The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
PPEE-DSC-02e

Bibliographic reference :
Vitaro, F., Brendgen, M., & Tremblay, R. E. (1999). Prevention of School Dropout Through the Reduction of Disruptive Behaviors and School Failure in Elementary School. Journal of School Psychology, 37(2), 205-226.

Abstract :

Underlying Theoretical Basis
The authors of this Quebec (Canada) study discuss personal (behaviour, academic skills), family and environmental (neighbourhood) risk factors associated with school dropout. They indicate that aggressive behaviour leads to placement in special classrooms and grade repetition, elements generally related to school dropout. Due to the existing relation among aggressive behaviour, placement in special classrooms and grade repetition, the authors attempt to verify whether reducing aggressive behaviour could affect placement or grade repetition, which in turn, could affect school dropout.

More specifically, the authors attempt to verify whether the assessed program influences the reduction of disruptive behaviour (proximal effect) and school dropout (distal effect). Moreover, if this relation is confirmed, they intend to determine whether placement or grade repetition mediate the preceding relation.

Program Description
From a sample of 904 students assessed as aggressive by their kindergarten teachers, 149 male students (average age - 6 years) from 53 Montreal schools benefited from an intervention program. These students were from low SES families having less than 14 years of schooling. Three groups were formed to verify the effects of the program: i) intervention group; ii) control group; and iii) sensitization group.

For a two-year period (age 7 to 9), the intervention group students and their parents participated in various workshops aimed at: i) teaching social skills and conflict resolution strategies in an effort to reduce behavioural problems and placement or grade repetition and increase academic performance and peer acceptance; and ii) improving parental socialization practices to facilitate consolidation and generalization of the skills the children learned. The sessions were carried out at school with prosocial peers in order to reduce social stigmatization from which these aggressive students suffered. Assessment data was gathered by means of questionnaires (parents/teachers), classroom and home observations, tests and official records.

Program Assessment
Results have shown that the intervention group students were less unruly and experienced fewer placements than the control group students (36.8% and 56.8%, respectively) The authors confirm the marginally significant effects of the program on aggressiveness and placement or grade repetition. They report a mediating effect of placement on the relation between aggressive behaviour and dropout, even if the program did not generate any significant effect on school dropout.

Links :
This journal is also available in electronic format.

Key Words :
Preventive Program, Risk Factors, Personal Factors, Family Factors, School Factors, Environmental Factors, Multimodal Intervention, Developmental Model, Parental Socialization Practices, Grade Repetition, Special Classrooms, Underprivileged Background, Aggressiveness, Social Skills, Conflict Resolution Strategies, Peer Acceptance, Behavioural Problems, Educational Inequalities, Longitudinal Study, Quantitative Analysis, Primary School, Elementary School, Secondary/High School

Monitored Countries :
Quebec (Canada)