La perception de l'élève de la qualité de sa relation avec l'enseignant et le risque de décrochage scolaire

Ce mémoire traite du lien entre la qualité de la relation élève-enseignant, le risque de décrochage scolaire et le sexe des élèves à partir de la perception de 375 garçons et 381 filles de deuxième secondaire de la région de l'Estrie. Parmi eux, 309 étaient considérés à risque et 447 ne l'étaient pas. Les résultats de l'analyse de covariance multivariée indiquent que les élèves à risque perçoivent plus négativement la relation avec leur enseignant que les élèves non à risque. En effet, les élèves à risque de décrochage manifestent des attitudes plus négatives envers leur enseignant, rapportent être moins engagés, perçoivent moins de soutien de leur enseignant, d'ordre et d'organisation en classe et considèrent que les règlements sont moins clairs que leurs pairs non à risque. De plus, les filles considèrent que les règlements sont plus clairs et qu'elles manifestent des attitudes moins négatives envers leur enseignant que les garçons

Évaluation du programme Pare-Chocs offert à un sous-groupe d'élèves à risque de décrochage scolaire présentant des symptômes dépressifs

Guidée par un modèle d'évaluation basé sur la théorie des programmes, cette thèse par insertion d'articles se veut une contribution à l'amélioration des pratiques en matière de prévention du décrochage scolaire et d'évaluation des programmes. La démarche rigoureuse adoptée vise une meilleure compréhension des processus par lesquels les programmes cognitivo-comportementaux (CC) peuvent contribuer à diminuer les symptômes dépressifs et le risque de décrochage scolaire. Le 1er article présente une recension systématique des études évaluatives de programmes de prévention et d'intervention pour la dépression chez les adolescents. Les résultats montrent que les programmes CC contribuent à réduire les symptômes dépressifs. Se distinguant des recensions sur les effets de ces programmes, cet article montre que plusieurs auteurs évaluent des aspects de la fidélité de l'implantation, mais que peu évaluent la relation entre ces variables et les effets du programme. Faisant synthèse des études évaluant la fidélité des programmes et celles portant sur les facteurs qui influencent la qualité de l'implantation de programmes, le 2e article indique que Pare-Chocs a été implanté avec un taux d'adhésion de près de 80 %, une exposition supérieure à l'exposition minimale recommandée et à un taux de participation de 79 % pour les élèves et de 48 % pour les parents. De plus, il illustre que la formation antérieure et au programme, la supervision, le manuel d'intervention et les contraintes de temps influencent la qualité de l'implantation. Dans le 3e article, le modèle de changement du programme, soit le lien entre les variables proximales et distales en intégrant l'effet des variables d'implantation, a été évalué. Pare-Chocs contribue à diminuer les distorsions cognitives et améliorer les stratégies de résolution de problèmes plus significativement chez le groupe de traitement que chez le groupe contrôle. Cet effet est plus important à la relance lorsque les élèves ont davantage été exposés au programme. Les résultats montrent aussi un effet significatif des distorsions cognitives au post-test et à la relance sur les symptômes dépressifs. Cet effet n'est pas observé pour le risque de décrochage. Cette thèse soutient la pertinence et le réalisme d'une approche évaluative basée sur la théorie des programmes qui développe une compréhension plus approfondie des mécanismes de changement et contribue à améliorer les programmes. Au plan de la prévention du décrochage scolaire, cette thèse montre que l'utilisation de programmes adaptés aux caractéristiques des sous-groupes d'élèves constitue une approche prometteuse pour favoriser la persistance des élèves à risque.\ud ______________________________________________________________________________ \ud MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Évaluation basée sur la théorie des programmes, dépression, décrochage scolaire, prévention, implantation

Implication scolaire des parents et adaptation comportementale, sociale et scolaire des filles et des garçons ayant eu des problèmes de comportement à l’enfance

