Page 238 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 238
ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
consistently linked with ESL, while less research has considered in-
ternalising behaviour and social competence and even less has ex-
amined civic competence. Concerning internalising behaviour,
links between ESL and depressive symptoms and mood disorders
have been found. Social competence seems to be especially impor-
tant for the student at risk – it appears to help build up their resil-
ience to ESL. Evidence regarding the link between civic competence
and ESL is limited, but its role has been demonstrated via extracur-
ricular activities – participation in extracurricular and communi-
ty-based activities plays a role. Peers also play a role – ESLers more
often associate with deviant peers.
Despite the strong evidentiary base on the relationship with ESL
(particularly for externalising behaviour), these aspects are often
overlooked when addressing ESL. Thus, in order to prevent ESL it
seems warranted to help build students’ social and emotional adjust-
ment and their participation in extracurricular activities from the
beginning of school.
Key words: social competence, social behaviour, externalising be-
haviour, internalising behaviour, civic competence, extracurricular
activities, early school leaving
Introduction
Social and civic competencies include a wide range of personal, inter-
personal and intercultural abilities that enable individuals to participate
constructively in social and school/working life in our societies that are
increasingly diverse (European Commission, 2006). Social competence
and several other related terms (e.g. social behaviour, social adjustment,
behavioural competence) appear in similar contexts and many different
definitions of them exist. For the purpose of this article, social behaviour
is an overarching term within which social competence is described as
efficiency in social interactions which meets short- and long-term devel-
opmental needs (Rose-Krasnor, 1997), while the lack of social competence
is viewed as problem behaviour. Problem behaviour is classified in two
broad categories: externalising behaviour (which includes hyperactivity,
impulsiveness, attention problems, anger, opposition, aggression, disrup-
tive and antisocial behaviour; Hinshaw, 1992; Mullin & Hinshaw, 2007)
and internalising behaviour (which includes depression, anxiety, pre-
occupation with physical symptoms, and social withdrawal; Eisenberg,
238
consistently linked with ESL, while less research has considered in-
ternalising behaviour and social competence and even less has ex-
amined civic competence. Concerning internalising behaviour,
links between ESL and depressive symptoms and mood disorders
have been found. Social competence seems to be especially impor-
tant for the student at risk – it appears to help build up their resil-
ience to ESL. Evidence regarding the link between civic competence
and ESL is limited, but its role has been demonstrated via extracur-
ricular activities – participation in extracurricular and communi-
ty-based activities plays a role. Peers also play a role – ESLers more
often associate with deviant peers.
Despite the strong evidentiary base on the relationship with ESL
(particularly for externalising behaviour), these aspects are often
overlooked when addressing ESL. Thus, in order to prevent ESL it
seems warranted to help build students’ social and emotional adjust-
ment and their participation in extracurricular activities from the
beginning of school.
Key words: social competence, social behaviour, externalising be-
haviour, internalising behaviour, civic competence, extracurricular
activities, early school leaving
Introduction
Social and civic competencies include a wide range of personal, inter-
personal and intercultural abilities that enable individuals to participate
constructively in social and school/working life in our societies that are
increasingly diverse (European Commission, 2006). Social competence
and several other related terms (e.g. social behaviour, social adjustment,
behavioural competence) appear in similar contexts and many different
definitions of them exist. For the purpose of this article, social behaviour
is an overarching term within which social competence is described as
efficiency in social interactions which meets short- and long-term devel-
opmental needs (Rose-Krasnor, 1997), while the lack of social competence
is viewed as problem behaviour. Problem behaviour is classified in two
broad categories: externalising behaviour (which includes hyperactivity,
impulsiveness, attention problems, anger, opposition, aggression, disrup-
tive and antisocial behaviour; Hinshaw, 1992; Mullin & Hinshaw, 2007)
and internalising behaviour (which includes depression, anxiety, pre-
occupation with physical symptoms, and social withdrawal; Eisenberg,
238
