School Violence: To What Extent do Perceptions of Problem Solving Skills Protect Adolescents?

Abstract

This study examined whether adolescents' perceptions of problem solving skills differ according to their sex, experiences of exposure to violence, age and grade, and the variables predicting their experiences of exposure to violence. Data were collected from 600 (298 females, 302 males) 14-19 year-old students attending various types of high schools in central Eskisehir. The Problem Solving Inventory and a questionnaire were used in the study. Findings of the study revealed that students' perceptions of problem solving skills do not change according to their sex and the place they are exposed to violence. Adolescents' perceptions of problem solving skills differ in accordance with the level of their exposure to violence; perception level of the problem solving skills of the students rarely exposed to violence is higher than that of the students exposed to violence occasionally or often. Perception level of the adolescents who are often exposed to violence does not change depending on their sex and age. The variables predicting adolescents' experiences of exposure to violence are listed as perceptions of problem solving skills, sex, grade, age, and school type. In conclusion, the adolescents' perceptions of problem solving skills are partially effective in protecting them against school violence. The place of the skills training programs -particularly the ones that aimed at prevention of and protection from violence-in the content of counseling programs was discussed.