Informal Labeling and School Victimization: An Elaboration of Labeling Theory and Preliminary Results

The goal of this chapter is to broaden the labeling framework by exploring the efficacy of this perspective in accounting for school victimization. Drawing data from a sample of middle school age students, this chapter examines the effects of negative reactions by teachers on the likelihood of a student\u27s experiencing threats of violence. The authors are also interested in examining the role that perception of self-worth plays in the relationship between negative reactions by teachers and school victimization. The authors hypothesize that being put down and ignored by teachers in the classroom will affect a youth\u27s self-image and this in turn leads to secondary victimization. The authors found that negative treatment by teachers significantly increased the odds of students\u27 experiencing threats of violence, but contrary to their hypothesis, they did not find evidence that students\u27 perception of self-worth mediates the relationship between negative treatment by teachers and experiencing threats of violence