Why don't girls misbehave more than boys in school?

Reviewing research on sex differences in school misbehavior and delinquency, the author speculates on six possible reasons why girls appear to misbehave less than boys despite the fact that girls are characterized by more personal problems during adolescence. Several reasons including the possibility that girls' misbehavior is inaccurately reported are rejected as insufficient to account for the discrepancy between boys' and girls' misbehavior. On the basis of existing evidence, the author concludes that a combination of personal characteristics (i.e., high need for affiliation and low aggressiveness) and external pressures (parental and teacher expectations and attitudes) function to inhibit misbehavior in girls. Some indications that the situation is changing are reported.