Rizzo, A. (2026). Violence Against Teachers in the School Context: An Analysis of Case Studies in Italy. Uluslararası Davranış, Sürdürülebilirlik ve Yönetim Dergisi, Cilt: 13 Sayı: 24, 14–26. https://doi.org/10.71444/jobesam.1694896

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (46)

  1. Akbağ, M., Aydoğdu, F., & Rizzo, A. (2024). Developing a novel parental phubbing scale of mother and father forms for adolescents in Türkiye: A validity and reliability study. Personality and Individual Differences, 235, 112963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2024.112963
  2. Alvarez, I. M., González-Parera, M., & Manero, B. (2022). The role of Emotions in Classroom Conflict Management. Case studies geared towards improving teacher training. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 818431. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.818431
  3. American Psychological Association. (2023). Physical abuse. In APA dictionary of psychology. https://dictionary.apa.org/physical-abuse
  4. Barbera, M., & Rizzo, A. (2025). The relationship between alexithymia and compulsive shopping among young adults. Academic Journal of Psychology and Counseling, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.22515/ajpc.v6i1.10009
  5. Barling, J. (1996). The prediction, experience, and consequences of workplace violence. In G. R. VandenBos & E. Q. Bulatao (Eds.), Violence on the job: Identifying risks and developing solutions (pp. 29–49). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10215-001
  6. Beazer, A., Palicki, S., Walter, S., & Eldridge, S. A. (2024). Intersectional solidarity, empathy, or pity? Exploring representations of migrant women in German and British newspapers during the pandemic. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 48(2), 318–345. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2024.2362456
  7. Benbenishty, R., & Astor, R. A. (2005). School violence in context: Culture, neighborhood, family, school, and gender. Oxford University Press.
  8. Berkovich, I., & Eyal, O. (2020). School leaders’ emotional support of teachers through emotional transformation: Qualitative insights into the maintenance of teachers’ occupational identity. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 19(4), 625-639.
  9. Berkowitz, R., Bar-on, N., Tzafrir, S., & Enosh, G. (2022). Teachers’ Safety and Workplace Victimization: A Socioecological Analysis of Teachers’ Perspective. Journal of School Violence, 21(4), 397–412.
  10. https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2022.2105857Bronfenbrenner, U. (1976). The experimental ecology of Education. Teachers College Record the Voice of Scholarship in Education, 78(2), 1–37. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146817607800201
  11. Chen, J., & Astor, R. A. (2009). The perpetration of school violence in Taiwan. School Psychology International, 30(6), 568–584. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034309107076
  12. Chirico, F., & Rizzo, A. (2024). Tackling mental health disorders, burnout, workplace violence, post-traumatic stress disorders amidst climate change, and new global challenges: The crucial role of emotional management education. Advances in Medicine, Psychology, and Public Health, 2(1), 5-7. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11248392
  13. Chirico, F., Capitanelli, I., Taino, G., Rizzo, A., Cramarossa, A. A., & Sacco, A. (2024). Fattori di rischio e misure di prevenzione per gli insegnanti: una revisione di letteratura con una proposta di protocollo di sorveglianza sanitaria nelle scuole. G Ital Psicol Med Lav, 4(2), 99-113.
  14. Council of Europe (2011). Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) and explanatory report (Council of Europe Treaty Series No. 210). https://rm.coe.int/168008482eDinkes, R., Kemp, J., & Baum, K. (2009). Indicators of school crime and safety: 2009 (NCES 2010–012). National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010012.pdf Dzuka, J., & Dalbert, C. (2007). Student violence against teachers. European Psychologist, 12(4), 253–260. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040.12.4.253 Elareshi, M., Habes, M., & Ali, S. (2025). Pakistani Newspapers Representation of Religious Groups. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 12(1), 107–123. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48813212
  15. Espelage, D., Anderman, E. M., Brown, V. E., Jones, A., Lane, K. L., McMahon, S. D.,. & Reynolds, C. R. (2013). Understanding and preventing violence directed against teachers: Recommendations for a national research, practice, and policy agenda. American Psychologist, 68(2), 75.
  16. Göksoy, S., & Argon, T. (2016). Conflicts at schools and their impact on teachers. Journal of Education and Training studies, 4(4), 197-205.
  17. Habes, M., Elareshi, M., Alsridi, H., Ziani, A., & Elbasir, M. (2025). The influence of age and gender on social TV acceptance. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 15(2), e202514. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/16091
  18. Huang, F. L., Eddy, C. L., & Camp, E. (2017). The role of the perceptions of school climate and teacher victimization by students. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35(23–24), 5526–5551. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517721898
  19. Irwin-Rogers, K., & Pinkney, C. (2017). Social media as a catalyst and trigger for youth violence. Catch22. Karaminis, T., Gabrielatos, C., Maden-Weinberger, U., & Beattie, G. (2025). Gender and family-role portrayals of autism in British newspapers: An intersectional corpus-based study. Autism, 29(5), 1285–1302. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613241303547
  20. Koller, P., & Darida, P. (2020). Emotional behavior with verbal violence: Problems and solutions. Interdisciplinary Journal Papier Human Review, 1(2), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.47667/ijphr.v1i2.41
  21. Lu, L., Wang, C., & Wang, Y. (2024). The Contribution of Teacher Self‐Efficacy, Resilience and Emotion Regulation to Teachers' Well‐Being: Technology‐Enhanced Teaching Context. European Journal of Education, 59(4), e12755.
  22. Maggio, M. G., Rizzo, A., Stagnitti, M. C., Manuli, A., & Calabro, R. S. (2022). System usability, stress and mood among teachers using distance learning. G Ital Psicol Med Lav, 2(2), 117-124.
