Basic interventions can be implemented throughout the school to get all children involved and help prevent antisocial behaviors without targeting any one child. School-wide strategies allow teachers and students to talk about conflict resolution and engage in meaning conversations about adolescent pressures and emotional problems that could cause antisocial behaviors. By discussing problems centering on gang and drug involvement with the children, and promoting a positive school environment, teachers and administrators can help deter widespread antisocial behaviors.
Evidently, not all schools will have the perfect students who never engage in antisocial behaviors. For this reason, targeting a smaller group of children considered at risk for antisocial behaviors is necessary. Many times, a child’s home environment or neighborhood encourages antisocial activities; teachers and counselors must work together to help the child avoid falling into a persistent pattern of misbehavior. Small-group counseling activities that discuss positive self-esteem, taking responsibility for one’s own actions and building the confidence to say “no” in certain situations are important for at-risk children.
Middle-school children exhibiting antisocial behavior are often diagnosed with an emotional disturbance or have engaged in these behavioral patterns since they were younger and simply never received the appropriate interventions. For these children, intensive strategies are crucial to deter any adult antisocial behaviors. A psychological or psychiatric assessment may be necessary to determine an emotional or neurological cause for the behaviors. Individual counseling to discuss dropout prevention or problems specific to the child may also prove beneficial. The key component for addressing chronic antisocial behaviors lies in providing the child with intensive and individualized strategies.
A highly effective strategy for preventing and managing antisocial behavior involves gaining community and parental involvement. Schools can invite police officers to speak to the children during a school assembly, for example, or promote a school-wide watch in which parents can volunteer on campus to help monitor the children during passing times in the hallways. Always keep and maintain a contact list of community resources that can provide family support for all children — especially those considered at risk.