School Failure Research Articles

Changes in the association between educational achievement, attainment and subsequent mental health: A survival analysis of 21 Swedish graduation cohorts

BackgroundLow academic achievement and low educational attainment in adolescence is associated with higher risks of internalizing disorders later in life. However, less is known regarding if these associations vary over time across cohorts. The aim of this study was to investigate temporal changes in the association between academic achievement or educational attainment and subsequent inpatient treatment for internalizing disorders among Swedish youths.MethodsRegister data on all students graduating from compulsory school in Sweden between 1990 and 2010 (N = 2 252 703) were used. Students were followed for a maximum of 8 years using discrete time proportional hazard models. Internalized disorders were measured by specialized inpatient psychiatric care for depression or anxiety disorders. Academic achievement was measured by grades at the end of compulsory school, and educational attainment by completion of upper secondary school.ResultsThe positive association between inpatient treatment for internalizing disorders and both low compulsory school achievement and non-completion of upper secondary school became stronger in more recent cohorts. The results were completely driven by girls and native-born youth.ConclusionsLow compulsory school achievements and failure to complete upper secondary school has become more important risk factors for inpatient treatment for internalizing disorders, particularly in native-born youth and girls. More research is needed to establish whether youth with internalizing disorders increasingly fail in school or whether low achievement has become more harmful for mental health.

Associations between academic achievement and internalizing disorders in Swedish students aged 16 years between 1990 and 2018

Abstract Background Rising rates of internalizing disorders and rising rates of school failure among adolescents are growing concerns. Despite the strong association between academic achievement and internalizing disorders, possible links between these two trends have not been investigated. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the development of the cross-sectional associations between academic achievement and internalizing disorders in Swedish students aged 16 years between 1990 and 2018. Methods Register data on specialist psychiatric care and prescriptions of psycholeptic and psychotropic drugs were linked to data on students’ school grades in the last year of compulsory school. The total sample size was 3,089,674 students. Logistic regression models with internalizing disorders as the dependent variable, and graduation year and academic achievement as independent variables, were estimated. Results Throughout the period, there was a strong negative association between academic achievement and internalizing disorders. Low-achieving students had by far the highest risks of internalizing disorders. In absolute terms, the increase in internalizing disorders was clearly largest for low-achieving students. The relative risks for low-achieving compared to higher achieving students increased between 1990 and 2010 and declined after 2010. Conclusions This study found consistently large, and at least until 2010 growing, achievement-related inequalities in internalizing disorders among Swedish adolescents between 1990 and 2018, with the lowest achieving students having disproportionally high risks. The increasingly pronounced concentration of internalizing disorders in the lowest rungs of the achievement distribution suggests that preventive interventions should focus on supporting this doubly disadvantaged group of students.

Bullying in Schools: Persistent Legal Challenges

In 2019, about 22% of students ages 12–18 reported being bullied, with a higher percentage of female students than male students reporting victimization. Recent empirical reports indicate that students with disabilities are more likely to experience bullying and be punished for bullying. Bullying has been linked to increased risk for experiencing short- and long-term consequences for victims and perpetrators, and it may result in violations of civil rights acts. Unfortunately, despite federal civil rights acts, federal guidance issued through Dear Colleague Letters, and case law, schools still engage in practices that amount to violations of students’ civil rights and make them subject to liability. In this brief, we highlight two recent court cases involving bullying in order to illustrate persistent school failures in addressing these important concerns. Implications for practice are also considered.

Шкала родительского стресса: адаптация на русскоязычной выборке матерей школьников

