Page 245 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 245
students’ social and civic competencies: predictors of esl
individuals tend to lack integration into their school’s social network. We
found quite a few studies making similar conclusions (Parker & Asher, 1987;
Kupersmidt, Coie, & Dodge, 1990). Cairns, Cairns and Neckerman’s (1989)
longitudinal study of 475 USA students showed that for both boys and girls
in seventh grade school drop-outs affiliated with peers who themselves lat-
er dropped out of school. Another study by Vitaro, Larocque, Janosz, and
Tremblay (2001) among Caucasian boys in Canada showed that associat-
ing with deviant friends (i.e. friends who had been arrested by the police,
been a member of a gang and/or had considered leaving school) did have a
significant impact on high school ESL. On a similar note, a study by Ream
and Rumberger (2008) revealed that the number of drop-out friends sig-
nificantly increased the risk of school drop-out in grade 12. Moreover, a re-
view of different studies by Rumberger and Lim (2008) found that having
deviant friends – friends who engage in criminal behaviour, or friends who
have dropped out – increases the chances of ESL. There appear to be many
more studies in support of that fact (Alpert & Dunhan, 1986; Elliott & Voss,
1974). There are also many studies showing that being bullied increases the
chances of avoiding school or even leaving school early (Cornell, Huang,
Gregory & Fan, 2013; Downes, 2011). Traag (2012) reports that both popu-
larity and friendship correlate with ESL. Like others before them, they also
found that being popular among future ESLers as well as being friends with
future ESLers are both associated with a greater risk of ESL.
Kelly (1993) identified three ways that peer groups become involved in
the disengagement process. The first are conflicts with other students lead-
ing to expulsion; the second are the dissociative feelings with school peers
that are the cause and motivation for someone to quietly withdraw from
that environment; and third, attributing greater importance to relation-
ships and maybe even pregnancy than to school.
On the other hand, positive peer relationships can be a protective fac-
tor supporting a student’s academic pursuits, with studies revealing that
peers can serve as effective socialisation agents for school engagement and
motivation (Hymel & Ford, 2014). Since there are many studies showing
school engagement is a big protective factor against ESL, we may conclude
the same with regard to positive peer relations.
Civic competence and ESL
Not many studies directly link ESL with civic competence, although the
two domains could related and further studies are called for. Youniss et al.
245
individuals tend to lack integration into their school’s social network. We
found quite a few studies making similar conclusions (Parker & Asher, 1987;
Kupersmidt, Coie, & Dodge, 1990). Cairns, Cairns and Neckerman’s (1989)
longitudinal study of 475 USA students showed that for both boys and girls
in seventh grade school drop-outs affiliated with peers who themselves lat-
er dropped out of school. Another study by Vitaro, Larocque, Janosz, and
Tremblay (2001) among Caucasian boys in Canada showed that associat-
ing with deviant friends (i.e. friends who had been arrested by the police,
been a member of a gang and/or had considered leaving school) did have a
significant impact on high school ESL. On a similar note, a study by Ream
and Rumberger (2008) revealed that the number of drop-out friends sig-
nificantly increased the risk of school drop-out in grade 12. Moreover, a re-
view of different studies by Rumberger and Lim (2008) found that having
deviant friends – friends who engage in criminal behaviour, or friends who
have dropped out – increases the chances of ESL. There appear to be many
more studies in support of that fact (Alpert & Dunhan, 1986; Elliott & Voss,
1974). There are also many studies showing that being bullied increases the
chances of avoiding school or even leaving school early (Cornell, Huang,
Gregory & Fan, 2013; Downes, 2011). Traag (2012) reports that both popu-
larity and friendship correlate with ESL. Like others before them, they also
found that being popular among future ESLers as well as being friends with
future ESLers are both associated with a greater risk of ESL.
Kelly (1993) identified three ways that peer groups become involved in
the disengagement process. The first are conflicts with other students lead-
ing to expulsion; the second are the dissociative feelings with school peers
that are the cause and motivation for someone to quietly withdraw from
that environment; and third, attributing greater importance to relation-
ships and maybe even pregnancy than to school.
On the other hand, positive peer relationships can be a protective fac-
tor supporting a student’s academic pursuits, with studies revealing that
peers can serve as effective socialisation agents for school engagement and
motivation (Hymel & Ford, 2014). Since there are many studies showing
school engagement is a big protective factor against ESL, we may conclude
the same with regard to positive peer relations.
Civic competence and ESL
Not many studies directly link ESL with civic competence, although the
two domains could related and further studies are called for. Youniss et al.
245
