The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
PPEE-DSC-04e

Bibliographic reference :
Fortin, L., & Picard, Y. (1998). Les effets d’un programme d’intervention multidimensionnel auprès d’élèves à risque de décrochage scolaire au secondaire. Revue québécoise de psychologie, 19(2), 125-145.

Abstract :

Theoretical Context
The authors of this Quebec (Canada) study report that the school dropout rate in Quebec remains one of the highest in the country. After setting out the main consequences of this problem, they discuss personal and academic risk factors. Then, they review the main intervention programs in place at the time to mitigate school dropout. Most of the authors quoted emphasize the importance of targeting several risk factors in a program and involving several players in the process.

Program Description
This intervention program is designed to teach at-risk youths basic academic skills and instil in them social behaviour skills required to function properly in society and on the labour market. To do so, serial production and on-the-job training workshop activities were added to core academic subject teaching activities.

The program involved established objectives and a personal intervention plan, weekly evaluation meetings with students, reinforcement techniques, an established cooperation council and clear disciplinary rules.

A sense of personal engagement and a will to succeed among student participants are considered as necessary conditions to the success of the intervention. In addition to the students, several players are invited to participate including parents, teachers, the program director, a psychoeducator and members of the community.

Program Assessment
The 226 students who participated in this quasi-experimental study conducted in a class context were divided into three groups. With two questionnaires handed out to teachers, information was collected on student progress for the three years during which the program was applied (1993-1996).

The authors assessed the effects of the program on the reduction of behavioural disorders, mastery of social skills and academic skills, especially in French and mathematics and, lastly, reduction of the dropout rate.

A Few Results
The authors observed a reduction of behavioural disorders and delinquent behaviour among male students. However, the opposite effect occurred among female students. The authors explain these results by the fact that the workshops proposed were better adapted to the needs of male students rather than those of female students (e.g. woodworking). As for assertiveness and self-control, it seems that the program affected all the students positively. With regard to academic skills, the authors observed that French and mathematics skills and school motivation improved, but mainly among male students.

Despite these positive results, the dropout rate remained quite high among both female and male students. However, the authors emphasize that the students who participated in the program were initially among the high school students most at risk of dropping out. Thus, the dropout rate would have been much higher without the program. Lastly, several students left school because they found employment with businesses where they had received training.

Key Words :
Developmental Perspective, Personal Risk Factors, Academic Risk Factors, Academic Skills, Social Skills, Integration into the Labour Market, At-risk Students, Learning Difficulties, Behavioural Problems, School-Family-Community Partnership, Personal Engagement, Parental Involvement, Community Involvement, Gender, Quasi-experimental Study, Descriptive Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, Secondary/High School

Monitored Countries :
Canada (Québec)