Accounting for Anglo-Hispanic differences in school misbehavior

This study examined the main and interaction effects of social acceptance, aggression, and gang involvement on serious school misbehavior in a sample of 152 middle school age Hispanic and Anglo males. High social acceptance and high aggression (or gang involvement) were hypothesized to predict serious school misbehavior for Hispanic males, but not Anglo males. Our hypotheses for the model including aggression were supported. The findings for aggression, but not gang involvement, are consistent with social learning and code-of-the-streets theories.