An Investigation of the Democratic Values, Problem-Solving Skills, and Attitude Levels toward Violence of Secondary School Students

The main objective of this study is to examine the possible relationship between democratic values, problem-solving skills, and attitudes toward violence. In addition, it studies whether democratic values, problem solving skills and the tendency of attitudes toward violence differ according to different variables. Descriptive model was used in the research. The study group of the study consisted of a total of 326 students, 172 female and 154 male selected by appropriate sampling from three middle schools in Konya. It was used Basic Democratic Values Questionnaire, Problem Solving Inventory for Children, and the Adolescents' Attitudes Toward the Violence in the study. While the data were analyzing, t test, ANOVA test, Pearson Moment Product Correlation analysis and simple linear regression analysis were used. When the data obtained from the research were examined, there was a significant difference in the level of attitudes toward violence according to the gender variables. There was a significant difference in problem solving skills and attitudes toward violence according to grade variables. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed statistically significant and negative relationship between democratic values, problem-solving skills, and attitudes toward violence. As a result of simple regression analysis, democratic values have predictive role on problem solving skills; it is seen that problem-solving skills are important variables in the tendency towards violence.