Aggressive Behavior. 2020;46:116–126. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/ab 116 | © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Received: 3 April 2019 | Revised: 6 September 2019 | Accepted: 23 September 2019 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21870 RESEARCH ARTICLE Physical aggression toward teachers: Antecedents, behaviors, and consequences Susan D. McMahon 1 | Eric Peist 1 | Jacqueline O. Davis 1 | Kailyn Bare 1 | Andrew Martinez 2 | Linda A. Reddy 3 | Dorothy L. Espelage 4 | Eric M. Anderman 5 1 DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois 2 Center for Court Innovation, New York, New York 3 Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 4 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 5 The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio Correspondence Dr. Susan D. McMahon, DePaul University, College of Science and Health, 1110 W. Belden, Suite 403, Chicago, IL 60614. Email: smcmahon@depaul.edu Abstract School violence is a significant public health concern that occurs in many forms. Physical aggression can cause serious bodily injury and long‐term negative effects, and both teachers and students experience significant rates of physical aggression. There are few studies examining teachers’ experiences of physical aggression. Studies that go beyond prevalence are limited, and we know little about the triggers and consequences that surround these incidents. This qualitative investigation used an antecedent‐behavior‐consequence (A‐B‐C) framework to understand how incidents of physical aggression directed toward teachers unfold. The sample included 193 elementary and secondary teachers who completed an anonymous, online survey and described events leading up to and following their experiences with physical aggression. Using conventional content analysis, we identified common antecedents, such as breaking up fights, discipline, and directives, and common consequences, such as student removal, school staff involvement, positive outcomes, and inaction. Further analyses revealed seven common A‐B‐C patterns among physical aggression incidents that are highlighted and discussed. Utility of the A‐B‐C framework for teacher‐directed violence is described, along with implications for research, practice, and policy. Exploring the context surrounding incidents of physical aggression directed against teachers provides useful information for violence prevention and interventions. KEYWORDS aggressive behavior, antecedents, consequences, physical aggression, school violence, teacher victimization, teacher‐directed violence 1 | INTRODUCTION School aggression and violence are significant public health concerns affecting students and teachers. Acts of physical aggression range from pushing, shoving, and throwing objects, to more severe behaviors resulting in bodily injury (e.g., fighting, beating, use of weapons; Benbenishty & Astor, 2005). Physical aggression can have long‐lasting effects on students, teachers, and the school community (Benbenishty & Astor, 2005). In 2015‐16, about 10% of U.S teachers were threatened with injury, and about 6% were physically attacked during the previous 12 months (Musu‐Gillette et al., 2018). Other studies suggest 8–12% of American educators are victims of physical assault in a given year (Gerberich et al., 2011; Tiesman, Hendricks, Konda, & Hartley, 2014). In most cases, students are the perpetrators of these incidents (Levin et al., 2006), although teachers also report physical aggression from parents and colleagues (McMahon et al., 2014). While the prevalence of teacher‐directed physical aggression is alarming, studies that go beyond prevalence are limited, and little is known about the situational antecedents and consequences that trigger and follow teacher victimization. Exploring antecedents and