The central question addressed in this study was whether upper class,
suburban teenagers can engage in various problem behaviors and still
maintain adequate academic grades, because of environmental safety nets,
unlike their low-income, inner-city counterparts. Three problem behavior
dimensions were assessed among tenth graders, that is, substance use,
delinquency, and low school engagement. Academic achievement was assessed
in terms of grades across four major subjects. Variable-based analyses
indicated unique links with grades for self-reported delinquency and
school disengagement in high- and low-income samples, but for substance
use only among the former. Person-based analyses showed that in both
schools, grades were clearly compromised among youth with disturbances in
all three problem domains. In addition, in the suburban school only,
grades were low in the cluster characterized chiefly by high substance
use. Results are discussed in terms of stereotypes regarding risks (or
lack thereof) stemming from families' socioeconomic status;
implications for theory and interventions are also considered.Preparation of this manuscript was funded in
part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (RO1-DA10726,
RO1-DA11498, R01-DA14385), the William T. Grant Foundation, and the
Spencer Foundation.