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective. </strong>Adaptation of the Parental Stress Scale by J. Berry and V. Jones on a sample of mothers of Russian schoolchildren – first and fourth grade students of elementary schools in Nizhny Novgorod and the Nizhny Novgorod region. <br><strong>Background. </strong>Modern parenting research highlights the complex nature of parenting experiences, the diversity of parental practices, the changes associated with the child's upbringing and the dynamics of the family system, and the combination of both positive and negative emotions in parenting. However, there is a noticeable shortage of tools in the Russian-language literature to measure both parental satisfaction and parental stress. <br><strong>Study design. </strong>The study was conducted using an online survey within the “Longitudinal study of factors of school failure”, implemented in Nizhny Novgorod and the Nizhny Novgorod region. <strong>Participants. </strong>The study included a sample of 900 mothers of fourth grade and 1120 mothers of the first grade school students. <strong>Measurements.</strong> Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and McDonald's Omega coefficients were used for psychometric data analysis. The PERMA Profiler questionnaire and correlation analysis were used to assess validity based on convergent and discriminant evidence. The data was analyzed in the Jamovi 2022 and R programs. <br><strong>Results. </strong>Factor analyses of the internal structure suggest two factors, including 8 items each. The subscales “Parental stress” and “Parental satisfaction” demonstrate a high level of internal consistency. The assessment of validity based on the convergent and discriminant evidence confirms the reliability and validity of the instrument. <br><strong>Conclusions. </strong>The scale demonstrates good psychometric properties and can be used for parenting research, as well as in applied projects to improve parental competence and emotional support for parents.</p>

Teachers’ perspectives on determinants of educational (under)achievement of Cigano/Roma students in Portugal

ABSTRACT The presence of Cigano/Roma students in secondary education in Portugal is still a rarity, considering that less than 3% of young Ciganos/Roma attend secondary education. This article aims to highlight the need for a comprehensive understanding of the perceptions of school teachers and principals on educational (under)achievement, absenteeism and school integration of Cigano students. To this end, we analyse data from an online questionnaire survey of a sample of 819 teachers, school principals and deputy principals and other senior management staff in schools of the Metropolitan Areas. These respondents express persistent representations and stereotypes in relation to the educational trajectories of Cigano students, especially in assigning prime causes of school failure to factors relating to the students’ family or own intrinsic issues, rarely indicating institutional factors or those linked to their teaching practices. Although this is a study centred on Portugal, the lessons drawn from it can point to new directions for other contexts, as the educational achievement of Cigano students represents an opportunity and an invitation to transform and upgrade school institutions as well as the educational system as a whole, which should be more innovative, reflexive and increasingly open to the community.

The Accuracy and Efficiency of the Speech Language Early Literacy Screening Checklist

Objectives: This study aimed to develop the “Speech Language Early Literacy Screening Checklist” in order to identify speech, language, and early literacy difficulties in children aged 5-6 years before entering elementary school. This study examined the reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the checklist as a screening tool.Methods: Out of the 2,880 children who participated in the initial screening test, 155 underwent diagnostic deep tests. A total of 110 children who exhibited difficulties in language, speech, and early literacy areas were classified as the high-risk group, while those who demonstrated appropriate development in all areas were classified as the general group.Results: The Cronbach’s α value for all checklist items was .884. The content validity index rated by six language development experts was 0.70 or higher for all 36 items, with an average content validity score of 0.91. Clinical validity was confirmed through the total score differences between the general and high-risk groups classified by the diagnostic deep tests. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve results for the screening checklist showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.858, sensitivity of 84.4%, and specificity of 76.4%. The positive predictive value (PPV) calculated from the cut-off score was 92.3%.Conclusion: The “Speech Language Early Literacy Screening Checklist” developed to identify children at high risk of language development delays before school entry has shown appropriate reliability, validity, and classification accuracy. This study suggests that the implementation of this checklist will contribute to preventing school failure by effectively identifying at-risk children aged 5-6.

ФАКТОРЫ ВОЗНИКНОВЕНИЯ СОЦИАЛЬНО-ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКОЙ ДЕЗАДАПТАЦИИ КАК ПРИЧИНЫ ВНУТРЕННЕГО НЕБЛАГОПОЛУЧИЯ ОБУЧАЮЩИХСЯ СТАРШИХ КЛАССОВ

Socio-psychological maladaptation is the basis of the internal disadvantage of adolescents, as well as the cause of school failure of students, which determines the particular relevance of studying this phenomenon. The paper presents an analytical review of existing foreign and domestic research and the definition of the concept of “Socio-psychological maladaptation”. Based on theoretical analysis, the main factors in the emergence of socio-psychological maladjustment in adolescents are presented. Current issues and vectors for further research are identified.

Geographic Differences in School Success Among Children and Adolescents in the United States.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between rurality and challenges to school success: lack of school engagement, school absenteeism, and repeated grade. Cross-sectional data from the 2020 to 2021 National Survey of Children's Health, children ages 6 to 17 (n = 42,089), was used. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between residence rurality and each outcome of interest. In bivariate analysis, rural children were more likely to have school absenteeism and repeat a school grade. In our adjusted models, there were no differences between rurality and the three measures of school success. Rural and urban children may be vulnerable to different risk factors for school failure. Findings from this study may be used by school nurses and policymakers as they design and implement programs in rural schools.

