A Critical Constructionist View of "At-Risk" Youth in Alternative Education

Autor/in	Touzard, Rachelle Silverstein
Titel	A Critical Constructionist View of "At-Risk" Youth in Alternative Education
Quelle	(2010), (180 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit Ph.D. Dissertation, Loma Linda University
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
ISBN	978-1-1240-6212-9
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; Grounded Theory; Critical Theory; Nontraditional Education; At Risk Students; Interviews; School Counselors; Attitude Measures; Negative Attitudes; Interpersonal Relationship; Interaction; Expectation; Peer Relationship + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; Kritische Theorie; Non-traditional education; Alternative Erziehung; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; School counselor; Beratungslehrer; Pädagogischer Berater; Negative Fixierung; Interpersonal relation; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonelle Beziehung; Zwischenmenschliche Beziehung; Interaktion; Expectancy; Erwartung; Peer-Beziehungen
Abstract	Family therapists and school counselors are increasingly called upon to provide services for youth in alternative education (Carver, Lewis, & Tice, 2010). Alternative education systems are programs for youth who have been defined as at risk. This study explored the at-risk discourse and asked the questions (a) how do youth and staff define the term at risk , (b) construct their experience in alternative education systems, and (c) experience their relationships with each other. Combined elements from critical theory and a social constructionist perspective guided this study. A qualitative, grounded theory method was used that included semi-structured interviews with youth and their service providers in alternative education. A convenience sample of 20 staff and 20 youth from 3 alternative education sites participated. Results showed that youth and staff spoke in ways that reflected a traditional risk discourse (TRD) that framed youth as dangerous, delinquent and focused on presumed deficiencies. Nonetheless, youth and staff differed in their adoption of TRD, either resisting or reproducing it. Youth and staff interactions either replicated a negative view of youth based on TRD reproduction or created new, more positive views of youth based on TRD resistance. Responses to the risk discourse revealed relational patterns between staff and youth that were either conflictual or transformative. Results showed that overriding systemic barriers, as well as a reproduction of the TRD, influenced constructions of conflictual youth and staff relationships. The construction of transformative relationships included an active resistance of the traditional risk discourse primarily by staff. Key elements included authentic interactions, high expectations, sense of belonging, opportunities for leadership, peer and community support. These results enable family therapists and school counselors to recognize the endurance of disabling discourses for youth in alternative education and also open up new possibilities for interrupting these processes through advocacy and whole-system change. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10