Page 240 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
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ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
Methodology
This article is based on an examination of scientific articles found using the
following key words: early school leaving, ESLer, drop-out AND social be-
haviour, social competence, problem behaviour, externalising behaviour,
internalising behaviour, social adjustment, peers, civic competence, aca-
demic achievement in the EBSCOhost database. A search was also con-
ducted using the backward procedure, while in addition we drew informa-
tion from EU policy documents (e.g. European Commission).
Problem behaviour and ESL
Much research has been done on the topic of ESL and its link to problem
behaviour. Most of the reviewed literature took a longitudinal approach
to collecting data or comprised meta-analyses of existing literature on the
topic. A literature review by PPMI (2014) for the European Commission de-
scribed the competence profile of underachievers and ESLers. That profile
includes poor social skills as well as being too disruptive (externalising be-
haviour) or too quiet, isolated (internalising behaviour) in class.
The majority of the existing research links ESL to externalising behav-
iours such as delinquency, discipline problems, absenteeism and deviant
behaviours in and out of school (alcohol, drug use and abuse, disruptive-
ness and oppositional behaviours, juvenile delinquency, teenage parent-
ing, aggression, vandalism etc.; e.g. Rumberger & Lim, 2008; Hawkins,
Jaccard, & Needle, 2013; Jimerson, Carlson, Rotert, Egeland, & Sroufe, 1997;
Alexander, Entwisle, & Horsey, 1997; Jimerson, Egeland, Sroufe, & Carlson,
2000; Townsend, Fischer, & King, 2007; Battin-Pearson et al., 2000). South,
Haynie and Bose (2007) found that students who are not expressing dis-
ruptive behaviours and not misbehaving (i.e. are behaviourally engaged)
are less likely to drop out of school the following year. The opposite ap-
plies to disruptiveness, which may lead to early withdrawal from school be-
cause it contributes to school problems (Jimerson et al. 1997). Absenteeism
and discipline problems have also been linked to ESL (Rumberger, 2004;
Rumberger & Larson, 1998).
Within externalising behaviours, deviant behaviour’s relationship
with ESL has been most consistently reported in the literature (Townsend
et al., 2007). Alcohol and drug use predicts ESL even when controlling
for other risk factors (Garnier, Stein, & Jacobs, 1997; Lynskey, Coffey,
Degenhardt, Carlin, & Patton, 2003; Mensch & Kandel, 1988). In addition,
240
Methodology
This article is based on an examination of scientific articles found using the
following key words: early school leaving, ESLer, drop-out AND social be-
haviour, social competence, problem behaviour, externalising behaviour,
internalising behaviour, social adjustment, peers, civic competence, aca-
demic achievement in the EBSCOhost database. A search was also con-
ducted using the backward procedure, while in addition we drew informa-
tion from EU policy documents (e.g. European Commission).
Problem behaviour and ESL
Much research has been done on the topic of ESL and its link to problem
behaviour. Most of the reviewed literature took a longitudinal approach
to collecting data or comprised meta-analyses of existing literature on the
topic. A literature review by PPMI (2014) for the European Commission de-
scribed the competence profile of underachievers and ESLers. That profile
includes poor social skills as well as being too disruptive (externalising be-
haviour) or too quiet, isolated (internalising behaviour) in class.
The majority of the existing research links ESL to externalising behav-
iours such as delinquency, discipline problems, absenteeism and deviant
behaviours in and out of school (alcohol, drug use and abuse, disruptive-
ness and oppositional behaviours, juvenile delinquency, teenage parent-
ing, aggression, vandalism etc.; e.g. Rumberger & Lim, 2008; Hawkins,
Jaccard, & Needle, 2013; Jimerson, Carlson, Rotert, Egeland, & Sroufe, 1997;
Alexander, Entwisle, & Horsey, 1997; Jimerson, Egeland, Sroufe, & Carlson,
2000; Townsend, Fischer, & King, 2007; Battin-Pearson et al., 2000). South,
Haynie and Bose (2007) found that students who are not expressing dis-
ruptive behaviours and not misbehaving (i.e. are behaviourally engaged)
are less likely to drop out of school the following year. The opposite ap-
plies to disruptiveness, which may lead to early withdrawal from school be-
cause it contributes to school problems (Jimerson et al. 1997). Absenteeism
and discipline problems have also been linked to ESL (Rumberger, 2004;
Rumberger & Larson, 1998).
Within externalising behaviours, deviant behaviour’s relationship
with ESL has been most consistently reported in the literature (Townsend
et al., 2007). Alcohol and drug use predicts ESL even when controlling
for other risk factors (Garnier, Stein, & Jacobs, 1997; Lynskey, Coffey,
Degenhardt, Carlin, & Patton, 2003; Mensch & Kandel, 1988). In addition,
240
