School Engagement Trajectories and Their Differential Predictive Relations to Dropout

Although most theories draw upon the construct of school engagement in their conceptualization of the dropout process, research addressing its hypothesized prospective relation with dropout remains scarce and does not account for the academic and social heterogeneity of students who leave school prematurely. This study explores the reality of different life-course pathways of school engagement and their predictive relations to dropout. Using an accelerated longitudinal design, we used growth mixture modeling to generate seven distinct trajectories of school engagement with 12- to 16-year-old students (N = 13,300). A vast majority of students were classified into three stable trajectories, distinguishing themselves at moderate to very high levels of school engagement. We refer to these as developmentally normative pathways in light of their frequent occurrence and stability. Although regrouping only one-tenth of participants, four other nonnormative (or unexpected pathways) accounted for the vast majority of dropouts. Dropout risk was closely linked with unstable pathways of school engagement. We conclude by debating the delicate investment balance between universal strategies and more selective and differentiated strategies to prevent dropout. We also discuss the need to better understand why, within normative trajectories, some students with high levels of school engagement drop out of school .     

Past-users of HRT are osteopenic four months after discontinuation:an observational and cross-sectional study

Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) helps to prevent osteoporosis. The effect of short-term discontinuation of a long-term HRT on bone mineral density (BMD) in healthy post-menopausal women is unknown. Fifteen women on HRT (HRT users), 17 who never used HRT (non-users) and 8 former HRT users (past-HRT users) were recruited. BMD was measured by DXA. Our results allow to hypothesize that BMD may decline after short-term HRT discontinuation, which would increase the fracture risks. Indeed, our results show that past-HRT users are osteopenic just as non-users. However, these results should be re-examined using a prospective trial and a larger sample size.     

The use of pesticides in French viticulture: a badly controlled technology transfer!

The use of pesticides is one of the techniques employed in modern agriculture and in particular in intensive agriculture. The risks for the environment and for worker health have been debated in western countries for about ten years. Recent developments in epidemiology, toxicology and ergotoxicology have clearly revealed that pesticides could harm the health of farmers (cancers, neurological diseases and reproductive disorders). Failures and shortcomings in the risk prevention systems have also come to light. This paper aims to address the risks associated to the use of pesticides in French vineyards. The chosen approach draws from an anthropological approach as well as from developments in ergotoxicology applied to the French vineyard work. We shall discuss the use of pesticides from the point of view of the transfer of technology. Our recent research has shown that this technology transfer was not completely controlled by the different stakeholders.     

Un plafond à caissons : les femmes à l’EHESS

The feminization of employment at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) in Paris has fallen off after an early start and it remains low. This is not to be set down so much to the formally discriminating nature of the recruitment examination (concours) as to competition, the accumulation of social capital and the methods for producing job applications. The initial feminization owed much to long inhouse careers, as women were recruited without sitting for an examination but into subordinate positions from which they could move upwards. This trend came to a halt as this channel of recruitment was shut down and a more elitist, relational and competitive one was opened that leads fewer women to enter job applications. The situation is not a stalemate however. A group of women professors has managed to place the gender question on the agenda and this seems to have given a (weak) boost to feminization.     

“From cause to cure”: A qualitative study on contemporary forms of mother blaming experienced by mothers of young children with autism spectrum disorder

ABSTRACT

In the past, the behaviours and personalities of mothers have been identified as potential causes of autism. More recently, other etiological hypotheses have been used to explain autism spectrum disorder, suggesting that this specific type of mother-blaming is now uncommon. However, some authors have pointed out that mothers are still being held responsible for their children’s condition and behaviours, as they are now expected to extensively promote their children’s development. The present article explores contemporary forms of mother-blaming experienced by thirteen mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. The results are discussed in relation to the consequences of mother-blaming, such as social isolation and health related problems. It is hoped that this article will encourage social workers and professionals to understand the mothers’ perspectives and to recognize the importance of supporting them without generating or increasing mother-blaming.     

