This. stttdy examines (he relative importattce of middle school clintate for errplnining variance in studenr behavioral problen~ s unil emotional distress. I'orricipat~ rs were 499 sixth arid seventh grade students (. TI% sirls; 26% Hispanic, 22% AfTican American, and 52% Calrcasian or other rarial-ftltnicgrottp) attending a large frr1) an middle school. Afrer accounting for dentogrrrphir arrdps~ chosocial variables, boys' scl~ ool climate perceptions explained vuriatice in rnltlti-irforonnant rneassres of exrernirlizing and internulizitrg problems. Girls' school climctte perceptiorrs significantly explained~ rariance only in self-reported externalizing prohlenfs. Althorrglt these rross-sectional dutn do not allow conc1itsion. s abotrr the direcrion of effects, the findings are corrsisterlt with research indiratirig that schno1. v'sorial environ~ nents affect a broad mnge of sttrdertt ert~ olirmal and hehubinr~~ l ourcoff~ es. Implicorionrfi~ r interventions ro efihitnce rcl~ ool social clirtrotes are discussed.

How does school climate influence middle school students' social adjustment? Recent years have seen increased calls for attention to the learning and social climate of middle grade schools (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1989, 1995). Young adolescents experience rapid changes in their physical, emotional, and interpersonal development; at the same time, they move from elementary to middle schools. This transition can be stressful for young people, leading to declines in academic performance, self-image, perceived social soppnrt, and perceptions of the quality of school life (Blyth. Simmons. & Carlton-Ford. 1983: Crockett, Petersen. Graber, Schulenberg, & Ebata. 1989: Hirsch & Rapkin. 1987; Seidman, Allen. Aber.