health

People who fail in school may feel stupid, but emotional or mental health
problems and unidentified learning disorders, rather than low intelligence,
often are the causes of their inability to meet the standards of a school.
There are several factors that can lead to school failure, among them
depression, anxiety, problems in the family, and learning disabilities.

Dspression

Depression is one of the most common causes of school
difficulties. The condition makes people feel sad for long periods of time,
have low energy, and lose interest in activities that normally give them
pleasure. People with depression have continuing negative thoughts about
themselves and the future, and they may experience changes in eating and
sleeping patterns and in their ability to concentrate and make decisions.
They may feel hopeless and may even think about suicide. Depression has
been shown to be a leading cause of school failure in young people with
learning disabilities. Depression can also cause school failure in students
without learning disabilities.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of excessive worry about a possible danger
or situation that is intense enough to interfere with a person’s ability to
concentrate and focus. Students can have genuine reasons to be anxious.
People who have been bullied at school may worry that they will be bullied
again. Students may legitimately fear personal violence on the way
to or from school. They might worry about their families going through
a divorce or about a parent who is ill. Ordinary adolescent worries about
looking right and fitting in can be blown so far out of proportion that a
student may try to be absent from school just to avoid a possibly embarrassing
or uncomfortable situation. This is called “school avoidance.” Anxiety
in any of its forms can interfere with a student’s performance in school.

Problems in the family

Students also may bring their problems at
home to school with them. If a student’s family is experiencing violence,
unemployment, alcohol or drug use by a family member, problems with
the law, or any other upsetting problems, the student may have difficultly
concentrating on schoolwork. Many students who are having family
problems might have trouble controlling their anger and frustration at
school, and they may end up in trouble because of their behavior. Some
students who are overburdened at home by circumstances that make it
necessary for them to “parent” siblings, hold a job, or care for an ill or
impaired parent may find it impossible to keep up in school. Many times
students who face overwhelming family or personal problems keep these
problems to themselves. School counselors can offer help and prevent
student failure if they are made aware of the problem.

Learning disabilities

Learning disabilities are conditions that interfere
with gaining specific academic skills, such as reading or writing.
Learning disorders can hinder a person’s ability to concentrate or to process
or remember information. When these difficulties are recognized early,
certain teaching strategies can help a student overcome the learning disability.
Unfortunately, many learning problems may go undiagnosed or
may be diagnosed incorrectly as behavior problems. The frustration and
depression that can result from undetected learning disabilities is a major
cause of school failure or dropping out of school.

Other causes

Many social factors can increase the risk of school failure.
These include homelessness, poverty, frequent transfers from school
to school, and the inability to speak English. Other circumstances such
as truancy*, teenage pregnancy, and chronic illness* may also affect a student’s
ability to perform well in school.