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Youth & Society
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Sense of Futility

The Missing Link Between Track Position and Self-Reported School Misconduct

Mieke Van Houtte

Ghent University, Belgium, Mieke.VanHoutte{at}UGent.be

Peter A. J. Stevens

University of London

It is often reported that delinquency and school misconduct are more prevalent among students in lower academic tracks. This article examines the relationship between school type (general vs. technical/vocational) and self-reported school misconduct, considering simultaneously two recurrent explanations: the students' self-esteem and "strain theory." Through a multilevel analysis, we assess the explanatory value of self-esteem, the sense of futility, and a school's overall culture of futility in this relationship. Data on 6,373 students from 44 Flemish schools gathered in the 2004-2005 academic year show that technical/ vocational students report higher levels of school misconduct. The association between school type and self-reported misconduct cannot be attributed to the students' self-esteem. Their sense of futility, however, proves to be wholly responsible for the relationship. The culture of futility at a school, on the other hand, does not seem to be related to misconduct.

Key Words: school misconduct • track position • sense of futility

This version was published on December 1, 2008

Youth & Society, Vol. 40, No. 2, 245-264 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0044118X08316251
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