The relationship between the school environment and antisocial behaviour

The objective of this research project was to explore the relationship between the school environment and antisocial behaviour from student and teachers perspectives. The research focused on specific areas in the school environment including: peer influence, academic achievement and attachment. Education policies and curriculum were also reviewed to establish what relevant interventions and preventive measures were considered successful.<br><br>While the literature on antisocial behaviour and bullying is comprehensive and extensive, the research predominantly focuses on statistics and academic definitions of the topic. Reference to student and teacher opinions were not as prevalent, despite that fact that the majority of bullying occurs in the school environment. Hence this study is of an exploratory nature and will gain an insight into student and teacher’s thoughts, experiences, attitudes and opinions on the topic of bullying which could provide meaning and substance to the existing quantitative research.<br><br>The research was conducted at Kyabram Secondary College in northern Victoria and students and teachers participated in three semi-structured discussions: year 7/8 focus group, year 9/10 focus group and a teacher focus group. Interpretivism and symbolic interaction theory were utilised by the researcher to assist in understanding the meaning behind the participants’ responses.<br><br>The student and teacher participants provided valuable information on the topic of antisocial behaviour and bullying. The participants’ opinions and perceptions on a whole coincided with the literature, but the participants also provided various unique points of view compared to past research. The research was able to establish a connection between peer influence and antisocial behaviour but was not able measure the extent that peers influence bullying. A correlation between school attachment and academic achievement and antisocial behaviour was confirmed in the current research. The research was also able to verify which school disciplinary actions influence student’s antisocial behaviour. Even though the sample was small, the participants’ differing responses from the literature acknowledges the significance and importance of getting students and staff involved in researching antisocial behaviour and bullying.