Asst. Prof. Demet Gülaldı from Üsküdar University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Child Development, made evaluations regarding the recent increase in violence cases in schools.
Starting to be seen more in Türkiye as well!
Asst. Prof. Demet Gülaldı stated that school violence, which is frequently on the agenda in the USA, is now starting to be seen more in Türkiye. She said, “Especially adolescence, which is high school age, is a period when young people experience intense emotional changes and identity development comes to the forefront. For this reason, factors such as anger management, peer pressure, and the desire to prove oneself can trigger violent behaviors in this age group. Violence cases are not limited to a specific type of school; however, they can be seen more frequently in environments with risky social surroundings, low school belonging, and weak support mechanisms.”
The adolescent brain is not yet fully mature
Emphasizing that violent behavior during adolescence should not be seen solely as a disciplinary issue, Asst. Prof. Demet Gülaldı said, “We can liken the adolescent brain to a powerful car with no brakes. The area responsible for planning, impulse control, and logic is only fully developed in the mid-20s. Therefore, emotional reactions and impulses in adolescence are very fast and may be uncontrollable. In any moment of crisis or stress, they may resort to violence out of anger without thinking about the consequences. Furthermore, during adolescence, while the brain's regions related to emotions are very active, the parts responsible for decision-making and evaluating consequences are not yet fully mature. This can lead young people to sometimes make impulsive decisions, engage in risky behaviors, and act without considering the consequences in moments of anger. Consequently, impulsivity and risk-taking tendencies experienced during adolescence can pave the way for violent behaviors if appropriate support and guidance are not provided.”
Positive school climate reduces violence
Asst. Prof. Demet Gülaldı stated that research shows a significant decrease in violent behaviors in environments where students feel safe and believe they belong to the school. She said, “School climate is the psychological and social environment that affects a school's educational activities, stakeholders' attitudes, and academic success. A safe and peaceful environment, social relationships and a sense of belonging, relationships with teachers and peers, and acceptance are the social dimensions of school climate, and their impact on violence rates is critical. When the school climate is positive, students can find adults with whom they can discuss their problems, and crises can be resolved before they escalate. At this point, guidance counseling services play a very critical role. However, the limited number of psychological counselors in many schools can lead to insufficient support services relative to the student population. Strengthening preventive efforts is of great importance.”
Family communication plays a decisive role
Asst. Prof. Demet Gülaldı, stating that the family environment is an important determinant in the emergence of school violence, continued as follows:
“The most important determinants in the emergence of school violence or violent tendencies in children in general are family communication and parental attitudes. Children who experience or witness violence at home are known to be at high risk for violent tendencies. Children carry the behaviors they learn in their social environments outside of school, especially in the family environment, to school. As a result of conflicts within the family, harsh communication in the home environment, violent behaviors, or excessively oppressive attitudes, the child may internalize these behaviors and exhibit them as a problem-solving method. In contrast, in families where there is open communication, the child's feelings are listened to, and boundaries are healthy, children's social skills develop more strongly, and the likelihood of them resorting to violence decreases.”
According to PISA data, students in Türkiye feel more alone
Asst. Prof. Demet Gülaldı, stating that social polarization and the language of anger also have an effect on young people, noted the following:
“Young people learn not only from their families and schools but also from the society they live in. The increasing polarization and language of anger in society deeply affect young people's social relationships within school and their overall psychological well-being. As a reflection of social polarization, 'othering' behaviors are frequently observed in the school environment. PISA 2022 data show that students in Türkiye feel more alienated, excluded, and lonely at school compared to the OECD average. Especially the rate of 'being intentionally left out by other students' in Türkiye (12.3%) is significantly above the OECD average (7%).”
Cyberbullying can turn into physical violence
Stating that the harsh language used on social media affects young people's communication style, Dr. Gülaldı said, “The widespread use of angry language in society, decreasing tolerance for differences, and the harsh expression of conflicts can create a model effect on young people. Especially the harsh language used in social media environments can affect young people's communication style and conflict resolution methods. There is a strong relationship between cyberbullying and physical violence within schools. Although cyberbullying starts online, its effects can carry over into real life. Insults, exclusion, or threats made via social media can increase tension among students, and this situation can turn into physical conflicts in the school environment. Therefore, bullying experienced in digital environments must also be taken seriously in terms of school safety and student mental health.”
Example of 'Red–Blue School Wars' in London
Dr. Gülaldı, recalling the “Red–Blue School Wars” incidents that have been on the agenda in England, particularly in London, as a current example of young people's propensity for violence, said, “In some areas of London, students from different schools organized via social media and came face-to-face in groups symbolized by red and blue colors. They are encouraged to organize 'Red vs. Blue' conflicts among students via social media and to arm themselves with other weapons such as compasses, metal combs, scissors, rulers, kitchen knives, and fireworks to 'resort to violence.' This situation shows that a type of school belonging can sometimes turn into competition and conflict. Social media can accelerate such group formations and turn them into a collective movement that can reach serious proportions.”
Young people's need for belonging should be guided correctly
Emphasizing that young people feel a strong need for belonging during adolescence, Dr. Gülaldı concluded her words by saying, “These examples actually show how strong young people's search for identity and need for belonging are. During adolescence, young people want to feel they belong to a group. If this sense of belonging is established through competition and conflict instead of healthy social environments, incidents of school violence can occur. It is not correct to see incidents of violence in schools as merely an individual problem. Such incidents often arise from a combination of individual, family, school, and societal factors. Therefore, the solution must also be multi-dimensional. Increasing programs that develop social-emotional skills in schools, strengthening psychological support services, increasing cooperation with families, and more conscious use of digital environments can be important steps in this regard. Most importantly, it is about creating safe environments where young people feel seen, understood, and valued. In a school where a student truly feels they belong and can find adults to talk to about their problems, the likelihood of resorting to violence significantly decreases.”
