Disruptive behaviors in the classroom, a question of gender or of inadequate forms of coping?

Abstract

Disruptive behaviors in the classroom are a cause of concern for schools and educational researchers because of their impact on the rhythm of the class, harming students and teachers. The literature links the use of different coping strategies with disruptive behavior, with controversy regarding the frequency in which boys and girls engage in them, as well as a differential use of problem-focused versus emotion-focused strategies within the sexes. This study aimed to explore the relationships between gender, coping strategies, and adolescent disruptive behaviors and to identify possible idiosyncratic profiles of students regarding gender and the typology of disruptive behaviors. A sample of 382 high school students from the city of Algeciras (Cádiz, Spain) completed the Hormigo et al. (2003) Questionnaire of Perception of Conflict Behaviors and the Spanish adaptation of the Cano et al. (2007) Coping Strategies Inventory. The results showed that problem-focused coping strategies predicted a lower frequency of disruptive behaviors, whereas emotion-focused coping strategies increased the frequency of disruptive behaviors regardless of gender. Three differentiated profiles of students have also been identified: two groups of boys (adolescents who frequently committed all types of disruptive behaviors and boys who engage less frequently in disruptive behaviors) and a group of girls, more homogeneous, who resemble the group of disruptive boys showing more aggression towards teachers and school material and slightly disobedient, and differing from both boys groups regarding aggression among students.