Social contagion and high school dropout : the role of friends, romantic partners, and siblings

Social contagion theories suggest that adolescents in relationships with same-age high school dropouts should be at a greater risk of dropping out themselves. Yet, few studies have examined this premise, and none have considered all potentially influential same-age intimates, focusing instead on only either friends or siblings. Moreover, a key influence in adolescents’ social worlds, romantic partners, has been ignored. The goal of this study was to provide a comprehensive view of dropout contagion by considering occurrences of dropout among friends, siblings, and romantic partners. Data came from a sample of Canadian adolescents (N = 545) comprising one third of high school dropouts; a second third of carefully matched at-risk but persevering schoolmates; and a last third of average, not-at-risk students. As predicted, adolescents were at greater risk of dropping out when a member of their network had recently left school (i.e., in the past year, OR = 3.11; 95% CI [1.78, 6.27]), with independent associations of nontrivial sizes for occurrences of dropout among friends, romantic partners, and siblings (ORs between 1.97 [95% CI 1.25, 3.41] and 3.12 [95% CI 1.23, 11.0]). Moreover, adolescents seemed particularly at risk of quitting school (OR = 4.88; 95% CI [2.54, 12.5]) when their networks included more than one type of same-age intimate (e.g., a friend and a sibling) who had recently dropped out. Findings suggest that social contagion of dropout is a pervasive phenomenon in low-income schools and that prevention programs should target adolescents with same-age intimates who have recently left school

Gender differences in adolescents’ exposure to stressful life events and differential links to impaired school functioning

Gender differences in exposure and reactivity to specific stressful life events (SLE) contribute to explaining adolescent boys’ and girls’ differential susceptibility to common adjustment difficulties like depression and behavioral problems. However, it is unclear whether these gender differences are also relevant to understanding another key marker of adolescent maladjustment: high school dropout. A state-of-the-art interview protocol was used to assess recent SLE in a sample of academically vulnerable Canadian adolescents (N = 545, 52% boys). The sample was comprised of three groups in approximately equal proportions: 1) students who had recently dropped out; 2) matched students at risk of dropping out but who persevered nevertheless; and 3) “normative” students with an average level of risk. When SLE of all types were considered together, overall exposure was similar for adolescent boys and girls, and the SLE-dropout association did not vary as a function of gender. However, gender differences emerged for specific events. Boys were especially exposed to SLE related to performance (e.g., school failure, suspension) and conflicts with authority figures (e.g., with teachers or the police), whereas girls were particularly exposed to SLE involving relationship problems with family members, peers, or romantic partners. In terms of specific SLE-dropout associations, one consistent result emerged, showing that performance/authority-related SLE were significantly associated with dropout only among boys. It therefore seems that considering gendered exposure and sensitivity to SLE is important for understanding the emergence of educational difficulties with long-ranging consequences for future health and well-being

Stressors and turning points in high school and dropout : a stress process, life course framework

High school dropout is commonly seen as the result of a long-term process of failure and disengagement. As useful as it is, this view has obscured the heterogeneity of pathways leading to dropout. Research suggests, for instance, that some students leave school not as a result of protracted difficulties but in response to situations that emerge late in their schooling careers, such as health problems or severe peer victimization. Conversely, others with a history of early difficulties persevere when their circumstances improve during high school. Thus, an adequate understanding of why and when students drop out requires a consideration of both long-term vulnerabilities and proximal disruptive events and contingencies. The goal of this review is to integrate long-term and immediate determinants of dropout by proposing a stress process, life course model of dropout. This model is also helpful for understanding how the determinants of dropout vary across socioeconomic conditions and geographical and historical contexts

High school dropout in proximal context : the triggering role of stressful life events

Adolescents who drop out of high school experience enduring negative consequences across many domains. Yet, the circumstances triggering their departure are poorly understood. This study examined the precipitating role of recent psychosocial stressors by comparing three groups of Canadian high school students (52% boys; Mage = 16.3 years; N = 545): recent dropouts, matched at-risk students who remain in school, and average students. Results indicate that in comparison with the two other groups, dropouts were over three times more likely to have experienced recent acute stressors rated as severe by independent coders. These stressors occurred across a variety of domains. Considering the circumstances in which youth decide to drop out has implications for future research and for policy and practice

Adaptation and validation of the life events and difficulties schedule for use with high school dropouts

The Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (LEDS) is considered the standard for measuring psychosocial stressor exposure, but it has not been used with academically at-risk adolescents, including high school dropouts. The goal of this study was to (1) adapt the LEDS for use with this population, and (2) examine the reliability (interrater) and validity (concurrent and predictive) of this adaptation among a sample of vulnerable adolescents (N = 545). Good reliability coefficients (.79–.90) were obtained, and stressor exposure was associated with concurrent criteria indexing mental health outcomes (depression) and major risk factors for dropout (administratively recorded and self-reported). Also, LEDS scores predicted dropout beyond these risk factors. The adapted LEDS appears useful for describing academically struggling adolescents’ stressor exposure

Revisiting the link between depression symptoms and high school dropout : timing of exposure matters

