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Typology of students at risk of dropping out of school: Description by personal, family and school factors

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the different subgroups of students at risk of dropping out of school. The typology was developed based on the three main contexts associated with school dropout risk, namely, the personal, family and school contexts. On the basis of these factors, the clustering results enabled us to categorize at-risk students into four subgroups: (1) the Anti-Social Covert behavior type, (2) the Uninterested in school type, (3) the School and Social Adjustment Difficulties type, and (4) the Depressive type. Moreover, considering all the contexts involved in school dropout, the clustering technique confirms the importance of behavior problems and learning difficulties, while emphasizing the significance of both depression and the family and classroom environments in the development of dropout risk. Students at risk of dropping out of school report many family organisational problems and that they obtain little emotional support from their parents. They also perceive little order or organisation in the classroom.

Résumé

Le but de cette étude est d’identifier les différents sous-groupes d’élèves à risque de décrochage scolaire. La typologie développée se base sur les trois principaux contextes associés au risque de décrochage scolaire: le contexte personnel, familial et scolaire. Les analyses nous permettent de classer les élèves à risque de décrochage scolaire selon quatre sous-groupes: (1) le type comportements antisociaux cachés, (2) le type peu intéressé par l’école, (3) le type présentant des difficultés d’adaptation sociales et scolaires et (4) le type dépressif. En considérant tous les contextes impliqués dans le risque de décrochage scolaire, la typologie souligne non seulement l’importance des troubles du comportement et des difficultés d’apprentissage dans le risque de décrochage scolaire mais identifie aussi la contribution importante d’une part de la dépression des élèves et, d’autre part, du contexte familial et scolaire. En effet, ces élèves rapportent qu’ils ont peu de support émotif de leurs parents et qu’ils vivent plusieurs problèmes d’organisation familiale. Enfin, ils perçoivent peu d’ordre et d’organisation dans la classe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychoeducation Department, Sherbrooke University, 2500, Blv. Université, J1K 2R1, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

    Laurier Fortin

  2. Psychology Department, University of Quebec in Montreal, C. P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, H3C 3P8, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Diane Marcotte

  3. Département de psychoéducation, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, C.P. 500 Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada

    Pierre Potvin Ph.D. ps.éd (Professeur titulaire)

  4. Faculté des Sciences de l’Education, Université Laval, G1K 7P4, Québec, Canada

    Égide Royer

  5. Département de psychoéducation, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500, boul. Université, J1K 2R1, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

    Jacques Joly

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  1. Laurier Fortin
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  2. Diane Marcotte
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  3. Pierre Potvin Ph.D. ps.éd
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Correspondence to Laurier Fortin.

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Grant of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and Fond Québecois de la Recherche sur la Société et la Culture (FQRSC).

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Fortin, L., Marcotte, D., Potvin, P. et al. Typology of students at risk of dropping out of school: Description by personal, family and school factors. Eur J Psychol Educ 21, 363–383 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173508

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