Teacher violence in Chinese middle schools: Prevalence and associations with peer support, family functioning, and mental distress.

BACKGROUND

Teacher violence refers to the use of power by teachers to harm students. Although this phenomenon is prevalent in China, empirical research on teacher-perpetrated violence remains limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the 12-month prevalence and related risk factors for teacher violence in Chinese secondary schools using a cross-sectional survey design.

PARTICIPANTS AND

SETTING

A total of 593 secondary school students from Pengzhou, Sichuan Province, participated in the study.

METHODS

Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations among teacher violence, demographic variables, peer support, family functioning, and psychological distress.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of teacher violence was 36.42%, with physical violence being the most commonly reported type (29.01%), followed by psychological violence (19.73%) and sexual violence (5.23%). Younger age, poorer family functioning, and lower peer support were associated with greater exposure to teacher violence. Notably, the association between family functioning and teacher violence was no longer significant after controlling for students' psychological distress, suggesting that this relationship may be mediated by psychological distress.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings are consistent with polyvictimization theory, indicating that students with poorer family functioning and lower peer support are more likely to experience teacher violence, with psychological distress potentially serving as a mediator. The results underscore the urgent need for effective prevention and intervention strategies targeting teacher violence in Chinese school settings.