Abstract
Reviewing research on sex differences in school misbehavior and delinquency, the author speculates on six possible reasons why girls appear to misbehave less than boys despite the fact that girls are characterized by more personal problems during adolescence. Several reasons including the possibility that girls' misbehavior is inaccurately reported are rejected as insufficient to account for the discrepancy between boys' and girls' misbehavior. On the basis of existing evidence, the author concludes that a combination of personal characteristics (i.e., high need for affiliation and low aggressiveness) and external pressures (parental and teacher expectations and attitudes) function to inhibit misbehavior in girls. Some indications that the situation is changing are reported.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abel, H., and Gingles, R. (1965). Identifying problems of adolescent girls.J. Educ. Res. 58: 389–392.
Adams, J. P. (1964). Adolescent personal problems as a function of age and sex.J. Genet. Psychol. 104: 207–214.
Albert, N., and Beck, A. T. (1975). Incidence of depression in early adolescence: A preliminary study.J. Youth Adoles. 4: 301–307.
Amos, R. T., and Washington, R. M. (1960). A comparison of pupil and teacher perceptions of pupil problems.J. Educ. Psychol. 51: 255–258.
Astin, H. S. (1975). Young women and their roles. In Havighurst, R. J., and Dreyer, P. H. (eds.),Youth, Seventy-Fourth Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part 1, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 419–434.
Buros, O. K. (ed.) (1972).The Seventh Mental Measurements Yearbook, Gryphon Press, Highland Park, N.J.
Campbell, M. M., and Cooper, K. (1975). Parents' perception of adolescent behavior problems.J. Youth Adoles. 4: 309–320.
Cavior, H. E., Hayes, S. C., and Cavior, N. (1975). Physical attractiveness of female offenders. In Brodsky, A. M. (ed.),The Female Offender, SAGE Contemporary Social Science Issues, No. 19. SAGE Publications, Beverly Hills, Calif., pp. 29–39.
Clements, H. M., and Delke, M. C. (1967). Factors related to reported problems of adolescents.Personnel Guid. J. 45: 697–702.
Cole, C. W., Oetting, E. R., and Miskimins, R. W. (1969). Self-concept therapy for adolescent females.J. Abnorm. Psychol. 74: 642–645.
Coleman, J. S. (1961).The Adolescent Society, Free Press, New York.
Conger, J. J. (1973).Adolescence and Youth, Harper & Row, New York.
Cottle, W. C. (1972). Identifying potential delinquents in junior high school.Meas. Eval. Guid. 5: 271–276.
Cusick, P. A. (1973).Inside High School, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York.
Damico, S. B. (1976). Clique membership and its relationship to academic achievement and attitude toward school.J. Res. Dev. Educ. 9: 29–35.
Duke, D. L. (1976). Who misbehaves? — A high school studies its discipline problems.Educ. Admin. Quart. 12: 65–85.
Duke, D. L. (1978). How administrators view the “crisis” in school discipline.Phi Delta Kappan 59: 325–330.
Duke, D. L., and Duke, P. M. (1978). The prediction of delinquency in girls.J. Res. Dev. Educ. 11: 18–33.
Garrison, K. C., and Cunningham, B. W. (1952). Personal problems of ninth-grade pupils.Sch. Rev. 60: 30–33.
Gold, M. (1970).Delinquent Behavior in an American City, Brooks-Cole Publishing Company, Belmont, Calif.
Gold, M., and Reimer, D. J. (1972).Changing Patterns of Delinquent Behavior Among Americans 13 Through 16 Years Old: 1967–1972, National Survey of Youth Report, No. 1. University of Michigan Research Center for Group Dynamics, Ann Arbor.
Good, T. L., and Brophy, J. E. (1974). Changing teacher and student behavior: An empirical investigation.J. Educ. Psychol. 66: 390–405.
Gregg, G. (1976). High school — A tough place for girls.Psychol. Today 10: 36–37.
Hampe, E., Miller, L., Barrett, C., and Noble, H. (1973). Intelligence and school phobia.J. Sch. Psychol. 11: 66–70.
Harper, J., and Collins, J. K. (1975). A differential survey of the problems of privileged and underprivileged adolescents.J. Youth Adoles. 4: 349–358.
