Introduction
School violence is an acute issue that is regularly discussed by experts, policymakers, and those interested in reducing its incidence. In the United States, shootings at schools that go on rampages are becoming more frequent (Whaley, 2019). Since the year 2009, there have been over 288 shootings and over 20 incidents since the start of 2018 (Whaley, 2019). For children and adolescents to gain knowledge and have a favorable growth trajectory, school safety is crucial (Mayer et al., 2021). To reduce school violence, several approaches can be applied, including psychoanalytic, behavioral, and cognitive approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, behavior modification, and psychoanalytic therapy.
Dr. Cogent
Starting with Dr. Cogent, the cognitive psychologist would examine school violence through the lens of information processing and cognitive functions. Dr. Cogent would concentrate on comprehending how violent actions are influenced by mental habits and how cognitive processes affect the incidence of school violence. According to cognitive theory, automatic ideas are spontaneous, instantaneous interpretations of events (Chand et al., 2023).
An individual’s automatic thoughts influence their emotions and how they react to situations (Chand et al., 2023). Because school shootings have a low base rate, it is very hard to predict them (Cornell, 2020). As a result, it is crucial to focus more on the individuals and their behavior patterns. To examine a particular instance of school violence from a cognitive standpoint, Dr. Cogent would examine the person’s cognitive distortions or flawed thought processes.
Dr. Cogent might suggest cognitive therapies that aim to challenge and alter erroneous thought processes to prevent further violent incidents. Therapy that is goal-oriented and instructional is called cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) (Chand et al., 2023). This is a practical, hands-on method in which the patient and therapist collaborate to change thought and behavioral patterns that will improve the patient’s mood and way of life (Chand et al., 2023). It is used to aid with a variety of issues, and based on the patient’s diagnosis and presenting issues, appropriate treatment plans are implemented (Chand et al., 2023).
The majority of CBT psychotherapists tailor their treatment to meet their clients’ unique needs (Chand et al., 2023). The CBT-based conceptualization is developed from session to session and shared with the patient at a suitable point in therapy (Chand et al., 2023). In the first or second session, the patient and therapist jointly decide on the issues the patient wants to address and the therapy goals (Chand et al., 2023). Therefore, Dr. Cogent would focus on the issues the troubled student prioritizes and address them immediately to reduce risks to other students.
Dr. Bean
Moving forward, the behavioral psychologist Dr. Bean would tackle the problem of school violence from a behaviorist perspective. Dr. Bean would concentrate on determining the causes and effects that uphold or encourage violent conduct in educational settings. The visible and quantifiable facets of human behavior are the primary focus of behaviorism (Radianti et al., 2020).
According to behaviorism, knowledge is a repertoire of actions elicited by external cues (Radianti et al., 2020). Learning can be described as the learner’s passive assimilation of a predetermined set of knowledge (Radianti et al., 2020). This paradigm holds that learning is motivated by external factors, such as positive and negative reinforcement, and that it necessitates repetition (Radianti et al., 2020). Therefore, the psychologist might examine the environmental factors that led to a violent behavior incident in analyzing a particular school violence episode.
Dr. Bean might suggest behavior-based therapies, which try to alter contextual conditions and encourage prosocial behaviors to stop more violent incidents. A psychotherapy technique known as behavior modification is primarily used to reduce or eliminate maladaptive behavior in adults or children (Scott et al., 2023). Behavior modification focuses on altering particular behaviors with minimal regard for a person’s opinions or emotions, in contrast to some therapies that concentrate on altering mental processes that can affect behavior (Scott et al., 2023). It is possible to gauge and assess the intervention’s effectiveness and progress.
First, it is necessary to identify the antecedents and effects of the issue behavior using a functional analysis (Scott et al., 2023). This allows identification of specific habits that will serve as the treatment’s main emphasis (Scott et al., 2023). Then, to alter troublesome behavior, specific variables can be changed through the use of reinforcers and punishments (Scott et al., 2023). Before violence happens, youth are in a good position to recognize and report at-risk students and preceding behaviors (Hsieh et al., 2022). In this case, risky behavior would be addressed in the given scenario.
Dr. Freed
Finally, the psychotherapist, Dr. Freed, would take a psychoanalytic stance against school violence. Dr. Freed’s focus would be on comprehending the psychological problems and unsolved issues that underlie violent acts that occur in educational settings. Psychoanalysis frequently does this by examining early experiences that may have a lasting impact on an individual’s mental health both now and in the future (Tarzian et al., 2023). Psychoanalysis is a comprehensive, extended method in which patients and therapists meet regularly, often for several years (Tarzian et al., 2023). When examining a particular instance of violence at a school, Dr. Freed may investigate the person’s underlying motives and unresolved problems that show up as violent conduct.
Dr. Freed may suggest psychoanalytic therapies aimed at bringing repressed emotions and unconscious tensions into conscious awareness to stop more acts of violence. A therapy approach centered around psychoanalytic theories is called psychoanalytic or psychodynamic psychotherapy (Sharma & Spiro, 2023). Psychodynamic psychotherapies provide a framework for understanding people from multiple perspectives, with the ultimate goal of symptom remission, improved functioning, and enhanced satisfaction (Sharma & Spiro, 2023).
These therapies can be used with behavioral, interpersonal, and other therapeutic modalities as well as biological techniques (Sharma & Spiro, 2023). Psychodynamic psychotherapies are centered on knowing the individual and their unique experience (Sharma & Spiro, 2023). Thus, the given approach is focused on acknowledging the risks and behavioral patterns that must be changed.
Conclusion
In summary, numerous strategies, including behavioral, cognitive, and psychoanalytic therapy—all of which are present in behavior modification, cognitive behavior therapy, and psychoanalytic therapy—can be used to lessen school violence. Dr. Cogent, a cognitive psychologist, would likely be the first to analyze school violence through the lens of cognition and information processing. Dr. Bean, a behavioral psychologist, would now approach the issue of school violence from a behaviorist standpoint. Lastly, Dr. Freed, the psychotherapist, would oppose school violence from a psychoanalytic perspective.
References
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