Why Do Students Misbehave? An Initial Examination of Antecedents to Student Misbehavior

Abstract

The current study utilized constant comparative thematic analysis to uncover antecedents of student misbehavior from the perspective of collegiate instructors. Results indicated nine distinct antecedents of student misbehavior that were classified into three distinct categories: deficiency antecedents, belief antecedents, and external antecedents. These findings extend previous research on antecedents of student misbehavior by forwarding a more nuanced classification structure that centers on attribution theory as an explanatory mechanism. Overall, by understanding the potential reasons that underlie student misbehavior, educators can create more meaningful and enriching experiences for students by thoughtfully addressing these problematic behaviors and the underlying conditions that promote them.

Keywords:

• antecedents
• student behavior
• student misbehaviors
• teacher perspective

Notes

1. Throughout the manuscript we have used the term instructor when referring to our own dataset which is comprised of college educators. The term teacher is used when referencing the work of others who utilized this language.