Volume 2 , Issue 2 , June 2026 , Pages 289-307
Asst.L. Bjuwan Omar Muhammad Saeed Saeed 1 ; Asst.Prof.Dr. Parveen Abubakar Muhammad Muhammad 1 ; Asst.Prof.Dr.Shilan Ali Arif Arif 2
1 Department of Sociology, College of Humanities, Sulaimani University
2 Department of Social Work, College of Humanities, Sulaimani University
Behavioral deviations during the high school stage represent a highly sensitive issue, given their direct impact on the lives of adolescents and the overall educational process. This research aims to identify, classify, and understand the nature of behavioral deviations among high school students in the city of Sulaimaniyah. The research is grounded in several sociological frameworks, including Stigma Theory, and Social Disintegration.
To achieve these objectives, this research is a qualitative and it used a descriptive-analytical methodology. Data was gathered from 19 public schools across the Sulaimaniyah Governorate; the structured interviews conducted the sample were school social workers.
The research reached several conclusions, most notably the identification of the most dominant patterns of behavioral deviation: Emotional instability and social media misapplication, Smoking, school dropout, and failure in academic performance, Sleep deprivation, self-harm, depression, and suicidal ide, Body abuse and issues related to sexual orientation.
The findings revealed a difference in these problems based on gender. In boys' schools, the most noticeable issues were suicide attempts, absence, smoking, and irregular sleep patterns. In girls' schools, deviations included emotional problems, problems relating to financial hardships and social media misuse, anxiety, smoking, drug use, and suicide attempts. Furthermore, in co-educational (mixed) schools, the study highlighted issues regarding problems related to interpersonal relationships between genders, smoking, drug use, and suicide attempts. The study's most significant findings indicate that upbringing, family environment, and social media misuse are the two most evident causes of deviant behavior among students. The study also concluded that deviant behavior has various effects on students' psychological and social well-being, such as pessimism, low self-esteem, feelings of persecution, and social isolation from friends and family.