This study tested whether grade retention at the transition into secondary school had a significant impact on adolescent psychosocial adjustment. A quasi-experimental design was used in which propensity score matching was implemented. Univariate ANCOVAs were subsequently run on a subsample of 181 students enrolled in 1 typical secondary school in the French-speaking region of Belgium (M = 12.91 years, 55.8% girls). These analyses revealed that retained students experienced decreases in self-esteem, perceived parental support for competence and involvement in the relationships with their parents, and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation variables. Retained students also failed to show the decrease in delinquent and aggressive behaviors and social withdrawal that was observed in matched promoted students. In sum, grade retention appears to be detrimental to early-adolescence psychosocial adjustment. To decrease rates of grade retention among adolescents, change is needed in parents', school staff's, and policymakers' preconceptions that the practice has overall positive outcomes.

La méthode du score de propension devient de plus en plus populaire pour estimer les effets causaux d’un programme d’intervention. Si les applications empiriques de cette méthode sont encore rares dans les recherches en éducation, des exemples de son utilisation se trouvent aisément dans d’autres disciplines. Cependant, sa mise en place soulève plusieurs questions. L’objectif de cet article est de fournir des éléments de réponses guidant le chercheur et l’évaluateur du domaine de l’éducation pour l’estimation et l’utilisation du score de propension. Les différentes étapes de son application sont présentées pas à pas : évaluation du biais de sélection, construction du score de propension et mesure de sa qualité, et choix des stratégies d’utilisation du score dans l’estimation des effets d’un traitement. Les questions méthodologiques soulevées sont discutées à chaque étape. Pour faciliter la compréhension, un exemple d’une expérimentation en maternelle illustre la méthode.Propensity score methods become increasingly popular for estimating the causal effects of an intervention. If empirical applications of this method are still unusual in education researches, examples can be found easily in other fields. However, its implementation raises several questions. The aim of this paper is to provide guidance to educational researchers regarding the estimation and the utilization of the propensity score. The various stages of its application are presented step by step: evaluation of the selection bias, construction of the propensity score and measurement of its quality, and decision on the strategies to use in the estimation of treatment effects. Methodological issues are discussed at each stage. To facilitate the understanding, an example of an experiment in kindergarten illustrates the method.O método da pontuação de propensão está tornar-se cada vez mais popular para estimar os efeitos causais de um programa de intervenção. Embora as aplicações empíricas deste método ainda sejam raras na investigação em educação, exemplos do seu uso podem ser facilmente encontrados noutras disciplinas. No entanto, a sua implementação levanta diversas questões. O objetivo deste artigo é fornecer algumas respostas para orientar o investigador e o avaliador do domínio da educação para a estimativa e uso da pontuação de propensão. As diferentes etapas da sua aplicação são apresentadas passo a passo: avaliação do viés de seleção, construção da pontuação de propensão e medição da sua qualidade e escolha das estratégias para o uso da pontuação na estimativa dos efeitos do tratamento. As questões metodológicas são discutidas em cada etapa. Para facilitar o entendimento, um exemplo de uma experiência no jardim-de-infância ilustra o método

Cet article présente les résultats ayant trait à la première phase d'une étude à devis mixte séquentiel exploratoire (Creswell et Plano Clarke, 2007). Cette recherche a été rendue possible grâce au soutien financier de l'Association canadienne des infirmières en oncologie et de la Fondation de l'hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, fonds administré par le Centre d'excellence en soins infirmiers de cette installation.

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This article presents the findings of the first phase of a study with an exploratory sequential mixed research design (Creswell & Plano Clarke, 2007). It was made possible by financial support from the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology and the Fondation de l'hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, a fund administered by the hospital's Centre d'excellence en soins infirmiers.