Tips for Addressing School Related Youth Violence, American Psychiatric Association

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 24 Mar 2005 - 12:00 PDT

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The American Psychiatric Association (APA) expresses its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the victims of the shocking school shooting tragedy in Minnesota. This appalling event is a vivid reminder that school violence by children and adolescents is an ongoing problem in our nation. We hope that this tragedy will compel parents, educators and school mental health professionals to work more closely to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

"Our schools are full of troubled children. By working together, parents, teachers, health care professionals and concerned individuals can develop effective strategies to identify youth who need help, and intervene as early as possible," says David Fassler, M.D., APA trustee-at-large and a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Vermont. "Such an approach would ultimately lead to safer schools and a better educational experience for our children."

The causes behind such incidents are often complex, and there are usually no simple answers. However, there are some common sense steps that schools, communities and families can take to help keep children and adolescents safe and reduce the risk of future tragedies. Such steps could include:

1. Identifying kids with problems and seeking out appropriate mental health care for them. Most kids who behave violently in school have a long history of emotional and behavioral problems. It is important to watch for the early warning signs and be aware of situational risk factors which can lead to violent behavior. They include:

intense anger; depression; prolonged low self-esteem; history of abuse or neglect; drug or alcohol abuse; bullying; stealing; social isolation; suicidal thoughts or actions; fire-setting; preoccupation with violent or morbid themes or fantasies; cruelty to animals; excessive interest in weapons or explosives; family problems; recent loss, disappointment or rejection

2. Promoting tolerance and teaching conflict resolution. Starting at an early age, parents and teachers should teach children to value each other's differences. Children also need to learn how to resolve conflict without violent or aggressive behavior.

3. Monitoring and eliminating bullying. Bullying creates lifelong problems with self-esteem, and it interferes with learning and school performance. Schools should practice "zero tolerance" for bullying, starting in the early grades.

4. Improving awareness and communication between adults and youth. We need to educate young people about the signs and symptoms of mental illness, and encourage them to seek help when needed. Children need to be taught that it is best to tell an adult when their friends need help.

5. Developing peer support programs. Children benefit from spending time in a group talking in a preventive manner with other kids about their thoughts, feelings and frustrations. Kids often feel isolated and they feel they are the only ones with problems. Such groups can also serve as another early warning system for identifying youth who are particularly vulnerable, fragile or troubled.

6. Enhancing parental and community involvement. Involvement by these groups gives children and adolescents a larger network of support. Mentoring programs, after school jobs and in-service presentations can help youth focus on positive activities and maintain positive attitudes.

"Individually, none of the above suggestions will solve the problem of school violence. But collectively, they could represent a significant shift in the philosophy and orientation of our educational system," says Fassler.

The above tips are just some ways in which schools, parents and communities can identify and hopefully prevent children and adolescents from using extreme violence as a solution to their problems. If you feel a child or adolescent is displaying signs of violence or threatening violent acts, they should be referred for evaluation and treatment by a mental health professional who has specific training, experience and expertise in working with children and adolescents.

The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty society, founded in 1844, whose nearly 36,000 physician members specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illnesses including substance use disorders. For more information, visit the APA Web site at http://www.psych.org.

Don't miss APA's 2005 Annual Meeting: Psychosomatic Medicine: Integrating Psychiatry & Medicine in Atlanta, May 21-26, 2005. Please visit APA's online press room for news releases, press policies, and media registration information - psych.org/news_room/virtual_pressrms/am2005.

http://www.psych.org

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