The effects of the 'active before school' programme on the academic skills of 8-9-year-old children: a physically and cognitively engaging intervention.

Literature underscores the significance of exercise and cognitive stimulation for achieving academic success. This study aims to investigate the effects of the technology-based "Active Before the First School Bell" programme, comparing the effects of two school-based interventions (physical activity vs. cognitive engagement) on the academic skills of 8-9-year-old children. This encompasses their school skills, visual-motor coordination, levels and attitudes towards physical activity, and fitness. The study involved 88 primary school children (age: 8.3 years, 58.0% girls). To assess the programme's distinct effects children were categorised into three groups. The first group (n = 31) participated in cognitive classes (CEG), the second (n = 27), in physical activity classes (PAEG), and the third (n = 30), was a control one (CG). A 12-week intervention, consisting of three 15-min sessions per week before school, was implemented. Self-report questionnaires gauged levels of physical activity. Academic skills were assessed using a battery of diagnostic methods for school failure in early childhood education. Fitness was measured using selected items from the Eurofit test battery. Pre- and post-test measures were collected and analysed, employing one-way ANOVA on ranks with Dunn's post-hoc tests. Significant post-test differences between the groups were observed in visual spatial function, with the PAEG outperforming the CG, and in auditory and language functions, where both experimental groups outperformed the CG. Results suggest that before school physical activities may be more effective than cognitive activities in improving the academic skills. The short-term effects obtained provide insights for implementing before-school programmes for children in the early school years.

ПСИХОЛОГО-ПЕДАГОГИЧЕСКИЕ ТЕХНОЛОГИИ РАЗВИТИЯ МЫШЛЕНИЯ У МЛАДШИХ ШКОЛЬНИКОВ С ЗПР

According to the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Social Policy of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the number of children with disabilities is increasing every year. The main nosology that is observed in school institutions is children with delayed mental development. In the context of the implementation of inclusive education, adapted educational programs are developed for students with mental retardation, which take into account the peculiarities of their development and are aimed at helping to assimilate the educational program. The main branch in this work is the development of higher mental functions, including thinking. The problem of the development of thinking in primary school children is central in special pedagogy and psychology, it is the lack of intellectual activity that is determined as the main reason for the school failure of children in this category. Teachers are faced with the task of developing and implementing such programs using psychological and pedagogical technologies to develop thinking in younger students with mental retardation. The article presents an integrated approach using psychological and pedagogical technologies to the development of thinking in younger students with mental retardation, which favorably affects the dynamics of the development of their thought operations. The practical significance of the study lies in the expansion and deepening of empirical research on the problem of thinking of younger students with mental retardation as a result of obtaining new qualitative and quantitative data that can be used by psychologists. A psychological program for correcting the thinking of younger students with mental retardation can be recommended to psychologists, teachers, and other specialists who work with younger students with mental retardation.

EDUCAÇÃO ESPECIAL NA PERSPECTIVA INCLUSIVA

This case study brings reflections on possibilities for implementing the concept of a school for all in everyday school life, reinforcing the importance of the struggle movement for people with disabilities in our country. It focuses on the situation of Special Education in the municipality of Miracema/RJ based on a comparative analysis between the Municipal Education Plan (2015-2025) and normative and political devices (such as: the National Education Plan, the Law of Guidelines and Bases of Education and the National Policy on Special Education from the Perspective of Inclusive Education) that guarantee education for all as a human right. The work carried out by the municipality's Specialized Assistance Center (NAE) is also analyzed. Methodologically, the study was carried out taking bibliographic and documentary research as its starting point. It is theoretically based on authors such as: Paulo Freire, Maria Tereza Mantoan and Rita de Cassia Fumegalli. It is concluded that the municipality of Miracema has been expanding its horizons with regard to the implementation of what is implied by goal 4 of the National Education Plan and the National Special Education Policy from the Perspective of Inclusive Education, seeking to promote a break with related social prejudices to the education of students with disabilities, charting a new path, where the commitment is to an education that proposes to be universal, which must include diversity, moving away from standardized models, which do not respect the reality of students and their families and promote scenarios of exclusion and school failure.

