Ask an expert: Early intervention can prevent violence

Dr. John Woodall is a psychiatrist and faculty member at the Judge Baker Children's Center at Harvard University

September 13, 2000
Web posted at: 3:04 PM EDT (1904 GMT)

By John Woodall

Question: How can I know when to intervene to prevent school violence?

Answer: First of all, remember that early detection of warning signs is not intended to be used to isolate, blame, punish or stereotype a child. The purpose is to provide a supportive early intervention to help the child through his or her developmental crisis and to provide appropriate supports for scholastic achievement.

It is critical for schools to provide teachers with training support on the emotional stages of development of children. Well before children act violently, they will have presented a number of warning signals that a well-prepared teacher can recognize. This is usually possible to do before any violent act occurs. Some warning signs that a child may need your help include:

• social withdrawal, especially if uncharacteristic of that child.
• excessive feelings of rejection and victimization.
• being a victim of abuse or living in familial chaos.
• low school interest and performance.
• expressions of violence in writings or drawings.
• uncontrolled anger.
• patterns of impulsive hitting, intimidating and bullying behaviors.
• history of discipline problems.
• prejudicial attitudes and intolerance for differences.
• drug use and alcohol use.
• affiliation with gangs.
• Access to firearms.

No single factor can be viewed as a sign of imminent violence. Over-reacting to a single set of factors out of context could escalate a situation and actually cause the violence one wishes to prevent. It is when several factors appear together that therapeutic interventions should be considered. Research points, however, to some signs of imminent danger. These include:

• serious physical fighting with peers or family members.
• severe destruction of property.
• severe rage for seemingly minor reasons.
• detailed threats of lethal violence.
• possession and/or use of firearms and other weapons.
• other self-injurious behaviors or threats of suicide.

All staff, students, parents and community members must be part of creating a safe school environment. Everyone has a personal responsibility for reducing the risk of violence. We must take steps to maintain order, demonstrate mutual respect and caring for one another and ensure that children who are troubled get the help they need.

Everyone should have an understanding of the early warning signs that help identify students who may be headed for trouble. Everyone should be prepared to respond appropriately in a crisis situation. Children often engage in acts of shoving and mild aggression. However, some mildly aggressive behaviors such as constant hitting and bullying of others that occur early in children's lives, if left unattended, might later escalate into more serious behaviors.

Dr. John Woodall is a psychiatrist with a specialty in treating psychological trauma. He is on the faculty of the Judge Baker Children's Center at Harvard University and is the Director of the Unity Project Curriculum Initiative, developing pro-social skills in diverse school settings. Woodall just returned from the State of the World Forum where he presented his Unity Project, a curriculum for teaching respect for diversity.