Stress in the school environment of 269 elementary school children attending Grades 4, 5, and 6 of a metropolitan school district were assessed using the School Stress Questionnaire. The effects of sex, ethnic background (minority vs nonminority), type of classroom placement (regular education versus special education), and family structure (traditional versus nontraditional or divorced) were investigated. Children from nontraditional or divorced families had significantly higher school stress than children from intact families. The possibility that these results are a reflection of society's negative attitudes toward children living in nontraditional families is raised.
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