  23. Mansurov, V. A., & Yurchenko, O. V. (2018). The Fall of School Teachers' Authority. In Power, Violence and Justice: Reflections, Responses and Responsibilities. View from Russia (pp. 122-130).
  24. McMahon, S. D., Reaves, S., McConnell, E. A., Peist, E., & Ruiz, L. (2017). The ecology of teachers’ experiences with violence and lack of administrative support. American Journal of Community Psychology, 60(3-4), 502-515. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12202
  25. Melanda, F. N., Salvagioni, D. a. J., Mesas, A. E., González, A. D., & De Andrade, S. M. (2019). Recurrence of Violence against Teachers: Two-Year Follow-Up Study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(17–18), NP9757–NP9776. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519861659
  26. Moon, B., McCluskey, J., & Morash, M. (2019). Aggression against middle and high school teachers: Duration of victimization and its negative impacts. Aggressive Behavior, 45(5), 517–526. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21840
  27. Chitrakar, N., & Nisanth, P. M. (2023). Frustration and its influences on Student Motivation and Academic Performance. International Journal of Scientific Research in Modern Science and Technology, 2(11), 01-09.
  28. Okon, M. O., Momoh, S. O., Imhonde, H. O., & Idiakheua, E. O. (2011). Aggressive tendencies among undergraduates: The role of personal and family characteristics. Revista española de orientación y Psicopedagogía, 22(1), 3-14.
  29. Öztekin, G. G., Rizzo, A., Alkhulayfi, A. M. A., & Yıldırım, M. (2025). The mediating role of flow experiences in the relationship between academic procrastination and academic life satisfaction among undergraduate students. Discover Psychology, 5, Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00323-w
  30. Purohit, S., Taneja, V., Saxena, P., Mudgal, R., Rana, P., Garg, R., & Shah, O. A. (2025). Analyzing two decades of media sentiments: NLP and deep learning insights into news bias and trends. Iran Journal of Computer Science, 8, 571–595. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42044-025-00235-x
  31. Rajesh, C., Ashok, L., Rao, C. R., Kamath, V. G., Kamath, A., Sekaran, V. C.,. & Swamy, V. T. (2022). Psychological well-being and coping strategies among secondary school teachers: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 11(1), 152.
  32. Reddy, L. A., Espelage, D. L., Anderman, E. M., Kanrich, J. B., & McMahon, S. D. (2018). Addressing violence against educators through measurement and research. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 42, 9–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2018.06.006
  33. Reddy, L. A., Martinez, A., Perry, A. H., McMahon, S. D., Espelage, D. L., Anderman, E. M., Astor, R. A., & Worrell, F. C. (2024). Violence directed against teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A social–ecological analysis of safety and well-being. School Psychology, 39(5), 510–519. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000562
  34. Rizzo, A., Afolabi, A., De Carlo, A., Kamran, M., & Chirico, F. (2024). The role of motivations, emotions, strategies, and teaching in burnout experiences among Italian teachers: A cross-sectional study. G Ital Psicol Med Lav, 4(3), 221-233.
  35. Rizzo, A., Princiotta, E., & Iuele, G. (2023). Exploring the link between smartphone use, recorded violence, and social sharing in 80 case studies in Italy. Psych, 5(4), 1241-1255. https://doi.org/10.3390/psych5040082
  36. Robers, S., Zhang, A., Morgan, R. E., & Musu-Gillette, L. (2015). Indicators of school crime and safety: 2014. National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.
  37. Rogers, K., & Kelloway, E. K. (1997). Violence at work: Personal and organizational outcomes. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 2(1), 63-71.
  38. Shakeel, M., Arslan, M. F., & Akram, A. (2025). Media Discourse and Ecolinguistics: A Corpus-Based Analysis of Pakistani Newspapers Stories. Journal of Social Signs Review, 3(03), 24-54.
  39. Sun, S., & Qin, X. (2025). Fine-grained extraction of geospatial and temporal information from Chinese historical newspapers. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, 40(2), 601–616. https://doi.org/10.1093/llc/fqaf025
  40. Vaillancourt, T. (2013). Students aggress against professors in reaction to receiving poor grades: An effect moderated by student narcissism and self‐esteem. Aggressive Behavior, 39(1), 71-84.
  41. Wansink, B., De Graaf, B., & Berghuis, E. (2021). Teaching under attack: The dilemmas, goals, and practices of upper-elementary school teachers when dealing with terrorism in class. Theory & Research in Social Education, 49(4), 489–509. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2021.1920523
  42. Williams, T. O., Jr., & Ernst, J. V. (2016). Physical attacks: An analysis of teacher characteristics using the Schools and Staffing Survey. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 9(3), 129–136.
  43. Wilson, C. M., Douglas, K. S., & Lyon, D. R. (2011). Violence against teachers: prevalence and consequences. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(12), 2353–2371. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260510383027
  44. Yıldırım, M., Çağış, Z. G., Aziz, I. A., Rizzo, A., Turan, M. E., Nucera, G., Khabbache, H., Szarpak, L., Chirico, F., & Zaffina, S. (2024). The mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between social support and affective experiences among undergraduate students in Turkey. Acta Psychologica, 250, 104540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104540
  45. Espelage, D., Anderman, E. M., Brown, V. E., Jones, A., Lane, K. L., McMahon, S. D.,. & Reynolds, C. R. (2013). Understanding and preventing violence directed against teachers: Recommendations for a national research, practice, and policy agenda. American Psychologist, 68(2), 75.
  46. Rajesh, C., Ashok, L., Rao, C. R., Kamath, V. G., Kamath, A., Sekaran, V. C.,. & Swamy, V. T. (2022). Psychological well-being and coping strategies among secondary school teachers: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 11(1), 152.