Based on a proposed "Adjustment-Stress-Problem-Coping" model, survey questionnaires were sent to 316 students with severe deviant behaviors and 316 normal students in 31 junior high schools participating in the "Dawn Project" (an intervention program for students with deviant behaviors) in the Taiwan area to examine the differences between the two groups in school adjustment, school-related stress, school-related problem, and coping behavior. The main findings were as follows:

1. In terms of school adjustment, the deviant students were inferior to the normal group in studiousness, compliance, teacher-student relationship, and peer relationship.

2. In terms of perceived school-related stress, the deviant students were greater than that of the normal group in studiousness, compliance, and teacher-student relationship.

3. In terms of school-related problems, the deviant students showed more problems in compliance and teacher-student relationship than that of their counterparts.

4. In terms of coping behavior, the deviant students were using more avoiding responses in dealing with academic, discipline, teacher-student relationship, and peer relationship problems than that of the normal group. On the other hand, they were using less self-assisted and help-seeking behaviors in dealing with academic problems than that of the latter.

5. There were significant negative correlations between school adjustment and school-related stress in both groups, especially for those compatible variables. On the other hand, the compliance stress was negatively correlated with adjustments of academic work and teacher-student relationship.

6.It appeared that the adjustment difficulties of the deviant students came mostly from the conflicts between him/herself and the outside world, namely, the authority (teacher), the norm (discipline), and the culture (academic work), rather than the weakness of self assertiveness and/or peer acceptance.

7. Academic stress and problems appeared to be common and serious to all students. The structure of the curriculum, rather than the students´ abilities and endeavors, was the likely cause.