The Global Impact of Multisystemic Vulnerabilities on Criminal Variety: A Cross-Continental Study in Young Adults.

Previous research has shown a robust association between different childhood and adolescent vulnerabilities and youth offending. However, these investigations have primarily focused on youths from high-income Western countries. Consequently, the generalizability of these findings to better inform global justice policies remains uncertain. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the relationship between individual, familial, and contextual vulnerabilities and criminal versatility during young adulthood, accounting for sociodemographic factors and cross-national differences. Data were derived from a diverse sample of 4,182 young adults (67% female; mean age = 18.96; SD = 0.81) residing in 10 countries across 5 continents who participated in the International Study of Pro/Antisocial Behavior in Young Adults. The Psychosocial and Family Vulnerability Questionnaire and the Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire were used to assess social and family adversity, and past-year criminal diversity was measured with the Criminal Variety Index. Results indicate that child maltreatment, substance abuse, and delinquent peers are global risk factors for criminal variety. Moreover, they are independent across males and females and among youths living in countries that are ranked differently on the Human Development Index (HDI). In addition, some childhood vulnerabilities showed different predictive ability across sexes (e.g., school failure), and across countries ranked differently on the HDI (e.g., family dysfunction). These findings suggest that certain childhood factors contribute to criminal behavior through transcultural mechanisms. Moreover, they highlight the importance of developing evidence-based policies that focus on transcultural risk factors to globally prevent criminal behavior.

Reflection on the psychological suffering of elementary school teachers: the perspective of psychodynamics of work

Female elementary school teachers are suffering from psychic distress, as they experience various mental health problems due to the attributes of the profession and the accumulation of domestic activities. Objective: to reflect on the contributions of the Psychodynamics of Work to the psychological suffering of elementary school teachers. Methodology: theoretical reflection focusing on the convergences and specificities of Dejours' and Molinier's Psychodynamics of Work, and their contributions to the psychological suffering of female teachers. Results: Because they experience different experiences from men in the workplace, such as: an overload of activities, weaknesses in job and salary plans, school failure and demands with a high affective load, female teachers can suffer negative impacts on their mental health, leading to psychological distress. Conclusion: It is necessary to reflect on the condition of psychological distress among female teachers, taking into account the specificities of daily teaching, the socio-historical context and the adversities of women's work, motivating initiatives to create collective discussion spaces, support networks and public policies to minimize suffering and prevent future illnesses.

Teachers and Teaching Assistants – Teamwork as Prevention of School Failure of Pupils During Primary Education

This paper investigates the topic of teacher-teaching assistant collaboration in supporting pupils who are at risk of school failure. This topic was addressed, as one of the subtopics, by a longitudinal research study investigating the causes of school failure/success among primary school pupils in the Czech Republic. The aim of the present study is to describe the activities that teaching assistants pursue in relation to “at-risk” pupils or in relation to other pupils in the classroom. The descriptive part of the paper also reviews various forms of teacher-teaching assistant collaboration during the teaching process. This empirical study consists of two parts. In the theoretical introduction, we describe the system of support and advisory services used to implement inclusive education in Czech schools. We also describe the legislative definition of the teaching assistant position and present his/her job description. The empirical part of the paper presents the conclusions of our research survey, which captures how teaching assistance is currently practiced in Czech primary education.

Психологические ресурсы и информационно- технологические средства учителя по вовлечению учащихся в учебный процесс

<p><em>The growing interest of the educational community in the phenomenon of “involvement” is a direct evidence of the relevance of the student — centered approach. The modern educational process is represented not by a passive student, but by the active co — creation of a teacher and a student, and the level of involvement is an indicator of the degree of activity of the student. The question arises: with what psychological resources and means can a teacher achieve deep involvement of students in the educational process. Objective: to identify psychological resources and information technology facilities of the teacher and indicators of students’ involvement in the educational process. It was revealed that the majority of students (more than 70%) characterized by a low level of engagement, inertia, passivity, alienation, inaction, which are formed and consolidated as a result of constant school failures. The psychological conditions and factors contributing to and hindering the actualization of the complex “engagement and involvement” as a resource for personal and professional development of teachers and students are identified. The developed programs and trainings integrated into the educational process of the school have given a positive result and are recommended for use in schools.</em></p>

