Darshana Kulkarni and Solomon Renati
University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India
Pages: 169-181
Disruptive behaviors are frequently observed in adolescents, emphasizing the importance
of identifying factors that contribute to these actions. This study examines the role of
school-related risk and protective factors in predicting adolescent substance use and
antisocial behavior, drawing on the social development model. A cross-sectional survey
was conducted with 820 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years, using the Communities that
Care Youth Survey and the Kuppuswamy SES Scale to assess key variables. Results
revealed strong positive correlations between school risk factors—academic failure (r
= 0.89, p < 0.05) and low school commitment (r = 0.93, p < 0.01)—and antisocial
behavior. In contrast, protective factors such as opportunities for prosocial engagement
(r = -0.101, p < 0.01) and rewards for prosocial behavior (r = -0.137, p < 0.01) showed
negative correlations with antisocial behavior. A regression analysis further confirmed
that these factors significantly predicted antisocial behavior (F = 4.87, p < 0.01). Although
correlations between school factors and substance use were observed in the expected
direction, they did not reach statistical significance. These findings underscore the
critical role of the school environment in shaping adolescent behavior.