Laurier Fortin

Gender Differences in Depressive Symptoms during Adolescence: Role of Gender-Typed Characteristics, Self-Esteem, Body Image, Stressful Life Events, and Pubertal Status.

Although boys present a similar or even higher rate of depressive symptoms than girls prior to adolescence, girls become more depressive than boys during their teenage years. Pubertal changes have been suggested to be more stressful for girls than for boys. In addition, they occur more often in synchronicity with the transition to high school, accounting for the emergence of a higher rate of depressive symptoms in girls than in boys during adolescence. Five hundred and forty-seven French-speaking adolescents between the ages of I I years and I8 years (M = 14.46 years; 279 girls and 268 boys) participated in the present cross-sectional study and completed the French versions of the Beck Depression Inventory, the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, the Life Event Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire, the body image sub-scale of the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire, and the Pubertal Development Scale. The results support the view that body image, self-esteem, and negative stressful life events mediate the relationship between gender and depressive symptoms during adolescence.Analyses of a subsample of adolescents who recently went through the transition to high school indicate that body image,self-esteem,and negative stressful life events mediate the relationship between pubertal status and depressive symptoms during the transition to high school.

Typology of students at risk of dropping out of school: Description by personal, family and school factors

The purpose of this study was to identify the different subgroups of students at risk of dropping out of school. The typology was developed based on the three main contexts associated with school dropout risk, namely, the personal, family and school contexts. On the basis of these factors, the clustering results enabled us to categorize at-risk students into four subgroups: (1) the Anti-Social Covert behavior type, (2) the Uninterested in school type, (3) the School and Social Adjustment Difficulties type, and (4) the Depressive type. Moreover, considering all the contexts involved in school dropout, the clustering technique confirms the importance of behavior problems and learning difficulties, while emphasizing the significance of both depression and the family and classroom environments in the development of dropout risk. Students at risk of dropping out of school report many family organisational problems and that they obtain little emotional support from their parents. They also perceive little order or organisation in the classroom.RésuméLe but de cette étude est d’identifier les différents sous-groupes d’élèves à risque de décrochage scolaire. La typologie développée se base sur les trois principaux contextes associés au risque de décrochage scolaire: le contexte personnel, familial et scolaire. Les analyses nous permettent de classer les élèves à risque de décrochage scolaire selon quatre sous-groupes: (1) le type comportements antisociaux cachés, (2) le type peu intéressé par l’école, (3) le type présentant des difficultés d’adaptation sociales et scolaires et (4) le type dépressif. En considérant tous les contextes impliqués dans le risque de décrochage scolaire, la typologie souligne non seulement l’importance des troubles du comportement et des difficultés d’apprentissage dans le risque de décrochage scolaire mais identifie aussi la contribution importante d’une part de la dépression des élèves et, d’autre part, du contexte familial et scolaire. En effet, ces élèves rapportent qu’ils ont peu de support émotif de leurs parents et qu’ils vivent plusieurs problèmes d’organisation familiale. Enfin, ils perçoivent peu d’ordre et d’organisation dans la classe.

Cognitive and familial contributions to conduct disorder in children.

Although young children with conduct disorder (CD) are suspected of having verbal and executive function deficits, most studies that investigated this hypothesis did not control for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, relatively little is known about the interaction between cognitive deficits and familial factors in explaining the onset and persistence of CD in children. The participants in this study were 57 children with CD and 35 controls aged 7 to 12 years. At 1-year follow-up, 41 of the participants with CD were reassessed. Children with CD were found to be significantly impaired in four of five executive function measures after ADHD symptoms and socioeconomic status (SES) were controlled. Executive function test performance, number of ADHD symptoms, and familial characteristics (SES, parental punishment) together correctly classified 90% of the participants. Only the number of ADHD symptoms was found to significantly improve prediction of CD 1 year later beyond that afforded by number of CD symptoms a year earlier. Findings indicate that children with CD and ADHD symptoms are especially at risk for persistent antisocial behaviour. Results also highlight the importance of treatment programs that cover both cognitive and familial aspects associated with CD.

Neuropsychological characteristics of adolescents with conduct disorder: association with attention-deficit-hyperactivity and aggression.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an association exists between neuropsychological deficits and conduct disorder (CD) with and without concurrent attention-deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, we explored the differential neuropsychological performance of aggressive and nonaggressive CD adolescents and the combined effect of this behavioral status and ADHD on performance. Fifty-nine adolescents (mean age of 15.4 years) who met the criteria for CD were compared with 29 controls comparable in age, gender, and socioeconomic status. A neuropsychological battery of current tests measuring executive functions and a battery of language tests were used in the study. Multivariate analyses showed that, compared with controls, CD adolescents had significantly lower verbal skills but did not differ on executive function measures. However, the lower verbal performance of CD adolescents is not explained by the existence of a CD subgroup with concomitant ADHD or aggressiveness. The study confirms with a sample of CD adolescents the association between verbal deficits and antisocial behavior when socioeconomic status is controlled. Our results also demonstrate that CD per se can be a sufficient condition for such deficits.

