School Variables as Mediators of Personal and Family Factors on School Violence in Taiwanese Junior High Schools

Using a nationally representative sample of 3,058 junior high school students in Taiwan, this study examines a model of how personal traits, family factors, and school dynamics influence school violence committed by students against students and teachers. This model proposed that school violence is directly influenced by personal traits, victimization, and parental monitoring as well as indirectly influenced by personal traits, victimization, and parental monitoring mediated through school engagement, risky peers, and student–teacher relationship. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the theoretical model. The model showed a good fit for the sample as a whole. Similar findings were also found between male and female students. Overall findings suggested that negative personal traits, victimization, and parental monitoring have direct influence on school violence as well as indirect influence mediated through school variables. Implications for theory, policy and practice, and recommendation for future research are discussed.