Parents’ perceptions of school violence involving adolescents: Evidence from Bac Giang Province, Vietnam

Abstract

School violence has become a serious social issue, leading to numerous consequences for students’ mental health and overall development. In addition to students and teachers, parents are also directly affected by school violence; however, there remains a lack of in-depth research in Vietnam focusing on this aspect. This study aimed to examine the current perceptions of parents with adolescent children regarding school violence, using a sample of 208 parents whose children were studying at lower and upper secondary schools in Bac Giang province. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire based on a four-point Likert scale, covering key aspects such as perceptions of the current situation, forms, causes, and consequences of school violence. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. The findings reveal that parents are more capable of identifying physical violence but show limited awareness of psychological, social, and cyber forms of violence. They tend to attribute school violence mainly to family and individual factors; although they recognize its serious psychological consequences, some still hold attitudes that underestimate its severity.