Hayes, M. L. (1943).A Study of the Classroom Disturbances of Eighth Grade Boys and Girls, Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York.
Heinstein, M. (1969).Behavior Problems of Young Children in California, N.C.:N.P.
Hindelang, M. J. (1976). With a little help from their friends: Group participation in reported delinquent behaviour.Brit. J. Criminol. 16: 109–125.
Hofmann, A. D. (1975). Adolescents in distress. Symposium of Adolescent Medicine.Med. Clinics N. Am. 59: 1429–1437.
Jackson, P. W. (1968).Life in Classrooms, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York.
Kelly, D. H. (1976). Track position, school misconduct, and youth deviance.Urban Educ. 10: 379–388.
Khleif, B. B. (1964). Teachers as predictors of juvenile delinquency and psychiatric disturbance.Social Problems 11: 270–282.
Kratcoski, P. C., and Kratcoski, J. E. (1975). Changing patterns in the delinquent activities of boys and girls: A self-reported delinquency analysis.Adolescence 10: 83–91.
Liddle, G. (1958). The California Psychological Inventory and certain social and personal factors.J. Educ. Psychol. 49: 144–149.
Maccoby, E. E. (ed.) (1966).The Development of Sex Differences, Stanford University Press, Stanford, Calif.
McPartland, J. M., and McDill, E. L. (1976).The Unique Role of Schools in the Causes of Youthful Crime, Report No. 216. Center for Social Organization of Schools, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
Ostrov, E., Offer, D., Marohn, R. C., and Rosenwein, T. (1972). The “impulsivity index”: Its application to juvenile delinquency.J. Youth Adoles. 1: 179–196.
Peterson, D. R. (1961). Behavior problems of middle childhood.J. Consult. Psychol. 25: 205–209.
Porteus, S. D. (1968). New applications of the Porteus Maze Tests.Percept. Motor Skills 26: 787–798.
Richards, C. V. (1966). Discontinuities in role expectations of girls. In W. W. Wattenberg (ed.),Social Deviancy Among Youth, Sixty-fifth Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part 1, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 164–188.
Rist, R. (1970). Student social class and teacher expectations: The self-fulfilling prophecy in ghetto education.Harvard Educ. Rev. 40: 411–451.
Schutz, R. E. (1958). Patterns of personal problems of adolescent girls.J Educ. Psychol. 49: 1–5.
Serbin, L. A., O'Leary, K. D., Kent, R. N., and Tonick, I. J. (1973). A comparison of teacher response to the pre-academic and problem behavior of boys and girls.Child Dev. 44: 796–804.
Silberberg, N. E., and Silberberg, M. C. (1971). School achievement and delinquency.Rev. Educ. Res. 41: 17–33.
Simmons, R. G., and Rosenberg, F. (1975). Sex, sex roles, and self-image.J. Youth Adoles. 4: 229–258.
Smith, I. L., and Greenberg, S. (1975). Teacher attitudes and the labeling process.Exceptional Children 41: 319–324.
Stanton, M. (1974). The concept of conflict at adolescence.Adolescence 9: 537–546.
Stein, A. H., and Friedrich, L. K. (1975). The effects of television content on young children. In Pick, A. D. (ed.),Minnesota Symposia on Child Psychology, Vol. IX, Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, pp. 78–105.
Stern, H., and Grosz, H. J. (1969). H.S.P.Q. personality measurements of institutionalized delinquent girls and their temporal stability.J. Clin. Psychol. 25: 289–292.
Thompson, R. J., and Lozes, J. (1976). Female gang delinquency.Correct. Soc. Psychol. 22: 1–5.
Wiggins, R. G. (1973). Differences in self-perceptions of ninth grade boys and girls.Adolescence 8: 491–496.
Zeitlin, H. (1955). Disciplinary problems reported by teachers in a metropolitan high school system. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Stanford University.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received his Ph.D. in education from the State University of New York at Albany. Main interests include adolescent behavior problems, school discipline, and alternative schools.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Duke, D.L. Why don't girls misbehave more than boys in school?. J Youth Adolescence 7, 141–157 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537522
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537522