Purpose Recent reviews concluded that past depression symptoms are not independently associated with high school dropout, a conclusion that could induce schools with high dropout rates and limited resources to consider depression screening, prevention, and treatment as low-priority. Even if past symptoms are not associated with dropout, however, it is possible that recent symptoms are. The goal of this study was to examine this hypothesis. Methods In 12 disadvantaged high schools in Montreal (Canada), all students at least 14 years of age were first screened between 2012 and 2015 (Nscreened = 6,773). Students who dropped out of school afterward (according to school records) were then invited for interviews about their mental health in the past year. Also interviewed were matched controls with similar risk profiles but who remained in school, along with average not at-risk schoolmates (Ninterviewed = 545). Interviews were conducted by trained graduate students. Results Almost one dropout out of four had clinically significant depressive symptoms in the 3 months before leaving school. Adolescents with recent symptoms had an odd of dropping out more than twice as high as their peers without such symptoms (adjusted odds ratio = 2.17; 95% confidence interval = 1.14–4.12). In line with previous findings, adolescents who had recovered from earlier symptoms were not particularly at risk. Conclusions These findings suggest that to improve disadvantaged youths' educational outcomes, investments in comprehensive mental health services are needed in schools struggling with high dropout rates, the very places where adolescents with unmet mental health needs tend to concentrate

Défis de la programmation ouverte dans l’insertion sociale et professionnelle de jeunes en difficulté

À partir des années 2000, l’État québécois adopte des politiques publiques tentant de prévenir, chez les jeunes, le recours à l’aide sociale. Des mesures d’insertion sociale et professionnelle, qui en découlent, sont caractérisées par une programmation ouverte offrant un cadre souple au personnel intervenant auprès de jeunes en difficulté et au croisement de la communauté des différents organismes communautaires et des institutions. Au Québec, la mesure IDEO 16-17 en est un exemple récent. Cette mesure, mise en œuvre dans les carrefours jeunesse-emploi (CJE), offre un accompagnement accru à des jeunes de 16 et 17 ans qui rencontrent des difficultés majeures aux niveaux social, professionnel ou scolaire. Elle fait appel à un partenariat local et intègre plusieurs activités de coordination nationale. L’article prend assise sur le rapport d’évaluation de la mesure IDEO 16-17 (Yergeau, Bourdon, Bélisle et Thériault, 2009) et met en lumière une analyse originale de la programmation ouverte. Les données quantitatives et qualitatives, recueillies lors d’entretiens avec 24 membres du personnel intervenant, 52 jeunes et 20 directions de CJE, constituent le corpus principal analysé. L’article relève quelques défis liés à la programmation ouverte dans le contexte particulier du soutien à l’insertion sociale et professionnelle de jeunes en difficulté.From the years 2000, the Quebec state has adopted public policies aimed at preventing young adults from resorting to social assistance. The resulting social and professional integration support measures are characterised by an open programming offering a flexible framework to the staff working with young people in difficulty, and at the juncture of the community, different community-based organisations and institutions. In Quebec, the IDEO 16-17 measure is a recent example. This measure, implemented in the carrefours jeunesse-emploi (CJE) offers increased coaching to youth aged 16 and 17 who are encountering major difficulties on the social, professional or school levels. It seeks a local partnership and includes many nationally coordinated activities. The article is grounded in the evaluation report of the IDEO 16-17 measure (Yergeau, Bourdon, Bélisle & Thériault, 2009) and highlights an original analysis of open programming. The quantitative and qualitative data collected during interviews with 24 staff members, 52 young people and 20 directors from the CJE constitute the main corpus analysed. This paper sheds light on some of the challenges related to open programming in the particular context of social and professional integration support aimed at vulnerable youth.A partir de la década de 2000, el Estado de Québec ha adoptado políticas públicas que apuntan a evitar que los jóvenes recurran a la ayuda social. Las medidas de inserción social y profesional que derivan de esas políticas se caracterizan por una programación abierta que ofrece un entorno flexible al personal que interviene ante los jóvenes con dificultades y a la convergencia de la comunidad, de los distintos organismos comunitarios y de las instituciones. En Québec, la medida IDEO 16-17 es un ejemplo reciente : implementada en los “carrefours jeunesse- emploi” (CJE), ofrece un mayor acompañamiento a jóvenes de 16 y 17 años que presentan dificultades importantes a nivel social, profesional o escolar. Esta medida apela a asociarse localmente e integra varias actividades de coordinación nacional. El artículo se basa en el informe de evaluación de la medida IDEO 16-17 (Yergeau, Bourdon, Bélisle y Thériault, 2009) y saca a la luz un análisis original de la programación abierta. Los datos cuantitativos y cualitativos reunidos tras entrevistar a 24 miembros del personal interviniente, 52 jóvenes y 20 direcciones de CJE constituye el corpus principal del análisis. El artículo gira en torno de algunos desafíos vinculados a la programación abierta en el contexto particular del apoyo a la inserción social y profesional de jóvenes con dificultades

