About

Ron Avi Astor holds the Marjorie Crump Chair Professorship in Social Welfare at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs with a joint appointment in the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. His work examines the role of the physical, social-organizational, and cultural contexts in schools related to different kinds of bullying and school violence, including sexual harassment, cyberbullying, discrimination hate acts, school fights, emotional abuse, weapon use, and teacher/child violence. This research documents the ecological influences of the family, community, school, and culture on these issues, with findings used worldwide. Astor’s studies have included tens of thousands of schools and millions of students, teachers, parents, and administrators, resulting in over 200 scholarly publications over the past 20 years. Along with his colleague Rami Benbenishty, he developed a school mapping and monitoring procedure used regionally and locally to generate grassroots solutions to safety problems. His work has been widely cited in the international media and has received numerous awards from organizations such as the Society for Social Work Research, the American Psychological Association, and the American Educational Research Association. Astor has an honorary doctorate from Hebrew Union College, is a fellow of the APA and AERA, and is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. His research has been funded by various organizations including the Department of Defense Educational Activity, National Institutes of Mental Health, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Research topics

• Psychology
• Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Sociology
• Political Science
• Mathematics education
• Medical education
• Social psychology
• Applied psychology
• Environmental health
• Public relations

Selected publications

• Social Workers’ Perspectives on the Climate of Trauma-Informed and Non-Trauma-Informed Schools

  Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma · 2026-03-17

  articleOpen access

  This study explored school climate from the perspective of social workers, documenting their perceptions of trauma-informed culture and climate in U.S. schools. Using logistic regression, we analyzed survey data from 538 school social workers to investigate whether their experiences of school climate characteristics associated with trauma-informed approaches—physical and psychological safety; a focus on strengths and equity; and supportive relationships—were associated with their identification of a school as trauma informed. We found that social workers perceived clear climate differences between schools they identified as trauma informed and those they did not. ​Schools that were perceived as safer; with a strengths-based, equitable focus; and providing trusting, empowering, and collaborative relationships were more likely to be identified as trauma informed. These differences do not relate to any specific curriculum or program and are commitments any school could make. With adequate time and influence, school social workers can support and encourage positive shifts in trauma-informed climate as part of their everyday efforts toward building and sustaining positive school climate.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Social Workers’ Reports on Needs and Recommendations to Enhance School Safety

  Behavioral Sciences · 2025-05-04 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Issues with school safety and violence have raised concerns that warrant attention from researchers, policy makers, and practitioners alike. In this study, we explored how school social workers-a group of school personnel who are understudied in the school violence literature-experience school safety and violence in the United States. Using a sample of 271 school social workers, we analyzed qualitative responses to two open-ended survey questions: (a) What are the most concerning safety issues facing educators and staff in your school? (b) What policies, procedures, resources, or interventions are needed to better prevent or address violence in your school? Data were collected online between March and June 2022 by the American Psychological Association Task Force on Violence against Educators and School Personnel. Derived using a socioecological framework, findings reflect school social workers' needs for workplace safety and perspectives on how to prevent and mitigate school violence at the school site, district, and community levels. Implications range from promoting strong relationships in schools and between the school and community to bolstering funding sources that can sustain programs, training, and staffing aimed at improving experiences for all students. The implications of our findings for future research and practice are presented.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Do Teachers Feel Active Shooter Drills Work? A Study of Effectiveness, Safety, and Decisions to Transfer or Quit

  School Psychology Review · 2025-06-04

  article
  PublisherDOI

• A critical review of empirical support for trauma‐informed approaches in schools and a call for conceptual, empirical and practice integration

  Review of Education · 2025-01-03 · 11 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Interest in trauma‐informed approaches in schools is high throughout the US, UK, Australia, Canada and other countries, but the empirical evidence on whole‐school responses to trauma is limited. This conceptual and theoretical review explores relevant literature; outlines existing conceptual models for trauma‐informed organisations, including schools; reviews current evidence for individual components of conceptual models relevant to schools; and considers implications for future research, practice and policy. Four common components were identified in the literature: (a) understanding trauma and making a universal commitment to address it; (b) emphasising physical, emotional and psychological safety for all school members; (c) taking a strengths‐based, whole‐person approach toward staff, students and families; and (d) creating and sustaining trusting, collaborative and empowering relationships among all school constituents. Most of these components have been studied as part of other literature and are not specific to trauma‐informed schools. Practitioners would benefit from shifting to an organisational model for trauma rather than the historical emphasis on interpersonal approaches, toward ensuring that all staff members are trauma‐aware and ‐responsive, and emphasising the creation of healthy, healing schools for all communities.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Violence Against Administrators: The Roles of Student, School, and Community Strengths and Cultural Pluralism

  UNC Libraries · 2025-05-02

  articleOpen access

  Scientific and public attention regarding educator-directed violence has increased over the past 15 years; however, research on violence against administrators is limited. Although school administrators are responsible for school performance and safety, they can be particularly vulnerable to violence from students, teachers, and parents. This study includes 497 pre-K–12th grade school administrators in the United States. A path analysis was conducted to examine the associations between administrator perceptions of student-, school-, and community-level strengths and administrator experiences of verbal/threatening and physical violence. Cultural pluralism, which incorporates student and staff support of cultural differences and honors different voices and cultures in curricula and discussion, was investigated as a moderator of these associations. Results indicate that (a) student strengths are associated with less student verbal/threatening violence against administrators; (b) school strengths are associated with less student and colleague verbal/threatening violence against administrators; and (c) community strengths are associated with less physical violence from students and less verbal/threatening violence from parents against administrators. Cultural pluralism practices significantly moderated the relationship between student strengths and physical violence from colleagues. Findings highlight school practices and policies across the school ecology that are associated with less administrator-directed violence.