This study examines the relationship between parental involvement in schooling of children who presented initially with externalized behavioural problems (EBP) and their adjustment in adolescence. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires on the behavioural, social, and academic adjustment of 383 adolescents (43.9 % girls). Teachers also measured parental involvement in adolescence. The results of the hierarchical regressions demonstrated that parental involvement was linked with better behavioural, academic and social adjustment of youth, particularity among girls. This study demonstrates the relevance to of fostering the involvement in school of parents of children presenting EBP during adolescence. Keywords: parental school involvement, externalized behavioural problems, adaptation, adolescence, sex differencesL’étude évalue les liens entre l’implication scolaire des parents d’enfants ayant présenté des problèmes de comportement extériorisés au primaire (PCE) et l’adaptation de ces jeunes à l’adolescence. Les parents et les enseignants ont rempli des questionnaires sur l’adaptation comportementale, scolaire et sociale de 383 adolescents (43,9 % de filles). Les enseignants ont aussi mesuré l’implication des parents à l’adolescence. Les résultats des régressions hiérarchiques montrent que l’implication des parents est liée à une meilleure adaptation comportementale, sociale et scolaire, et ce, particulièrement pour les filles. Cette étude montre la pertinence de favoriser, à l’adolescence, l’implication scolaire des parents d’enfants présentant des PCE. Mots-clés : implication scolaire des parents, problèmes de comportement extériorisés, adaptation, adolescence, différences de sex

Mutation screening of ASMT, the last enzyme of the melatonin pathway, in a large sample of patients with intellectual disability.

International audienceBACKGROUND: Intellectual disability (ID) is frequently associated with sleep disorders. Treatment with melatonin demonstrated efficacy, suggesting that, at least in a subgroup of patients, the endogenous melatonin level may not be sufficient to adequately set the sleep-wake cycles. Mutations in ASMT gene, coding the last enzyme of the melatonin pathway have been reported as a risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which are often comorbid with ID. Thus the aim of the study was to ascertain the genetic variability of ASMT in a large cohort of patients with ID and controls. METHODS: Here, we sequenced all exons of ASMT in a sample of 361 patients with ID and 440 controls. We then measured the ASMT activity in B lymphoblastoid cell lines (BLCL) of patients with ID carrying an ASMT variant and compared it to controls. RESULTS: We could identify eleven variations modifying the protein sequence of ASMT (ID only: N13H, N17K, V171M, E288D; controls only: E61Q, D210G, K219R, P243L, C273S, R291Q; ID and controls: L298F) and two deleterious splice site mutations (IVS5+2T>C and IVS7+1G>T) only observed in patients with ID. We then ascertained ASMT activity in B lymphoblastoid cell lines from patients carrying the mutations and showed significantly lower enzyme activity in patients carrying mutations compared to controls (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: We could identify patients with deleterious ASMT mutations as well as decreased ASMT activity. However, this study does not support ASMT as a causative gene for ID since we observed no significant enrichment in the frequency of ASMT variants in ID compared to controls. Nevertheless, given the impact of sleep difficulties in patients with ID, melatonin supplementation might be of great benefit for a subgroup of patients with low melatonin synthesis

Modélisation interdisciplinaire de l'intercompréhension dans les interactions

National audienceNé en 2010, le projet MIAC - Modélisation interdisciplinaire de l'acceptabilité et de l'intercompréhension dans les interactions - s'est fixé le but de mieux comprendre l'intercompréhension dans les interactions d'un point de vue transversal aux hommes, aux animaux et aux machines. Nous proposons ici une modélisation interdisciplinaire de l'intercompréhension dans les interactions, dont nous faisons l'hypothèse qu'elle pourrait fonctionner quels que soit les partenaires impliqués. Pour cela, nous nous sommes basés sur la définition de modèle proposée par Mortensen (1972)

Link between Intestinal CD36 Ligand Binding and Satiety Induced by a High Protein Diet in Mice

