The Reality of Learned Helplessness and its Relationship to School Violence Among Basic School Students in Governmental Schools in Palestine from the point of view of Counselors

Abstract

This study aims to examine the perspective of educational counselors with regards to the reality of learned helplessness and school violence as well as the association between both of them among basic stage students in governmental schools in Palestine. The study population consists of all educational counselors in the governmental schools in the Palestinian governorates and cities; whose number is (1132) male and female educational counselors. The study sample was selected randomly, and it includes (288) educational counselors in the Palestinian governmental schools.

This study adopted the descriptive correlational approach as it is appropriate for the study, and it also clarified the correlation between the study variables. The study tools are represented in using learned helplessness and school violence scales. The results indicated that the level of learned helplessness among basic stage students in governmental schools, from the perspective of educational counselors, was medium; in an arithmetic mean of (3.33) and percentage of (66.6). The results also revealed that the level of school violence among basic stage students in governmental schools, from the perspective of educational counselors, was also medium; in an arithmetic mean of (3.21) and percentage of (64.2).

The responses of educational counselors concerning their explanation of learned helplessness and school violence in terms of the following variables (sex, experience, academic qualification and specialization, and type of school) were similar. However, their views and responses regarding their explanation of school violence, in accordance with the “type of school” variable, were various. The study concluded that there is a correlation between learned helplessness and school violence; which means that when learned helplessness increases, school violence increases, and when learned helplessness decreases, school violence decreases; in accordance with the responses of study sample members to the study scales.

The study recommended paying attention to students and student affairs as well as understanding their needs, in cooperation between the family and the school, in order to facilitate raising a generation who understand themselves and their capacities and are capable of achieving self-realization, as well as preparing appropriate programs, activities and events for violence prevention in all school stages; particularly in boys schools.