School Safety Concerns and Solutions: A Qualitative Analysis of U.S. School Psychologists’ Perspectives
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In the present study, we analyzed qualitative survey data from 538 school psychologists across schools in the United States regarding their perceptions of school safety issues and potential strategies to address school safety. There are only a few studies exploring the experiences and perspectives of school psychologists that have been based on large-scale qualitative data. Using inductive coding, three themes for safety concerns emerged: (a) aggressive behaviors from students, (b) mental and behavioral needs, and (c) limited staffing. Three themes also emerged for potential solutions: (a) professional development/training, (b) school-family-community relationships, and (c) threat assessments. These findings from school psychologists have implications for addressing structural issues to prevent school violence in research and practice. Policy recommendations to inform resource allocation and improve school safety are discussed.
Source: Behavioral Sciences
DOI: 10.3390/bs15020228
Authors: Luz E. Robinson, Kate R. Watson, Natalie Fensterstock, Sawyer Hogenkamp, Yinuo Xu, Hannah Garner, Vanessa R. Warri, Casie H. Morgan, Anthony A. Garcia, Chaoyue Wu, Danielle Dunn, Dorothy L. Espelage, Ron A. Astor, Susan D. McMahon, Linda A. Reddy, Eric M. Anderman, Frank C. Worrell, Andrew Martinez
Institutions: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Medical University of South Carolina, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Pennsylvania, DePaul University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, The Ohio State University, University of California, Berkeley, Center for Justice Innovation
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,654
Award: G3018966387
OpenAlex ID: W4407710956