Student anger and aggressive behavior in school: An initial test of Agnew's macro-level strain theory

Variation in criminal/delinquent behavior across communities, schools, and other social units is usually explained in terms of social disorganization and subcultural values. Agnew's macro-level strain theory (MST), however, p rovides an additional explanation. MST contends that macro-level difference s in crime and deviance can also be explained in terms of aggregate levels of anger and frustration. Following Agnew's recommendations, the authors co nduct an initial school-level test of MST using data on aggressive student behavior from a national sample of public high schools. The results of the assessment lend partial support to the theory, showing that student-to-stud ent conflict is partly a function of the level of anger in the student popu lation. Other forms of aggressive student behavior, however, are not likewi se affected. Nonetheless, the authors believe the findings are sufficiently promising to warrant further examination of MST, and they offer some sugge stions in this regard.