The Relationship between School Climate and Tendency toward Delinquency among High School Girls in Kerman

The purpose of the present study was to determine to the relationship between school climate and tendency toward delinquency among high school girls in Kerman. Based on Parson's theory as well as Simons-Morton, Grump, Haynie, and Saylor’s thoughts, schools were considered to play a significant role in juvenile delinquency. In this survey, the instrumentation consisted of a questionnaire. The statistical population comprised high school girls who were enrolled in 2012-2013 academic year in Kerman. For the purpose of sampling, stratified sampling method was used and 381 students were selected. Results of descriptive and inferential statistics showed that 1) There exists a high tendency toward delinquency among teenage girls. 2) There was an indirect, significant relationship between school climate and girls’ tendency toward delinquency. More specifically, the higher the affective, instructional, balance-seeking, interactive, and expectation climate, the lower the tendency toward delinquency. 3) Multiple regression analysis showed that only three types of school climate, i.e., balance-seeking, expectation and affective, impacted the intensity of tendency toward delinquency and could account for 15 percent of its variance. The results also showed that there was a negative relationship between school climate and juvenile behavioral problems. Hence, developing appropriate school/student relationship can hinder students’ behavioral problems.