Fostering Resilience in Youth Exposed to Community Violence:

1
Fostering Resilience in Youth Exposed to
Community Violence Teachers Challenges,
Strategies, and Support Needs
Elisabeth F. Maring, Ph.D., Sally A. Koblinsky,
Ph.D., and Suzanne Randolph, Ph.D. Department of
Family Science, University of Maryland, College
Park Emailefmaring_at_umd.edu
Background
Results
Adolescents in low-income, urban areas are
especially likely to experience violence and its
related stressors. Schools have the potential to
be major protective factors for children and
youth who confront community violence. Research
indicates that despite a schools location in an
area disproportionately affected by poverty and
violence, teachers can offer guidance and coping
strategies that play an instrumental role in
childrens healthy development. Teachers in
violent areas often experience feelings of grief
and loss that compromise their ability to remain
available to the children and parents who need
their help.
Teachers found it difficult to address behavioral
issues and support the developmental needs of
students. Structural challenges within the
school and in the larger community also limited
teachers ability to be effective. Finally,
teacher mental health challenges affected their
ability to provide for students, while also
compromising their need for self preservation.
I am seeing, most of the children talk about the
violence in their communities as, oh yeah, we had
a shooting last night, oh yeah, its an everyday
occurrence. Its nothing new. Its nothing to
get upset about. One of our kids got shot three
weeks ago in the back, its no big deal (Mrs.
Daniel, Kendall Lake Middle School).
Data Collection and Analysis
I am not responding very well. I just went to a
funeral on Monday of another students brother
who got killed and Ive been losing sleep over
thisI dont want to become hardened, but I want
to be able to deal with it in a more effective
way so that it doesnt affect my health (Ms.
James, Danbrook).
Purpose

• Qualitative Approach
• A modified grounded theory approach was used for
  analysis. Grounded theory is a qualitative
  research method that uses a systematic set of
  procedures to develop a theory about a
  phenomenon. Qualitative research that
  demonstrates credible findings and
  interpretations uses techniques to establish
  trustworthiness of the data (Lincoln Guba,
  1985). This study used the following techniques

Despite the potential for teachers to have a
major influence on early adolescents
development, there is currently a dearth of
research that focuses on the challenges faced by
teachers in violent communities. This qualitative
study addressed this gap in the literature by
examining three key issues
The most prevalent strategy teachers used to
foster resilience in their students was to
provide guidance in the form of listening,
advice, and counseling.

• The challenges that teachers face in low-income
  neighborhoods with high community violence
• The strategies that teachers use to foster
  resilience in the youth they serve
• The supports that teachers need to more
  effectively teach and guide youth within
  communities affected by violence.

• Prolonged engagement
• Triangulation
• Peer debriefing
• Member checks

A Strategy Related to Guidance You have to
understand where the kids are coming from,
because if they just saw Big Ray get shot last
night, theyre not going to come to school and
think about doing anything math, science, social
studiesyou have to have a rapport with your kids
where you can talk to them and say, How was your
day? You know, Is everything okay (Ms.
Griffin, Kendall Lake)
Data Analysis 3 coding phases

• Open coding
• Axial Coding
• Selective Coding

Theoretical Framework
Teachers suggested concrete needs that could
ensure safer neighborhoods and schools.
The study adopted an ecological/risk and
resilience framework. Teachers voices provided
important information about the challenges of
teaching in violent neighborhoods and the
protective factors within various ecological
contexts (e.g., family, school, and community)
that promote healthy development among early
adolescents exposed to community violence.
A Support Need Related to Structure And I think
a lot of our kids, a lot of our kids need
counseling, like we need a counseling center
within the school, not just guidance,
becausethey really deal with grades and getting
kids to pass and things like that, and getting
them accommodations, but theyre not really
dealing with the social issues (Ms. Ramsey,
Grandview)
Organizational Framework for Teacher Challenges,
Strategies, and Support Needs Guidance,
Structure and Self Preservation
Sample Description

• 20 teachers in 3 Maryland middle schools
• Neighborhoods with high violence levels obtained
  from county police reports
• Located in predominantly African American
  communities

Conclusion and Implications

• We must learn more about how teachers cope and
  stay resilient in the face of continuous stress
  that accompanies teaching in violent communities.
  Educators and policymakers need to build on the
  existing strategies and strengths of teachers
  working in these communities. The following are
  implications for practitioners and policymakers
• What teachers need from schools
• A supportive school administration along with
  county support
• Improved school security
• Anti-violence programs for students (e.g., peer
  mediation)
• Counseling for teachers and students
• What teachers need from parents
• Parent involvement in childrens education at
  home
• Respectful and responsive parent-teacher
  communication
• What teachers need from the community
• Healthy educational programs for adolescents
  (e.g., after school activities)
• Engaged volunteer, church, and community
  organizations supporting youth
• Support programs for parents (e.g., education,
  job training)

Research Sample
(n20) Mean/ Range
Demographic Item
Self preservation
Structure
Guidance
Teacher Challenges Fear Stress and somatic
issues Desensitization Teacher Strategies Venting
to teachers and family Praying Limiting
involvement with difficult students Separating
work/personal life Seeking professional
counseling Teacher Support Needs Access to
professional counseling
Teacher Challenges Insufficient teacher
time School policies compromising
safety/security Lack of community
resources Teacher Strategies Structure,
monitoring, and control Participation in violence
prevention training Reliance on strong
administrative support Community
engagement Teacher Support Needs Improved school
safety/security Anti-violence programs (peer
mediation) Effective school leadership Expanded
community resources
Teacher Challenges Aggressive behavior
management Low academic motivation Parental
apathy Negative parent behavior Teacher
Strategies Listening, advice, and
counseling Student empowerment Parent
involvement Teacher Support Needs Counseling and
crisis intervention Behavior management
training Parent involvement and education
24-62
34.0
Age of participant in years
1-18
3.8
Number of years teaching in school
15 85
Gender Male Female
Racial/Cultural Group African-American
Latino European-American
Asian Other

75 0 10 5 10
20
Participants living in immediate school community