Variations of cognitive distortions and school performance in depressed and non-depressed high school adolescents : A two-year longitudinal study

The goal of this two-year longitudinal study was to examine the variations of cognitive distortions with depressive symptoms in a sample of high school students. The relationship between depressive symptoms and academic performance was also examined. Six hundred and forty-four participants, from 13 to 16 years of age (M=14.13, SD=0.80) at Time 1 completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale, the Cognitive Style Test and the Cognition Checklist during regular classes. Grades in mathematics and French were obtained from students’ records. Results revealed that although depressive boys seemed to adopt very high levels of cognitive distortions in comparison with other groups, the variations of cognitive distortions in relationship to depressive symptoms were detected more clearly for girls than boys. For girls, significant changes in cognitive distortions were present both for the subgroups who became depressed as well as for the subgroup who remitted from depression between Time 1 and Time 3. Results regarding academic performance were less consistent, with adolescents who remained depressed for the studys three testing points seeming to be the group whose academic performance was most impaired.

Risque d’abandon scolaire, style parental et participation parentale au suivi scolaire

La presente etude vise a verifier les liens entre le risque d’abandon scolaire au secondaire, le style parental et la participation parentale au suivi scolaire. L’echantillon se compose de 810 eleves de premiere secondaire (12–13 ans). Le risque d’abandon scolaire est mesure a l’aide du questionnaire Decisions (P. Quirouette, 1988); le style parental et la participation parentale au suivi scolaire sont evalues au moyen des questionnaires de L. Steinberg, S. D. Lamborn, S. M. Dornbusch et N. Darling (1992) et J. L. Epstein, L. J. Connors et K. C. Salinas (1993), traduits et valides au Quebec par R. Deslandes (1996). Les analyses de regressions multiples permettent d’identifier deux dimensions du style parental et deux dimensions de la participation parentale au suivi scolaire qui expliquent 23 % de la variance du risque d’abandon scolaire. Les dimensions les plus significatives sont, en ordre d’importance, le soutien affectif parental, l’engagement et l’encadrement parental et la communication avec les enseignants. This study analyzes the correlation of the risk of dropping out in high school with parent- ing style and parental involvement in schooling. The study sample comprised 810 adoles- cents (12–13 years old). The risk of dropping out was assessed using the questionnaire Decisions (P. Quirouette, 1988). Parenting style and parental involvement in schooling were evaluated using questionnaires developped by L. Steinberg, S. D. Lamborn, S. M. Dornbusch, and N. Darling (1992) and by J. L. Epstein, L. J. Connors, and K.C. Salinas (1993), translated and validated in Quebec by R. Deslandes (1996). Multiple-regression analyses identified two dimensions of parenting style and two dimensions of parental involvement in schooling that together explained 23% of the variance in the risk of drop- ping out. In order of importance, the most significant dimensions are parental affective support, warmth, supervision, and communication with teachers.

Analyzing the Discourse of Dropouts and Resilient Students.

ABSTRACT The authors focused on high school students who were at risk of dropping out and examined why some of these students persevered and graduated while others ended up dropping out of school. Sixty resilient students and 80 dropouts participated in the study. Our results indicate that although learning difficulties were shared by participants, 4 types of abilities set the resilient students apart from dropouts: (a) inreach (using their own resources); (b) outreach (asking for help when needed); (c) establishing and maintaining positive relationships with teachers and friends while setting limits when necessary; and (d) planning, making choices and following through on decisions. It was also found that resilient students could count on lifelines, people they knew they could always rely on when they had difficulties.

Students’ antisocial and aggressive behavior: development and prediction

Students’ antisocial behavior can often lead to violence in school. Longitudinal studies pertaining to antisocial behavior have contributed considerably to the development of knowledge in this field of research. This knowledge now enables us to identify the different developmental stages of aggressive and antisocial behavior during childhood and adolescence. Consequently, we are better able to identify antisocial behavior in the classroom, to describe the developmental pathways leading to antisocial behavior, to identify the risk factors relating to this issue and finally, to predict who might be at‐risk of developing antisocial behavior. In the past, antisocial behavior was conceived as following a single developmental pathway encompassing several categories of behavioral problems. Now, on the other hand, many studies demonstrate how the development of these behaviors can be explained through different pathways.

RISK FACTORS EXPOSING YOUNG CHILDREN TO BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS

The present review describes factors likely to increase the probability of behavioural problems in young children. Specific behaviours, when displayed early on at home, in daycare and at school, ar...

Program and implementation effects of a cognitive-behavioural intervention to prevent depression among adolescents at risk of school dropout exhibiting high depressive symptoms

The outcome evaluation of Pare-Chocs, a school-based cognitive-behavioural (CB) prevention program for adolescent depression, was conducted with 53 adolescents at risk of school dropout and exhibiting high depressive symptoms using a theory-driven evaluation model. Our results show a significant relationship between the intervention and proximal variables: Experimental-group students presented less cognitive distortions and better problem-solving strategies at post-treatment and follow-up. Greater participation intensity predicts less cognitive distortions and better problem-solving strategies at follow-up. Moreover, less cognitive distortions at post-treatment and follow-up are linked to less depressive symptoms. These promising results encourage future evaluative research on school dropout prevention programs linked with at-risk students’ characteristics. For practitioners, they suggest that the implementation of a CB prevention program for depressive symptoms in school settings could lead to decrease depression risk factors and improve protective factors among youth at risk of school dropout.