Title:
GANG VIOLENCE: ACTIVITIES AND EFFECTS ON STUDENTS’ SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SOME PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BAMENDA I MUNICIPALITY (CAMEROON)

Authors:
Lilian F. Wiysahnyuy, Cameroon

Abstract:
Understanding and studying violence in school settings predisposes various entry points. Most often, discussions are generalized with little attention to details on the actors, actions and effects. This study examines violence from a group or gang orchestrated perspective in order to appreciate their activities and the potential effects they cause on students’ socio-emotional development in Bamenda I municipality of Cameroon. A descriptive survey research design was employed in this study with the use of purposive and convenient sampling techniques to select a sample of 188 students from three public secondary schools namely: Government Bilingual High School (GBHS) Bamendankwe, Government Technical High School (GTHS) Bamendankwe and Government High School (GHS) Bangshie. A semi structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.0, by calculating frequency, percentages, mean, and standard deviations. The Linear regression analysis was used to verify the hypothesis while the qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that gang violence has a regression analysis of F (1, 186) = 6.500, and expressed 25.5% (R2= .397) of the variance in socio-emotional development, indicating that gang violence has a significant effect on socio-emotional development of students. This clearly indicates that when students engage in or are victims of gang violence, their self-esteem, decision making skills, social awareness and relationship with others are negatively affected. It is therefore recommended that Guidance Counsellors and School Psychologists should provide individual/group counselling and support services to students who have been affected by gang violence, to help them cope with the emotional and behavioral challenges. There is need for the schools to develop proactive intervention measures to prevent formation of gangs and their activities in schools rather than being reactive.