Browsing by Subject "Dropouts"
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Item Instructional and structural factors related to successful dropout prevention and recovery programs(2015-12) Martinez, Hector, Ed. D.; Olivárez, Rubén; Nance, Deborah; Sharpe, Edwin R; Callahan, Rebecca; Ponce, James; Flores, SteveThe purpose of this study was to identify the salient factors that influence student dropouts and students on the verge of dropping out to return to school as well as the programmatic factors, both structural and instructional, that support students to compete graduation. Three research questions guided the study including: (1) What district-wide programmatic interventions, both structural and instructional, seem to be successful in retaining recovered dropouts and in keep students on the verge of dropping out in school actively engaged in pursuing graduation? (2) What motivates student dropouts and students on the verge of dropping out to return to school? and (3) What motivates recovered student dropouts and students on the verge of dropping out to remain in school? Accordingly, this study was designed with a qualitative collective case study approach to examine one high school dropout prevention program and one dropout recovery campus. Data collection included document reviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Findings revealed stakeholders’ perceptions of the efficacy of several structural interventions to keep students on track to graduation. These included creating an academic options framework to meet student academic needs, using student cohort groups to monitor academic progress, and using campus leaver teams to track students who withdrew from school. Furthermore, the findings show the benefits of several instructional interventions including an online curriculum offering students flexibility to complete lost course credits, academic support through direct teaching and small group instruction, and individualized academic plans based on student needs. Finally, results showed that students were primarily motivated to return to school based on positive family influences and a desire for a better future. The study also revealed that students remained in school because of positive teacher relationships, small class sizes, and support services.Item Teenage parenting and high school dropouts: understanding students' academic, social, and personal influences(Texas Tech University, 2007-05) McGaha-Garnett, Valerie; Burley, Hansel E.; Stevens, Tara; Lan, WilliamAdolescent mothers are faced with multiple risk factors that may prevent them from graduating from high school. The first goal of this study was to examine adolescent mothers’ academic, social, and personal influences related to high school dropout. The second goal was to examine the Resiliency Framework for mothers who dropped out of school and the mothers who continued their education. The third goal was to explore how adolescent mothers perceive their academic, social, and personal influences and to determine whether resilience differ in each group. This study used the existing database of the National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS) 88:1992 by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). Subjects for NELS 88 were recruited from both private and public schools. The study conducted a two-stage probability design to select the 8th grade sample. The sample targeted 1,500 secondary schools. By random selection, twenty-three students from each school were selected to participate. The population of interest included teen mothers who dropped out of school and teen mothers who continued. In particular, the study viewed the second follow-up wave of the NELS data. The sample consisted of 572 participants. There were 278 young mothers who were classified as dropouts and 294 young mothers who were currently enrolled in high school. There were significant predictors of high school dropout for adolescent mothers in the areas of peer academic aspirations, school climate, future involvement, and childcare. This study found that dropouts scored significantly lower on peer academic aspirations. In addition, dropouts perceived their school climate as negative or hostile which further increased the likelihood of dropping out. Dropout students reported less family involvement and less trust between their parents. Lastly, dropouts were less likely to assume parental responsibility and had less involvement with their child. Attributes of Resiliency Theory were examined in both groups. Dropout students have a higher likelihood of having fewer protective factors and more risk factors than current students. As supported by this study, adolescent mothers who dropped out of school had fewer positive supportive avenues. The results of this study demonstrated that dropouts are less socially competent with healthy relationship, have fewer problem-solving skills, and increased dependence on others.Item The effectiveness of systematic client preparation for psychotherapy on dropout rate(Texas Tech University, 1984-08) Wilson, David OOne of the most difficult problems facing the psychotherapist is that far too many of those entrusted to his/her care drop out of treatment prior to its satisfactory completion. The extent of the problem is reflected in the findings that in outpatient psychiatric clinics 20% to 57% of clients fail to return after the first visit (Blenkner, 1954; Dodd, 1971; Fiester & Rudestam, 1975; Gallagher & Kantner, 1961; Katz & Solomon, 1958; Overall & Aronson, 1963; Rosenthal & Frank, 1958; Weiss & Schaie, 1958), and 31% to 56% attend no more than four treatment sessions (Craig & Huffine, 1976; Frank, 1961; Gallagher & Kantner, 1961; Kurz & Garfield, 1952; Lindsay, 1965). The evidence has suggested that only about 8.5% to 17% of dropouts were doing well whereas the vast majority (83% to 91.5%) could not be classified as doing well (Straker, Devenloo, & Moll, 1967; Yalom, 1966). Further, it appears that those who terminate early from psychotherapy rarely go to seek therapy elsewhere (Garfield, 1963; Riess & Brandt, 1965). With insufficient resources to treat clients needing mental health treatment, research efforts were made to predict those clients likely to prematurely terminate from psychotherapy. These efforts have failed to produce a multiple regression equation that successfully predicts the psychotherapy dropout (Baekeland & Lundwall, 1975). Thus, client preparation for psychotherapy programs have been developed both (a) to optimize the client's continuance in psychotherapy and (b) to enhance the client's utilization of the experience to increase successful outcomes. This study (a) developed a videotape utilizing an informational framework and modeling of desired client behaviors and (b) tested the effectiveness of this videotape on enhancing successful outcomes in psychotherapy. Dependent variables were change in clients' attitudes and expectations about psychotherapy as measured by the inventory Expectations About Counseling-Form B (Tinsley, Workman, & Kass, 1980) and number of sessions attended by clients. The results suggested that the videotape was effective in significantly increasing the number of psychotherapy sessions attended and in significantly reducing the dropout rate in the experimental group over a control group. The videotape had no effect in changing attitudes and expectancies as measured by the EAC-B. In addition, it was found that previous counseling significantly increased attendance over those clients who had no previous counseling. It was concluded that a videotape incorporating modeling and an informational framework of successful psychotherapy behaviors has considerable promise in enhancing successful psychotherapy outcomes by increasing attendance and decreasing dropouts in the early stages of psychotherapy.