An application of general strain theory to Korean adolescents: A test of the relation between negative stimuli at school and delinquency

This study is designed to test theory to explain the phenomenon of delinquency in South Korea. To better understand the causation of delinquency, this study will examine the relationship of students' negative experiences related to school with their delinquent behavior. Based on the general strain theory (GST), this study focuses on the higher-education oriented school culture as a major source of strain on youths in Korean society. Hypotheses will be tested with data collected by the Korean National Institute of Criminology (KIC) from a city-wide sample of adolescents. To collect this data, the KIC conducted a survey of 1919 middle and high school students in 40 classes within 20 schools that were located in the Seoul area.