Défis de la programmation ouverte dans l’insertion sociale et professionnelle de jeunes en difficulté

À partir des années 2000, l’État québécois adopte des politiques publiques tentant de prévenir, chez les jeunes, le recours à l’aide sociale. Des mesures d’insertion sociale et professionnelle, qui en découlent, sont caractérisées par une programmation ouverte offrant un cadre souple au personnel intervenant auprès de jeunes en difficulté et au croisement de la communauté des différents organismes communautaires et des institutions. Au Québec, la mesure IDEO 16-17 en est un exemple récent. Cette mesure, mise en œuvre dans les carrefours jeunesse-emploi (CJE), offre un accompagnement accru à des jeunes de 16 et 17 ans qui rencontrent des difficultés majeures aux niveaux social, professionnel ou scolaire. Elle fait appel à un partenariat local et intègre plusieurs activités de coordination nationale. L’article prend assise sur le rapport d’évaluation de la mesure IDEO 16-17 (Yergeau, Bourdon, Bélisle et Thériault, 2009) et met en lumière une analyse originale de la programmation ouverte. Les données quantitatives et qualitatives, recueillies lors d’entretiens avec 24 membres du personnel intervenant, 52 jeunes et 20 directions de CJE, constituent le corpus principal analysé. L’article relève quelques défis liés à la programmation ouverte dans le contexte particulier du soutien à l’insertion sociale et professionnelle de jeunes en difficulté.From the years 2000, the Quebec state has adopted public policies aimed at preventing young adults from resorting to social assistance. The resulting social and professional integration support measures are characterised by an open programming offering a flexible framework to the staff working with young people in difficulty, and at the juncture of the community, different community-based organisations and institutions. In Quebec, the IDEO 16-17 measure is a recent example. This measure, implemented in the carrefours jeunesse-emploi (CJE) offers increased coaching to youth aged 16 and 17 who are encountering major difficulties on the social, professional or school levels. It seeks a local partnership and includes many nationally coordinated activities. The article is grounded in the evaluation report of the IDEO 16-17 measure (Yergeau, Bourdon, Bélisle & Thériault, 2009) and highlights an original analysis of open programming. The quantitative and qualitative data collected during interviews with 24 staff members, 52 young people and 20 directors from the CJE constitute the main corpus analysed. This paper sheds light on some of the challenges related to open programming in the particular context of social and professional integration support aimed at vulnerable youth.A partir de la década de 2000, el Estado de Québec ha adoptado políticas públicas que apuntan a evitar que los jóvenes recurran a la ayuda social. Las medidas de inserción social y profesional que derivan de esas políticas se caracterizan por una programación abierta que ofrece un entorno flexible al personal que interviene ante los jóvenes con dificultades y a la convergencia de la comunidad, de los distintos organismos comunitarios y de las instituciones. En Québec, la medida IDEO 16-17 es un ejemplo reciente : implementada en los “carrefours jeunesse- emploi” (CJE), ofrece un mayor acompañamiento a jóvenes de 16 y 17 años que presentan dificultades importantes a nivel social, profesional o escolar. Esta medida apela a asociarse localmente e integra varias actividades de coordinación nacional. El artículo se basa en el informe de evaluación de la medida IDEO 16-17 (Yergeau, Bourdon, Bélisle y Thériault, 2009) y saca a la luz un análisis original de la programación abierta. Los datos cuantitativos y cualitativos reunidos tras entrevistar a 24 miembros del personal interviniente, 52 jóvenes y 20 direcciones de CJE constituye el corpus principal del análisis. El artículo gira en torno de algunos desafíos vinculados a la programación abierta en el contexto particular del apoyo a la inserción social y profesional de jóvenes con dificultades

RAD-QTL mapping reveals both genome-level parallelism and different genetic architecture underlying the evolution of body shape in Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) species pairs

Parallel changes in body shape may evolve in response to similar environmental conditions, but whether such parallel phenotypic changes share a common genetic basis is still debated. The goal of this study was to assess whether parallel phenotypic changes could be explained by genetic parallelism, multiple genetic routes, or both. We first provide evidence for parallelism in fish shape by using geometric morphometrics among 300 fish representing five species pairs of Lake Whitefish. Using a genetic map comprising 3438 restriction site-associated DNA sequencing single-nucleotide polymorphisms, we then identified quantitative trait loci underlying body shape traits in a backcross family reared in the laboratory. A total of 138 body shape quantitative trait loci were identified in this cross, thus revealing a highly polygenic architecture of body shape in Lake Whitefish. Third, we tested for evidence of genetic parallelism among independent wild populations using both a single-locus method (outlier analysis) and a polygenic approach (analysis of covariation among markers). The single-locus approach provided limited evidence for genetic parallelism. However, the polygenic analysis revealed genetic parallelism for three of the five lakes, which differed from the two other lakes. These results provide evidence for both genetic parallelism and multiple genetic routes underlying parallel phenotypic evolution in fish shape among populations occupying similar ecological niches.Keywords : Adaptive radiation, Parallel evolution, Fish body shape, Geometric morphometrics, Genotyping-by-sequencing