Psychoactive substance use and associated factors among Mohammed first university students, Oujda, Morocco: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe use of psychoactive substances, including tobacco, alcohol, and others, remains a major public health problem. However, few studies have been conducted on Moroccan university students. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of substance use among students at Mohammed First University, Oujda, Morocco.MethodsWe conducted this cross-sectional study with students enrolled at one of the Mohammed First University of Oujda’s institutes as part of the 2021–202 academic year. We used a self-administered survey to collect data anonymously. We cleaned the data and then entered it into IBM SPSS Statistics 21 for analysis. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics as well as univariate and multivariate analysis. We considered a P value < 0.05 as the level of significance.ResultsIn this study, out of 500 students we asked to complete the survey, 478 responded; the response rate was 95.6%. The average age was 21.1 ± 3.0, and the M/F sex ratio was 0.97. The lifetime prevalence of psychoactive substance use among Oujda University students was 28.7%. The most commonly used substances were tobacco (24.1%), alcohol (15.9%), cannabis (13.4%), sedatives (6.9%), stimulants (5.2%), and cocaine (4.4%). Male sex, age > 20 years, self-financing, school failure (one year repeated or more), the practice of a leisure activity, the presence of a personal medical or psychiatric history, and the presence of a family medical history were all significantly associated with the use of psychoactive substances.ConclusionOur study revealed a significant prevalence of psychoactive substance use among university students in Oujda, highlighting the need for interventions at various levels. Further analytical studies are necessary to better understand the initiation and maintenance of psychoactive substance use and to identify all associated factors to enhance prevention strategies against substance use disorders.

Předcházení školní neúspěšnosti v diskurzu vyučujících 1. stupně ZŠ

Strategies for supporting pupils at risk of school failure at the beginning of schooling process are the key to a successful educational process. The study is part of research aimed at preventing school failure in the first three years of schooling. The aim of the study is to identify categories of general support strategies and to create a typology of teachers according to their discourse. The study follows two research lines: the first includes thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with teachers, the second summarizes quantitative data from an expert assessment of teaching observations. In general, the support strategies presented by teachers fall into three groups: 1) instrumental support, 2) relationships, and 3) discipline. Within them, five types of teachers can be identified, which is based on thematic analysis of the interviews. These are confirmed by quantitative data. The teachers’ discourse generates specific topics linked to the support of pupils, namely pupils’ family background, teachers’ reaction to failure, individual approach and personal/professional boundaries. For support strategies to be effective, it is important that the teacher-student relationship provides basic psychological safety.

School failure: the perception of the university student

The prelude to educational lag and school dropout in Mexico is school failure; conceptualized as the reflection of the student's potential in a parameter of insufficiency in relation to the minimum requirements established by an educational institution, making it impossible to continue, causing the perception of failure. The objective was to identify the causes of academic failure, from the perspective of the university student. The methodology presented a study with a quantitative-descriptive approach, with non-probabilistic sampling where 126 of a total population of 182 university students participated. A failure rate of 23.36% was determined, with generic competences being the learning units with the highest failure rate, the two main causes, from the student's perception, are related to the student himself, 49.5% and to the teacher, 26.6%. In conclusion, the detection of areas of opportunity and analysis must be addressed by establishing strategies that help reduce the failure rates and school failure

Between school and family environment. Tasks of a school social worker in the contemporary educational system in Poland

The school is an very important educational environment that, along with the family home, has a huge impact on the formation of the attitudes of the children and young people who attend it. It becomes especially important in situations where the family does not properly carry out its functions. Then the school environment has a chance to carry out tasks compensating at least in part for the shortcomings of the home environment. In addition to educators and teachers, an important tasks are performed by the school pedagogue, providing broad support to the student and his parents experiencing difficult situations, which are reflected in the functioning of the student in the school environment. An important support for the school pedagogue could be a school social worker, who, thanks to his/her special competence, could become a link between the school and the student's family environment, allowing to look at his school or social failures from a broader perspective. For that reason the article includes a proposal for schools to employ social workers. The assumptions of social work fit perfectly into the educational program of the school, which assumes, that the school supports the student in his comprehensive development, in the pursuit of self-development, to bring out his potential, discover his abilities and strengthen his self-esteem.

School failure: the perception of the university student

School failure: the perception of the university student