This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Gottfredson, D. C. Articles by Graham, N. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Grade Retention and Problem Behavior

The University of Maryland

Nanette Graham

The University of Nebraska

This study explores the causal nature of the well established association between grade retention and later adolescent problem behaviors including delinquency, drug use, and dropout. It uses multiple regression to examine retention effects on theoretical variables which might link retention to problem behavior in a sample of mostly African-American sixth and seventh graders intivo urban middle schools. The study compares the retained (n = 197) to the promoted (n = 204) students on measures of the theoretical intervening variables 11 months after retention. The retained students scored in the more negative direction on all measures taken prior to the retention decision, but these differences were diminished 11 months after the retention decision. Regression analyses imply that retention reduced rebellious behavior in school and increased attachment to school. These effects were small but statistically significant. No evidence of negative effects of grade retention was found on the theoretical predictors of problem behavior examined in this study.

American Educational Research Journal, Vol. 31, No. 4, 761-784 (1994)
DOI: 10.3102/00028312031004761


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. A. Robles-Pina, E. Defrance, and D. L. Cox Self-Concept, Early Childhood Depression and School Retention as Predictors of Adolescent Depression in Urban Hispanic Adolescents School Psychology International, October 1, 2008; 29(4): 426 - 441. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Roderick, B. A. Jacob, and A. S. Bryk The Impact of High-Stakes Testing in Chicago on Student Achievement in Promotional Gate Grades Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, January 1, 2002; 24(4): 333 - 357. [Abstract] [PDF]