REDUCING AGGRESSION IN THE SCHOOLS - A CO OPERATIVE INTERVENTION

Can physically aggressive behavior among pupils be reduced by some eas ily applicable interventions? The teaching staffs of four elementary s chools were advised (1) to hold regular classroom meetings (on rules o f behavior, helping attacked peers etc), (2) to stop acute aggressive behavior and encourage positive behavior, and (3) to change some situa tional factors (especially during break-time). Preliminary results sug gest that a highly committed staff can reduce aggressive behavior by t hese interventions. Further study is needed, however, as to the contri bution of individual measures and the extent and stability of the effe cts to be obtained.