1. Objectifs

Intentions :
This research «focuses on parenting practices during middle adolescence when dropout typically occurs.» (résumé) «The goal of [this] study was to examine the quality of parenting practices (i.e., supervision and support) during the year preceding dropout.» (p. 57)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«It was hypothesized that low-quality parenting practices would generally be associated with a higher incidence of dropout. In terms of possible mediators, [the authors] considered the possibility that the relation between dropout and parenting practices would be weaker among adolescents from immigrant families or from families confronted with many challenges.» (p. 57)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
The sample «was selected from that of a larger matched case-control study […] comprising adolescents from 12 urban, semi-rural and rural schools in and around the Greater Montreal area (Quebec, Canada).» (p. 57) «The resulting sample comprised a total of 108 adolescents […] attending one of seven high schools […].» (p. 58)

Instruments :
- Questionnaire
- Guide d’entretien semi-directif

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

The «findings are clearly consistent with the notion that suboptimal parenting practices increases the risk for dropout, at least during middle adolescence when dropout is most common. In fact, the relation between current parenting practices and dropout was more robust than expected given that it was not mitigated (moderated) by an absence of challenging family circumstances or by the family’s immigration history or cultural background. Parenting practices also appeared to be equally important for boys and girls.» (p. 61) «Although parents’ contribution to school perseverance has long been recognized by many researchers, the exact nature of this contribution remains elusive […]. [The] findings shed some light on this issue. Perhaps unsurprisingly, parental neglect was associated with a high dropout risk. However, grossly inadequate parenting practices are too rare to be a major driver of a relatively common outcome like dropout. In fact, most dropouts in [this] sample were not overtly neglected by their parents at the time they left school. Rather, most adolescents who dropped out lived in families that did not communicate much or well, with parents who were generally unaware of their activities. [S]ome of these parents deliberately ignored obvious warning signs (e.g., a son that repeatedly misses school and stays home without justification) for reasons that are difficult to understand since parents were not interviewed.» (p. 61)