Date of Conferral
10-26-2026
Date of Award
October 2026
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Crystal Lupo
Abstract
Teacher directed violence has a significant influence on K-12 urban teachers and students’ academic development. Teachers have the highest reported stress levels compared to other stress-inducing professions. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore K-12 urban teachers' perceptions of how teacher-directed violence impacts stress levels, students' academic performance, and classroom management. Lazarus and Folkman's transactional theory of stress and coping functioned as the conceptual framework for this study. For this study, the central research question explored K-12 urban teachers’ perception of how teacher-directed violence and student aggression impact their struggle with stress, student academic performance, and classroom management. The study data was collected from eight K-12 urban teachers through semi-structed interviews. This data was analyzed to identify emerging themes of K-12 urban teachers experience using Saldana’s steps to data coding. Based on the data analysis, five themes were identified as: (a) student aggression and influential behaviors, (b) stress and coping, (c) instructional impact, (d) classroom management, and (e) institutional support. Implications for positive social change include the development of policies and support systems that promote safer school environments, improve teacher well-being, and enhance student learning outcomes in urban educational settings.
Recommended Citation
Bonner, Natasha D., "Urban Teacher Perceptions of Student Aggression Towards Teachers and Teacher Stress and Well Being" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 20949.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/20949
