HOW MUCH DO SCHOOL-SPECIFIC FACTORS CONTR IBUTE TO AGGRESSIVE-BEHAVIOR IN SCHOOLS

In a representative study conducted in Vienna and Lower Austria, 14-ye ar-old students from one class each in 79 different schools (N = 1594) answered a questionnaire about their experiences at school, the main focus being on aggressive acts that occurred at school. In a parallel investigation, the students' teachers (N = 554) completed a similar qu estionnaire. The reports on the frequency of aggressive behavior diffe red widely among the classes. A comparison of classes with different l evels of aggressive behavior showed that solidarity within the classro om and the relationship between teachers and students were closely ass ociated with the frequency of aggressive behavior. In classrooms with frequent aggressive acts there was a negative attitude towards outside rs and the students were less inclined to intervene in an unfair fight . Furthermore, they were more critical of discussions with their teach ers. Even after social and familial factors were controlled for, the i nfluence of school-specific factors on the frequency of aggressive beh avior at school was quite large, explaining about 25% of the variance. The consequences for counseling of schools and for teacher education are discussed.