Robust rank-based variable selection in double generalized linear models with diverging number of parameters under adaptive Lasso

We propose a robust rank-based estimation and variable selection in double generalized linear models when the number of parameters diverges with the sample size. The consistency of the variable selection procedure and asymptotic properties of the resulting estimators are established under appropriate selection of tuning parameters. Simulations are performed to assess the finite sample performance of the proposed estimation and variable selection procedure. In the presence of gross outliers, the proposed method is showing that the variable selection method works better. For practical application, a real data application is provided using nutritional epidemiology data, in which we explore the relationship between plasma beta-carotene levels and personal characteristics (e.g. age, gender, fat, etc.) as well as dietary factors (e.g. smoking status, intake of cholesterol, etc.).     

Psychosocial Profile of Children Having Participated in an Intervention Program for Their Sexual Behavior Problems: The Predictor Role of Maltreatment

This study sought to verify if a history of maltreatment may predict the psychosocial profile of children who participated in an intervention program aiming at reducing sexual behavior problems. Data were collected at both the beginning and the end of the intervention program using a clinical protocol and standardized tests selected on the basis of the intervention targets. In general, the results indicate that children who had experienced maltreatment display a psychosocial profile that is similar to that of children who had not experienced maltreatment. However, children who had experienced psychological abuse or neglect may display greater externalized or sexualized behaviors, whereas children who have a parent who had been a victim of sexual abuse may display fewer sexualized behaviors.     

Dynamic inconsistency and choice

In this paper, we analyze an intra-personal game where a decision-maker is summarized by a succession of selves. Selves may (or may not) have conflicting interests, and earlier selves may have imperfect knowledge of the preferences of future selves. At date 1, self-1 chooses a menu, at date 2, the preferences of self-2 realize and self-2 chooses an item from the menu. We show that equilibrium choice is consistent with either a preference for flexibility, a preference for betweenness or a preference for systematic restriction. Overall, the analysis reconciles the decision–theoretic approach of choice over time with the game–theoretic multiple-selves approach.     

Academic Paths,Ageing and the Living Conditions of Students in the Late 20th Century*

Le monde étudiant est profondément marqué par la diversité des tra‐jectoires individuelles, qui sont souvent très éloignées d'un déroule‐ment linéaire des études. Les conséquences sur l'âge des étudiants sont majeures, et la condition étudiante ne peut plus être définie comme une expérience strictement juvénile. Or, entre 20 et 30 ans, l'âge engendre des impératifs différentiels sur le plan des conditions et des modes de vie qui ne sont pas toujours compatibles avec la condition étudiante classique. Cette étude des parcours et de la situation financière des étudiants des universités québécoises de langue françhise et anglaise montre comment s'opère la déconnexion entre jeunesse et condition étudiante, et comment cette déconnexion influe sur la différenciation des conditions de vie et de financement des études. Student life is profoundly marked by the diversity of individual trajectories, which are in stark contrast with the linear path traditionally taken by students. The impact on the age of the student population is significant: indeed, student life can no longer be qualified as strictly for the young. Between the ages of 20 and 30 years, different imperatives come into play in terms of living conditions and lifestyle. These imperatives are not always compatible with the conditions of classic student life. This study of the academic paths and the financial situation of Quebec university students shows how the disconnection between student condition and youth occurs and how this disconnection impacts the differentiation of student's living conditions and modes of financing university studies.     

The Work Sites of an American Interactionist: Anselm L. Strauss, 1917–1996

This article offers a situated overview of the work of Anselm Strauss. Beginning from its intellectual genesis at the University of Chicago with Blumer and Hughes, Strauss's creation of a sociology of action through concepts of routine and nonroutine action, negotiated order, social worlds, arenas, properties and kinds of work, and trajectory are examined. Strauss's ideas about medicine and chronic illness, psychiatric institutions, death and dying, awareness contexts, biography and trajectory are discussed. His profoundly innovative contributions to research methods, including grounded theory and the integration of structural elements through his conditional matrix, are also detailed. In conclusion, the ways in which Strauss himself framed the critical space of an interactionist sociologist are laid out through new interview materials.