Disruptive Peers and Academic Performance: Short- and Longer-Term Outcomes∗

Sofoklis Goulas Silvia Griselda Rigissa Megalokonomou Yves Zenou

No 2026-18, Monash Economics Working Papers from Monash University, Department of Economics

Abstract: How do disruptive peers shape academic and career paths? We examine this question by leveraging the random assignment of students to classrooms in Greece and identifying the effects of peer disruptiveness on academic performance and career paths. Using suspen- sion hours as a measure of disruptiveness, we find that students assigned to more disruptive classrooms have lower academic achievement, a higher risk of grade retention, and reduced likelihood of graduating from high school on time. They are also less likely to pursue compet- itive STEM fields or enroll in selective postsecondary programs. The adverse effects are more pronounced for students from low-income areas, in larger classrooms, or with fewer female peers. Using a lab-in-the-field experiment, we find that exposure to multiple disruptors, com- pared with just one, reduces students’ study motivation, college aspirations, and readiness for science studies and careers, especially for those seated closer to disruptive peers.

Keywords: disruption; suspension; random classroom assignment; high school graduation; STEM careers; lab-in-the-field experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I24 I26 J16 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-07-27
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu and nep-lma
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