Does Dropping Out of High School Cause Deviant Behavior? An Analysis of the National Education Longitudinal Study

• Published in: Deviant behavior Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 47 - 62
• Main Author: Drapela, Laurie A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-01-2005
• Subjects: Crime; Deviant Behavior; Dropouts; Drug Abuse; High School Students
• ISSN: 0163-9625
• DOI: 10.1080/01639620490503006

After nearly 40 years of research, the relationship between dropping out of high school & law-violating behavior remains unclear: Some studies show a criminogenic effect of dropout status on crime & deviance, others show an inhibiting effect, & still others find no effect. Using three waves of a nationally representative panel sample of eighth graders, the following study attempts to explain these conflicting findings by exploring the theoretical & temporal dimensions of the dropout-drug use problem. Results show that these two variables are weakly associated with one another & that antecedents to dropout, such as school discipline problems & pre-dropout levels of drug use, have more substantive effects on post-dropout adolescent drug use than dropout status. The effects of these weak stakes in conformity on both dropping out & later drug use are consistent with a Social Control theory perspective on adolescent deviance. 2 Tables, 42 References. Adapted from the source document.