An Investigation of Predictors of Violent Behavior among High School Students

Abstract

The objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between violent behavior among high school students and several independent variables: family attachment, family economic level, school attachment, peer-group conformity, self-control, exposure to violence in the media, and community violence level. The sample consisted of 100 students from high schools under the office of Basic Education Commission, Chon Buri, Thailand, during the 2009 academic year. Research nstruments included a questionnaire and an evaluation of violent behavior form. Descriptive statistics were derived from SPSS; LISREL 8.80 was used for a multiple regression analysis. It was found that three of the independent variables related to violent behavior: exposure to violence in the media, peer-group conformity, and self-control. A squared-multiple correlation of .76 (p<.05) was found, accounting for 58.20% of the total variance.

The regression equation of raw scores was:

VIO = 2.07 + 0.18 (MED) + 0.15 (PGC) - 0.20 (SEC)

The regression equation of standard scores was:

ZVIO = .42 (ZMED) + .28(ZPGC) - .22(ZSEC)