Case-control study of student-perpetrated physical violence against educators

Susan G Gerberich; Nancy M. Nachreiner; Andrew Ryan; Timothy R Church; Patricia M McGovern; Mindy S. Geisser; Steven J Mongin; Gavin D. Watt; Denise M. Feda; Starr K. Sage; Evette D. Pinder

doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.02.006

Case-control study of student-perpetrated physical violence against educators

Susan G Gerberich, Nancy M. Nachreiner, Andrew Ryan, Timothy R Church, Patricia M McGovern, Mindy S. Geisser, Steven J Mongin, Gavin D. Watt, Denise M. Feda, Starr K. Sage, Evette D. Pinder

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: Although prior research focused primarily on student-on-student school violence, educators are also at risk. This study was designed to identify risk factors for assaults against educators. Methods: Kindergarten-grade 12 educators (n = 26,000), randomly selected from a state license database, were screened for eligibility (6,469, eligible) by mailed questionnaire. Phase 1 (12-month recall) identified eligible assault cases (n = 372) and controls (n = 1,116), June 2004 to December 2005; phase 2 (case-control study; response, 78%) enabled identification of exposures through 1-month recall before student-perpetrated assaults (cases) and randomly selected months (controls). Directed acyclic graphs enabled confounder selection for multivariable logistic regression analyses; reweighting adjusted for potential biases. Results: Risks (odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals) increased for working in: Special Education (5.84; 4.07-8.39) and School Social Work (7.18; 2.72-18.91); kindergarten to second grade (1.81; 1.18-2.77); urban (1.95; 1.38-2.76) schools; schools with less than 50 (8.40; 3.12-22.63), 50-200 (3.67; 1.84-7.34), 201-500 (2.09; 1.32-3.29), and 501-1000 (1.94; 1.25-3.01) students versus more than 1000; schools with inadequate resources always/frequently (1.62; 1.05-2.48) versus infrequently/never; inadequate building safety always/frequently (4.48; 2.54-7.90) versus infrequently/never; and environments with physical barriers (1.50; 1.07-2.10). Risks decreased with routine locker searches (0.49; 0.29-0.85) and accessible exits (0.36; 0.17-0.74). Conclusions: Identification of assault risk factors provides a basis for further investigation and interventions.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	325-332
Number of pages	8
Journal	Annals of epidemiology
Volume	24
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.02.006
State	Published - May 2014

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported, in part, by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services ( RO1-OH007816 ; T42-OH008434 ); the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, Center for Violence Prevention and Control and Regional Injury Prevention Research Center, University of Minnesota . The authors are most appreciative of the Educator Advisory Consulting Team members for their commitment and important contributions to this study: Willarene Beasley, Charles Goodwin, Donald Hilts, Laura R. Langhoff, and Joseph P. Miller.

Keywords

Assault risk factors
Occupational violence
School violence
Student perpetrators
Violence against educators/teachers
Work-related

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "Case-control study of student-perpetrated physical violence against educators",

abstract = "Purpose: Although prior research focused primarily on student-on-student school violence, educators are also at risk. This study was designed to identify risk factors for assaults against educators. Methods: Kindergarten-grade 12 educators (n = 26,000), randomly selected from a state license database, were screened for eligibility (6,469, eligible) by mailed questionnaire. Phase 1 (12-month recall) identified eligible assault cases (n = 372) and controls (n = 1,116), June 2004 to December 2005; phase 2 (case-control study; response, 78%) enabled identification of exposures through 1-month recall before student-perpetrated assaults (cases) and randomly selected months (controls). Directed acyclic graphs enabled confounder selection for multivariable logistic regression analyses; reweighting adjusted for potential biases. Results: Risks (odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals) increased for working in: Special Education (5.84; 4.07-8.39) and School Social Work (7.18; 2.72-18.91); kindergarten to second grade (1.81; 1.18-2.77); urban (1.95; 1.38-2.76) schools; schools with less than 50 (8.40; 3.12-22.63), 50-200 (3.67; 1.84-7.34), 201-500 (2.09; 1.32-3.29), and 501-1000 (1.94; 1.25-3.01) students versus more than 1000; schools with inadequate resources always/frequently (1.62; 1.05-2.48) versus infrequently/never; inadequate building safety always/frequently (4.48; 2.54-7.90) versus infrequently/never; and environments with physical barriers (1.50; 1.07-2.10). Risks decreased with routine locker searches (0.49; 0.29-0.85) and accessible exits (0.36; 0.17-0.74). Conclusions: Identification of assault risk factors provides a basis for further investigation and interventions.",

keywords = "Assault risk factors, Occupational violence, School violence, Student perpetrators, Violence against educators/teachers, Work-related",

author = "Gerberich, {Susan G} and Nachreiner, {Nancy M.} and Andrew Ryan and Church, {Timothy R} and McGovern, {Patricia M} and Geisser, {Mindy S.} and Mongin, {Steven J} and Watt, {Gavin D.} and Feda, {Denise M.} and Sage, {Starr K.} and Pinder, {Evette D.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported, in part, by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services ( RO1-OH007816 ; T42-OH008434 ); the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, Center for Violence Prevention and Control and Regional Injury Prevention Research Center, University of Minnesota . The authors are most appreciative of the Educator Advisory Consulting Team members for their commitment and important contributions to this study: Willarene Beasley, Charles Goodwin, Donald Hilts, Laura R. Langhoff, and Joseph P. Miller.",

year = "2014",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.02.006",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "24",

pages = "325--332",

journal = "Annals of epidemiology",

issn = "1047-2797",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

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T1 - Case-control study of student-perpetrated physical violence against educators

