Abstract:

During the last few years, the Outaouais region (Quebec, Canada) and its residents have had to deal with various natural disasters (floods, tornadoes). This type of event can have serious negative effects on school adjustment, including absenteeism, motivation, and performance (Olteanu & al., 2011; Piyasil & al., 2007; Ward & al., 2008). Conducted in collaboration with two high schools in the Outaouais region, our study has documented the experiences of young people exposed to cumulative disasters in the context of the pandemic. Data from an online questionnaire administered to 1 307 students highlighted the presence of academic difficulties experienced by young people, with these problems being significantly more prevalent among those who had previously been exposed to a natural disaster. Like other scientific work (Dean & Stain, 2010; Wang & al., 2012), our research data also reveals that youths living in rural areas have lower academic engagement than those attending school in urban areas. Considering these findings, it seems therefore important to focus more specifically on adolescents who have experienced cumulative disasters, particularly in rural areas, in order to better understand their needs and to develop adapted services likely to meet them. This type of services seems particularly relevant in a context where school support is recognized as a factor that promotes the recovery of young people after a natural disaster (Convery et al., 2010).

Keywords:

School engagement, Natural Disasters, Pandemic, Youth.