Risk Factor: Academic Failure
This month many students will celebrate graduating and starting a new chapter into adulthood. However, there are some students who are not getting to celebrate with their classmates, because even though this should be an exciting time for them, they aren’t getting to graduate. There are lots of reasons that students experience academic failure ranging from attendance and discipline issues to not getting the support they need in order to learn. Whatever the reason, academic failure can have dire consequences on the life of the student and puts them at a higher risk for turning to substance use.
Let’s start with the why.. Why does academic failure make students more likely to use substances? There are many reasons, but we can perhaps look at some of the other risk and protective factors we have discussed in this blog. Many students who are experiencing academic failure do not see a bright future ahead, they may have an anxiety or fear when thinking about the future, which could detrimentally affect their mental health. While there could be many reasons the student is experiencing academic failure it is likely that they do not have a support system in their lives, which is also a risk factor for substance use.
Whatever the reasons we know that academic failure is a major risk factor for substance use, so what can we do about it? The first step for parents and educators is to intervene early. The longer a student falls behind academically the harder it is for them to ever catch up. Early academic intervention is crucial to student success. This academic intervention may look like intervention classes at school, tutoring, or working on academics at home. The most effective intervention would consist of all three of these components. It is also important to identify the cause of academic failure. Does the student have an attendance issue? If so, why? Is it a transportation problem? Do they have frequent medical appointments? Do they have clean clothes to wear to school? If the student does not have an attendance problem, have they been tested for special education? Even if the student doesn’t need special education services this testing can often identify any major learning gaps or issues which may help further pinpoint the problem. Does the student have a learning disability? Is a speech problem causing them to struggle? There are so many different reasons why students experience academic failure, however working with your child’s teacher is VITAL to early intervention. Schools in our area are wonderful at offering extra support and resources, but we have to work together to get these students back on track.
As parents we may feel overwhelmed and emotional when our child is struggling academically, however there is something we can do to help. It is important for your child to know that you value academics and think it is important for them to do well in school. Holding your child to these expectations helps them develop healthy priorities and can prevent youth substance use in the long run!