[Sample of high school students with a demonstration of intervening factors in school achievement and failure]

Abstract

This research investigates the relationship and link between intellectual cathexis, school achievement and personality functioning in a representative sample of secondary school students aged 12 to 15 years. The level of structure of the personality plays a most significant role. Good school achievement does not necessarily depend on an optimal psychological equilibrium. In fact, the most determining factor seems to be the part played by the defense mechanisms--particularly those which aim at controlling libidinal drives--developed and elaborated during the period of latency. A certain intellectual potential, however, is a necessary but not sufficient condition for school achievement - indeed, an end of school certificate i.e. the Swiss "certificat de maturité" could be obtained by students of average intelligence. The capacity of maintaining an active intellectual investment seems to be an equally determining factor. This quality of functioning contains an oedipal component - particularly the ability of taking one's stand and of competing - as well as a pre-oedipal one - the narcissistic integrity, allowing one to preserve one's self-esteem facing difficulties. Contrary to our hypothesis, the quality of subject-environment interaction with family, peers, teachers, plays a relatively minor role. A more important aspect concerns the effects and results of relations established during childhood such as the interiorization of parental expectations, the quality of the superego, the degree of internal autonomy allowing compromise with external demands, etc. Underlying conflicts can intervene at several levels. One of these levels could result in the subject's incapacity to utilize his own resources and these imply consequences ranging from difficulties in basic school achievement to non-acquisition of cognitive mecanisms and under-development of symbolization. Psychological testing is a means of identifying the underlying difficulties and determining their nature. Remediating methods include psycho-pedagogical or psychotherapeutic intervention or, in some cases, both.