Preventing School Violence - From a Psychological Expert's Perspective

Dr. Le Thi Xuan Thu - Head of Department of Politics and Educational Psychology, Hung Vuong University.

* Reporter: Madam, after watching the video of the incident, from the perspective of a psychological expert, how do you evaluate the behavior of the violating student?

* Dr. Le Thi Xuan Thu: This can be seen as bullying behavior in schools. We need to understand correctly and fully the nature of bullying behavior in schools. Bullying in schools is not only a violation of school rules but also a serious problem that deeply affects the psychology and development of students. Bullying behavior such as beating, humiliating classmates or recording videos to save the incident clearly shows physical bullying and social bullying (honor).

Notably, not only physical bullying, social (honor) bullying is behavior that harms the victim's reputation, social status, or relationships. This form includes actively isolating or excluding a person from a group, encouraging others not to play or communicate with that person, spreading false rumors, or embarrassing that person in front of a crowd. This is a form of bullying that is not public, often long-term and difficult to detect, but has a serious impact on the victim's psychology and social status.

Cao Mai Secondary School (Lam Thao Town, Lam Thao District) organized a meeting with parents from all sides to find a solution.

*Reporter: Can you tell us about the impact of bullying behavior on both the victim and the student who commits this behavior?

* Dr. Le Thi Xuan Thu: These actions not only violate the victim's body, honor and dignity, but also easily cause serious psychological trauma, affecting their mental health in the long term. For victims, they often suffer from trauma and serious psychological damage such as anxiety disorders, depression, fear of going to school and loss of faith in the educational environment. This condition also affects their ability to learn, socialize and develop their personality.

For students who engage in disruptive behavior, if not intervened promptly, they are at risk of developing behavioral deviations, developing a distorted personality, and lacking the skills to control emotions and solve problems.

School violence is a problem that gives many education managers a headache in finding a solution to completely prevent it (Illustration photo)

*Reporter: Can you tell us more about the causes of bullying in this school?

* Dr. Le Thi Xuan Thu: Many students who commit bullying acts often stem from difficulties in their families. For example, parents who are divorced or working far away often lack the necessary emotional support and attachment. This leads to students lacking behavioral control due to lack of proper guidance and discipline. They may seek to assert power and control in the school environment as a response to feelings of helplessness or hurt at home. In addition, they also have difficulty managing their emotions, lack empathy, and may exhibit behavioral disorders such as antisocial behavior and violence.

*Reporter: Can you give advice and psychological intervention solutions for students with bullying behavior?

* Dr. Le Thi Xuan Thu: To have an effective solution, close coordination between the school and the family is needed. For students who violate the law, it is necessary to conduct a personal psychological assessment to understand their behavior and emotions. Regular personal psychological counseling is needed to build a correct understanding of wrongdoing. Applying a positive behavioral intervention program helps students learn anger management skills, resolve conflicts, and increase empathy through group therapy activities.

Families need to create a loving, listening and emotionally supportive environment for children, and set an example by demonstrating positive behavior. Setting clear limits and applying positive discipline helps children understand and follow the rules. Parents should maintain a regular routine, encourage children to participate in physical and creative activities, and ensure adequate nutrition and sleep. Families also need to proactively learn and participate in parenting skills classes to improve educational effectiveness. Parents need to become a solid support for their children to develop comprehensively and happily.

Schools need to clearly demonstrate their role, issue policies to prevent school violence, and have zero tolerance for bullying. Organize internal communications to raise awareness throughout the school. Train teachers and parents on effective detection, reporting, and intervention.

Cao Mai Secondary School cooperates with functional agencies to organize extracurricular activities to propagate and educate the law.

* Reporter: So from the victim's perspective, what should you do to deal with bullying?

* Dr. Le Thi Xuan Thu: For victims, the first thing is to intervene psychologically. Individual psychological counseling helps students express their emotions, overcome fear and inferiority complex. Therapy sessions can be combined with a psychologist if necessary. In addition, it is necessary to equip students with skills for positive feedback, self-protection, seeking help and building healthy relationships. In addition, through learning, art and sports activities to help students feel valued and recognized, helping them restore their self-esteem and it is necessary to develop a personal protection plan for students at school, notify families and increase surveillance in risky areas.

The second important thing is to support students in responding to bullying behavior. That is, encourage students not to respond with violence, to stay calm, and to report to trusted adults. It is necessary to strengthen students' psychological strength and resilience, helping students demonstrate their social-emotional abilities through life skills education programs. Organize companion groups to help victims not feel alone and have spiritual support.

Synchronous coordination between individuals, families and schools is the key to preventing and reducing bullying behavior in schools, contributing to building a safe and healthy educational environment, helping students develop comprehensively physically and mentally.

- Thank you for this conversation!

Thuy Trang (Performed)

Source: https://baophutho.vn/ngan-chan-bao-luc-hoc-duong-duoi-goc-nhin-chuyen-gia-tam-ly-231407.htm