School climate as strain for youth in residential treatment

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between school climate and the severity of symptoms for youth in residential treatment. General strain theory posits that conduct problems arise from pressure or strain in the environment. Agnew (2006) cited negative school climate as a source of strain for youth who display conduct problems. Poor family functioning is an additional commonly cited source of strain for youth in residential treatment (Hardaway et al., 2012; Youngblade et al., 2007). The results of this study indicate that while school climate plays a role in the symptom severity of youth in residential treatment, it is subsumed by effect of family functioning to predict the severity of their symptoms.