AU - Gerberich, Susan G

AU - Nachreiner, Nancy M.

AU - Ryan, Andrew

AU - Church, Timothy R

AU - McGovern, Patricia M

AU - Geisser, Mindy S.

AU - Mongin, Steven J

AU - Watt, Gavin D.

AU - Feda, Denise M.

AU - Sage, Starr K.

AU - Pinder, Evette D.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported, in part, by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services ( RO1-OH007816 ; T42-OH008434 ); the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, Center for Violence Prevention and Control and Regional Injury Prevention Research Center, University of Minnesota . The authors are most appreciative of the Educator Advisory Consulting Team members for their commitment and important contributions to this study: Willarene Beasley, Charles Goodwin, Donald Hilts, Laura R. Langhoff, and Joseph P. Miller.

PY - 2014/5

Y1 - 2014/5

N2 - Purpose: Although prior research focused primarily on student-on-student school violence, educators are also at risk. This study was designed to identify risk factors for assaults against educators. Methods: Kindergarten-grade 12 educators (n = 26,000), randomly selected from a state license database, were screened for eligibility (6,469, eligible) by mailed questionnaire. Phase 1 (12-month recall) identified eligible assault cases (n = 372) and controls (n = 1,116), June 2004 to December 2005; phase 2 (case-control study; response, 78%) enabled identification of exposures through 1-month recall before student-perpetrated assaults (cases) and randomly selected months (controls). Directed acyclic graphs enabled confounder selection for multivariable logistic regression analyses; reweighting adjusted for potential biases. Results: Risks (odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals) increased for working in: Special Education (5.84; 4.07-8.39) and School Social Work (7.18; 2.72-18.91); kindergarten to second grade (1.81; 1.18-2.77); urban (1.95; 1.38-2.76) schools; schools with less than 50 (8.40; 3.12-22.63), 50-200 (3.67; 1.84-7.34), 201-500 (2.09; 1.32-3.29), and 501-1000 (1.94; 1.25-3.01) students versus more than 1000; schools with inadequate resources always/frequently (1.62; 1.05-2.48) versus infrequently/never; inadequate building safety always/frequently (4.48; 2.54-7.90) versus infrequently/never; and environments with physical barriers (1.50; 1.07-2.10). Risks decreased with routine locker searches (0.49; 0.29-0.85) and accessible exits (0.36; 0.17-0.74). Conclusions: Identification of assault risk factors provides a basis for further investigation and interventions.

AB - Purpose: Although prior research focused primarily on student-on-student school violence, educators are also at risk. This study was designed to identify risk factors for assaults against educators. Methods: Kindergarten-grade 12 educators (n = 26,000), randomly selected from a state license database, were screened for eligibility (6,469, eligible) by mailed questionnaire. Phase 1 (12-month recall) identified eligible assault cases (n = 372) and controls (n = 1,116), June 2004 to December 2005; phase 2 (case-control study; response, 78%) enabled identification of exposures through 1-month recall before student-perpetrated assaults (cases) and randomly selected months (controls). Directed acyclic graphs enabled confounder selection for multivariable logistic regression analyses; reweighting adjusted for potential biases. Results: Risks (odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals) increased for working in: Special Education (5.84; 4.07-8.39) and School Social Work (7.18; 2.72-18.91); kindergarten to second grade (1.81; 1.18-2.77); urban (1.95; 1.38-2.76) schools; schools with less than 50 (8.40; 3.12-22.63), 50-200 (3.67; 1.84-7.34), 201-500 (2.09; 1.32-3.29), and 501-1000 (1.94; 1.25-3.01) students versus more than 1000; schools with inadequate resources always/frequently (1.62; 1.05-2.48) versus infrequently/never; inadequate building safety always/frequently (4.48; 2.54-7.90) versus infrequently/never; and environments with physical barriers (1.50; 1.07-2.10). Risks decreased with routine locker searches (0.49; 0.29-0.85) and accessible exits (0.36; 0.17-0.74). Conclusions: Identification of assault risk factors provides a basis for further investigation and interventions.

KW - Assault risk factors

KW - Occupational violence

KW - School violence

KW - Student perpetrators

KW - Violence against educators/teachers

KW - Work-related

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Case-control study of student-perpetrated physical violence against educators

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access

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