In my graduation thesis, I was researching psychological peer violence among students and psychological violence which was performed by employees against students at faculties in Slovenia. I have decided on this subject based on personal experience and the fact that psychological violence at faculties in Slovenia has been poorly researched. I was interested in the actual presence of psychological violence among and against students at faculties, how often it appears, which forms are the most common, what has it had an impact on during studies, and what students have tried to do most frequently to prevent it.
Although there practically is not any research about psychological violence among and against students in Slovenia, foreign research’s findings suggest that even students report acts and experiences of violence. Some authors believe that there are consequences of violence at faculties that affect individuals, as well as groups and educational institutions. Fortunately, universities worldwide focus more and more attention on violence among and against students. Furthermore, they form university policies with stricter disciplining of such behavior.
In the first part of my graduation thesis, I studied the literature and other sources and presented a theory based on my findings. I wrote about violence in general, reasons for violence, violence in youth, psychological violence, forms of psychological violence, consequences of psychological violence, psychological peer violence, institutional violence at educational institutions, faculties in Slovenia, violence at faculties, violence among students, and violence performed by faculty employees.
The research I conducted is quantitative. Using the written questioning method, I conducted an online survey that had 651 participating students of Slovenian faculties. The results showed that 14% of students believe they experienced psychological peer violence during their studies, and 24% of students believe they experienced psychological violence from faculty employees during their studies. I discovered that the most common forms of psychological peer violence at faculties are gossip, disregard, and humiliation. Furthermore, the most common forms of psychological violence at faculties which were performed by faculty employees are humiliation, disregard, and constant criticism. In most cases, psychological violence which students experience at faculties during their studies affects their well-being at lectures and practices, less motivation for studies, and reduced will to work and study. Students most frequently tried to stop psychological violence at faculties by talking about it with their friends or other students, by ignoring it, or by trying to avoid the perpetrator. The most frequent perpetrators of psychological peer violence between students at faculties are women and the most frequent perpetrators of psychological violence between faculty employees are men – more specifically male professors. Students who experience peer psychological violence at faculties experience it on average once or twice a month while students who experience psychological violence at faculties by employees rarely experience it on average.
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