A complex phenomenon

The school dropout phenomenon is a complicated one, especially given the multitude of risk factors that impact on young people differently. These vary according to individuals, their age, gender or social connectedness. Protective factors also vary according to individuals.

Supporting educational persistence and combating dropout means reducing the risk factors and increasing the protective factors.

Risk factors are generally grouped under the following headings:

• Personal factors, such as skills and health, mental or physical, are among the elements that can influence student retention.
• Interpersonal factors, such as social isolation, rejection by peers or association with deviant peers, particularly come into play during adolescence. In this phase of life, the network of friends is important and influences the decision to give up school. Young people who drop out tend to have fewer friends who consider school important than those who persevere. For certain young people, leaving school is a release. Some finally get to feel self-reliant and see themselves as part of “the adult world.” However, for others, abandoning an education is experienced as a personal failure; these young people do not believe they have the potential to meet the demands of society. Finally, some young people experience dropping out ambivalently: they feel liberated, yet still see themselves as failures.
• Family factors, for example broken families, isolation, poor education and parents’ social problems. Similarly, the attitude of the parents toward schooling will have either a positive or negative influence on their children’s determination to stay in school.
• Institutional factors, such as the atmosphere at school (student/adult relations), educational approach, behaviour management practices (stimulation, support, security and supervision) and the values being expressed. Thus, a good relationship with a teacher is an important factor in providing protection and motivation. The quality of the family’s links with the school and the community is paramount.
• Environmental factors, in particular deprivation. Other factors also have an influence, such as social breakdown in a community or high crime rates.

Dropouts have different profiles and live in a variety of environments. This finding must lead us to reflect on preventive measures and interventions that we need to provide to reach all young dropouts. Some preventive measures can be implemented vis-à-vis the entire population, while others must be adapted to reflect the individuality dropouts.

^{Sources: Table des Partners - Persévérance scolaire Montréal}