  PublisherDOI

• Addressing Violence Against Educators: What Do Teachers Say Works?

  UNC Libraries · 2025-03-04

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  School personnel safety and well-being have received increased attention via national outlets; however, research is limited. The current investigation is the first to examine the reported use and perceived effectiveness of commonly used school-based intervention approaches for addressing school violence, specifically violence against teachers in U.S. schools. A sample of 4,471 prekindergarten-12th grade teachers was asked to rate the use and perceived effectiveness of common school-based approaches, namely exclusionary discipline (e.g., suspensions), school hardening (e.g., metal detectors, school police), prevention (e.g., school climate improvement, social-emotional learning, classroom management), and crisis intervention practices (e.g., de-escalation, physical restraint) to address verbal/threatening, physical, and property violence against teachers. Findings revealed that teachers rated prevention practices as most effective in reducing violence against teachers. The use of exclusionary discipline and crisis intervention practices at school was positively associated with all three forms of violence. Ratings of the effectiveness of specific practices were associated with lower likelihoods of verbal/threatening (i.e., hardening, prevention), physical (i.e., exclusionary discipline, hardening, prevention), and property (i.e., hardening) violence. Implications for school practice, research, and policy are presented.

  PublisherDOI

• How school policies, strategies, and relational factors contribute to teacher victimization and school safety

  UNC Libraries · 2025-04-02

  articleOpen access

  In this study, we examined how school policies and strategies (i.e., positive discipline, hardening strategies, and positive behavioral strategies) affect teacher relational factors and teacher reports of victimization and safety. Specifically, we examined the mediational roles of teacher support of student learning, maltreatment of students by teachers, and teachers' differential treatment of students in schools. Using a sample of 6643 pre-K-12th-grade teachers, path analysis results revealed that positive behavior strategies, hardening strategies, and positive discipline were indirectly associated with teacher victimization and sense of safety. Additionally, teachers' perceptions of other teachers maltreating students had the greatest contributions to their sense of safety and victimization by students. Positive discipline was directly and indirectly associated with teacher victimization and safety. Implications and directions for future studies are discussed.

  PublisherDOI

• School Safety Concerns and Solutions: A Qualitative Analysis of U.S. School Psychologists’ Perspectives

  Behavioral Sciences · 2025-02-18 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  In the present study, we analyzed qualitative survey data from 538 school psychologists across schools in the United States regarding their perceptions of school safety issues and potential strategies to address school safety. There are only a few studies exploring the experiences and perspectives of school psychologists that have been based on large-scale qualitative data. Using inductive coding, three themes for safety concerns emerged: (a) aggressive behaviors from students, (b) mental and behavioral needs, and (c) limited staffing. Three themes also emerged for potential solutions: (a) professional development/training, (b) school-family-community relationships, and (c) threat assessments. These findings from school psychologists have implications for addressing structural issues to prevent school violence in research and practice. Policy recommendations to inform resource allocation and improve school safety are discussed.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Violence Against Administrators: The Roles of Student, School, and Community Strengths and Cultural Pluralism

  Behavioral Sciences · 2025-04-21 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Scientific and public attention regarding educator-directed violence has increased over the past 15 years; however, research on violence against administrators is limited. Although school administrators are responsible for school performance and safety, they can be particularly vulnerable to violence from students, teachers, and parents. This study includes 497 pre-K-12th grade school administrators in the United States. A path analysis was conducted to examine the associations between administrator perceptions of student-, school-, and community-level strengths and administrator experiences of verbal/threatening and physical violence. Cultural pluralism, which incorporates student and staff support of cultural differences and honors different voices and cultures in curricula and discussion, was investigated as a moderator of these associations. Results indicate that (a) student strengths are associated with less student verbal/threatening violence against administrators; (b) school strengths are associated with less student and colleague verbal/threatening violence against administrators; and (c) community strengths are associated with less physical violence from students and less verbal/threatening violence from parents against administrators. Cultural pluralism practices significantly moderated the relationship between student strengths and physical violence from colleagues. Findings highlight school practices and policies across the school ecology that are associated with less administrator-directed violence.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• School Safety Concerns and Solutions: A Qualitative Analysis of U.S. School Psychologists’ Perspectives

  UNC Libraries · 2025-02-27

  articleOpen access

  In the present study, we analyzed qualitative survey data from 538 school psychologists across schools in the United States regarding their perceptions of school safety issues and potential strategies to address school safety. There are only a few studies exploring the experiences and perspectives of school psychologists that have been based on large-scale qualitative data. Using inductive coding, three themes for safety concerns emerged: (a) aggressive behaviors from students, (b) mental and behavioral needs, and (c) limited staffing. Three themes also emerged for potential solutions: (a) professional development/training, (b) school–family–community relationships, and (c) threat assessments. These findings from school psychologists have implications for addressing structural issues to prevent school violence in research and practice. Policy recommendations to inform resource allocation and improve school safety are discussed.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Rami Benbenishty

  216 shared

• Tamika D. Gilreath

  Johns Hopkins University

  41 shared

• Anat Zeira

  Social Welfare Department

  21 shared

• Gordon Capp

  21 shared

• Ruth Berkowitz

  University of Haifa

  20 shared

• Joey Nuñez Estrada

  18 shared

• Monica Christina Esqueda

  University of California, Davis

  18 shared

• Ronald Pitner

  University of Alabama at Birmingham

  16 shared

Awards & honors

• International research awards from the Society for Social Wo…