Grade Retention and Seventh-Grade Depression Symptoms in the Course of School Dropout among High-Risk Adolescents

Abstract

The relationship between grade retention and adolescent depression in the course of school dropout is poorly understood. Improving knowledge of the mechanisms involving these variables would shed light on at-risk youth development. This study examines whether depression in adolescence moderates the relationship between grade retention and school dropout in a high-risk sample. Seventh-grade students (n = 453) from two low-SES secondary schools in Montreal (Quebec, Canada) were followed from 2000 to 2006. Self-reported lifetime and seventh-grade depression were measured with the Inventory to Diagnose Depression. Primary school grade retention, and secondary school dropout status was obtained through the Ministry of Education of Quebec registries. Sixteen percent of participants reported lifetime depression, and 13% reported depression in seventh-grade. Nearly one third (32%) of the sample dropped out of school. Logistic regression models were used to estimate moderation effects predicting school dropout six years later. Findings indicated that students with grade retention were 5.54 times more likely to drop out of school. Depression in seventh grade increased by 2.75 times the likelihood of school dropout. The probability of dropping out for adolescents combining both grade retention and seventh-grade depression was 7.26 times higher than it was for those reporting grade retention only. The moderating effect of depression was similar for boys and girls. Depression is a significant vulnerability factor of low educational attainment aggravating the risk associated with grade retention. Experiencing depression at the beginning of secondary school can interfere with school perseverance particularly for students who experienced early academic failure.

The downward spiral of mental disorders and educational attainment: a systematic review on early school leaving

“…Considering academic achievement as an endogenous variable, Fletcher assumed that the total effect of depression on educational attainment may be reduced as part of the effect operated through decreases in the GPA [ 57 ]. The reciprocal effect of academic achievement and depressive symptoms had also been noted by Quiroga [ 32 ] who observed that youth combing a history of grade repetition and depression were most at risk to drop out of high school [ 32 ]. As studies including academic confounders had very different foci varying from grade repetitions [ 5 , 26 , 32 ], school characteristics [ 50 , 51 ], attitudes [ 63 ] and grades or test scores as a proxy for academic performance [ 10 , 15 , 52 , 54 , 57 ], a direct comparison of results was difficult.…”

“…Internalizing disorders refer to anxiety and mood disorders, both associated with educational attainment [ 5 , 32 , 33 , 40 , 56 - 60 ].…”

“…When adjusted for socio-demographic factors, mood disorders were significantly related to school dropout with varying odds ratios decreasing from 3.38 for major depression [ 58 ], to 2.75 (95% CI: 1.18 to 6.42, p < 0.01) for the early onset of depressive symptoms [ 32 ], and down to 1.4 (95% CI: 1.2 to 1.6, p < 0.01) for any mood disorder [ 56 ]. Another strong predictor of early school leaving and often co-occurring with mood disorders were suicidal ideations, with an odds ratio of 7.29 adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics and psychiatric morbidity [ 58 ].…”

Bullying, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among Adolescents in the Fujian Province of China

“…Qurioga et al reported that depression increased the risk of students dropping out of school by 2.75-fold. 30 Thus, we may have under-sampled depressed students in this study. In addition, depressed students who are bullied at school may be more likely to withdraw from school than perpetrators and neutrals who are not involved regularly in bullying.…”

Behavioral health in pediatric practice: The wheatfield pediatrics model

“…There is a worldwide need for early intervention of clinically diagnosable mental health concerns in children [15]. Previous studies reveal that unaddressed mental health problems among children and adolescents can result in lower educational achievement and poor physical and social outcomes [16,17] The following diagram describes the behavioral health workfl ow:…”