School violence: Social representations of teachers, principals, and those in charge of school life

Abstract

The school, despite being considered a safe space for learning and socialization, has been affected in recent years by a considerable increase in school violence. The objective of this study was to analyze the social representations of teachers, principals, and those in charge of school coexistence in two educational establishments in the Valparaíso Region (Chile), regarding this educational phenomenon. For this purpose, 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted using a qualitative methodology, which were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis technique. The results showed that school violence is represented as an interpersonal conflict, where psychological violence is the most frequent among students. Similarly, there are factors associated with school violence, among which causes such as lack of affection and the naturalization of violence stand out, as well as serious consequences for the victims, such as various psychological problems. It is concluded that the pedagogical, professional, and institutional role is fundamental when acting in the face of episodes of school violence since they are in charge of designing and activating protocols that help prevent and eradicate this educational scourge.