CD36 is a ubiquitous membrane glycoprotein that binds long-chain fatty acids. The presence of a functional CD36 is required for the induction of satiety by a lipid load and its role as a lipid receptor driving cellular signal has recently been demonstrated. Our project aimed to further explore the role of intestinal CD36 in the regulation of food intake. Duodenal infusions of vehicle or sulfo-N-succinimidyl-oleate (SSO) was performed prior to acute infusions of saline or Intralipid (IL) in mice. Infusion of minute quantities of IL induced a decrease in food intake (FI) compared to saline. Infusion of SSO had the same effect but no additive inhibitory effect was observed in presence of IL. No IL- or SSO-mediated satiety occurred in CD36-null mice. To determine whether the CD36-mediated hypophagic effect of lipids was maintained in animals fed a satietogen diet, mice were subjected to a High-Protein diet (HPD). Concomitantly with the satiety effect, a rise in intestinal CD36 gene expression was observed. No satiety effect occurred in CD36-null mice. HPD-fed WT mice showed a diminished FI compared to control mice, after saline duodenal infusion. But there was no further decrease after lipid infusion. The lipid-induced decrease in FI observed on control mice was accompanied by a rise in jejunal oleylethanolamide (OEA). Its level was higher in HPD-fed mice than in controls after saline infusion and was not changed by lipids. Overall, we demonstrate that lipid binding to intestinal CD36 is sufficient to produce a satiety effect. Moreover, it could participate in the satiety effect induced by HPD. Intestine can modulate FI by several mechanisms including an increase in OEA production and CD36 gene expression. Furthermore, intestine of mice adapted to HPD have a diminished capacity to modulate their food intake in response to dietary lipids

Adult-Young Ratio, a Major Factor Regulating Social Behaviour of Young: A Horse Study

Adults play an important role in regulating the social behaviour of young individuals. However, a few pioneer studies suggest that, more than the mere presence of adults, their proportions in social groups affect the social development of young. Here, we hypothesized that aggression rates and social cohesion were correlated to adult-young ratios. Our biological model was naturally-formed groups of Przewalski horses, Equus f. przewalskii, varying in composition.We investigated the social interactions and spatial relationships of 12 one- and two-year-old Przewalski horses belonging to five families with adult-young ratios (AYR) ranging from 0.67 to 1.33. We found striking variations of aggression rates and spatial relationships related to the adult-young ratio: the lower this ratio, the more the young were aggressive, the more young and adults segregated and the tighter the young bonded to other young.This is the first study demonstrating a correlation between adult-young ratios and aggression rates and social cohesion of young individuals in a naturalistic setting. The increase of aggression and the emergence of social segregation in groups with lower proportions of adults could reflect a related decrease of the influence of adults as regulators of the behaviour of young. This social regulation has both theoretical and practical implications for understanding the modalities of the influence of adults during ontogeny and for recommending optimal settings, as for instance, for schooling or animal group management

Neural Correlates of Experience-Induced Deficits in Learned Vocal Communication

Songbirds are one of the few vertebrate groups (including humans) that evolved the ability to learn vocalizations. During song learning, social interactions with adult models are crucial and young songbirds raised without direct contacts with adults typically produce abnormal songs showing phonological and syntactical deficits. This raises the question of what functional representation of their vocalizations such deprived animals develop. Here we show that young starlings that we raised without any direct contact with adults not only failed to differentiate starlings' typical song classes in their vocalizations but also failed to develop differential neural responses to these songs. These deficits appear to be linked to a failure to acquire songs' functions and may provide a model for abnormal development of communicative skills, including speech

A Potential Neural Substrate for Processing Functional Classes of Complex Acoustic Signals

Categorization is essential to all cognitive processes, but identifying the neural substrates underlying categorization processes is a real challenge. Among animals that have been shown to be able of categorization, songbirds are particularly interesting because they provide researchers with clear examples of categories of acoustic signals allowing different levels of recognition, and they possess a system of specialized brain structures found only in birds that learn to sing: the song system. Moreover, an avian brain nucleus that is analogous to the mammalian secondary auditory cortex (the caudo-medial nidopallium, or NCM) has recently emerged as a plausible site for sensory representation of birdsong, and appears as a well positioned brain region for categorization of songs. Hence, we tested responses in this non-primary, associative area to clear and distinct classes of songs with different functions and social values, and for a possible correspondence between these responses and the functional aspects of songs, in a highly social songbird species: the European starling. Our results clearly show differential neuronal responses to the ethologically defined classes of songs, both in the number of neurons responding, and in the response magnitude of these neurons. Most importantly, these differential responses corresponded to the functional classes of songs, with increasing activation from non-specific to species-specific and from species-specific to individual-specific sounds. These data therefore suggest a potential neural substrate for sorting natural communication signals into categories, and for individual vocal recognition of same-species members. Given the many parallels that exist between birdsong and speech, these results may contribute to a better understanding of the neural bases of speech