Abstract: Determining pre-treatment variables that predict attrition in an outpatient cocaine abuse program is critically important in efforts to enhance retention and ultimately improve client outcome Pote

Abstract: This study is an investigation of several issues relating to teacher retention and attrition. In the spring of 1995, a questionnaire was sent to 225 certified teachers who had all finished a BME during the past 10 years and graduated from the same university. Results indicated that of the senders of 137 returned responses, 24 (17.5%) had chosen not to teach at that time. Specific questions concerned demographic data including years of teaching, area of specialization, amount of professional development, and especially the degree of perceived support received from administration, school, and parents. Retention of this same sample was investigated 6 years later, indicating that 34.4% of the individuals were no longer teaching at the K-college level, well below the average rate of attrition for teachers in other subject areas. Music teachers remaining in the field in 2001 held more positions prior to 1995 than those no longer teaching and regularly participated in professional development activities. Subject...

Abstract: This study examines the predictors of precounseling attrition, incounseling attrition, and duration of attendance in 2 group programs for men who batter. Predictors of precounseling attrition were a history of child abuse, being non-White, and having more self-reported anger. Younger age and antisocial personality were significant predictors of attrition during counseling in both logit and Zero Inflated Poisson regression analyses. We further identified predictors of attrition by type of group treatment. In cognitive-behavioral groups, younger age, no reports of violence in childhood, and antisocial personality were significantly related to attrition. In process-psychodynamic groups, low income was related to attrition. Program and research implications of these findings are discussed.

Abstract: First-term attrition, defined as failing to complete the contracted first enlistment term, is one of the most serious and costly problems faced by the U.S. Navy. This study was an investigation of 1-year Navy attrition in relation to demographic factors and variables assessed by the Sailors' Health Inventory Program (SHIP) questionnaire, a medical and psychosocial history questionnaire completed by all Navy recruits. Overall attrition, as well as specific categories of attrition (e.g., medical, behavioral, and administrative), were studied. The sample consisted of 66,690 Navy recruits whose status (retention vs. attrition) could be tracked to the 1-year mark. The strongest predictors of overall attrition were educational level, self-reported history of shortness of breath, ever being suspended or expelled from school, history of depression/excessive worry, fainting or dizziness, and recurrent back pain. Many other medical and psychosocial items from SHIP were also predictive of attrition. Similar factors were associated with different categories of attrition (e.g., medical, behavioral). The implications of these findings for attrition reduction strategies are discussed.

Abstract: Background: Several studies have described the impact that dental caries and periodontitis may have on the dentitions of individuals with Down syndrome, but there are few reports about the effects of tooth wear. This investigation aimed to compare the aetiology, prevalence and severity of tooth wear in 49 cytogenetically confirmed Down syndrome children with 49 non-Down syndrome controls. Methods: This study involved three aspects: an oral examination, including obtaining dental impressions; a dietary analysis spanning three days; and a questionnaire seeking information about habits, medical problems and medications. Tooth wear severity was scored on a 4-grade scale (none-to-little; moderate; severe; very severe), while aetiology was classified as being due to attrition mainly, erosion mainly, or a combination of both. Double determinations established scoring method reliability and chi-square tests assessed associations between samples. Results: Tooth wear was significantly more frequent (p<0.01) in the Down syndrome than the non-Down syndrome sample (67.4 per cent cf 34.7 per cent), with more of the Down syndrome children showing severe to very severe wear (59.2 per cent cf 8.2 per cent). Significantly more Down syndrome children (p<0.05) displayed a multifactorial aetiology of tooth wear, i.e., both attrition and erosion (46.7 per cent cf 28.6 per cent), although no particular dietary link was established. Gastric reflux and vomiting were reported in over 20 per cent of the Down syndrome sample. Conclusions: Given the potential consequences of high levels of tooth wear, associated with tooth grinding and an acidic oral environment in Down syndrome children, educational programmes aimed at increasing awareness of carers and health professionals are needed urgently.

Abstract: The Sailors Health Inventory Program (SHIP) questionnaire is a medical and psychosocial history questionnaire completed by all Navy recruits. This study was an investigation of the potential usefulness of the SHIP questionnaire for screening to reduce basic training attrition. The sample consisted of 66,690 Navy recruits. Although the most valid individual SHIP items for predicting attrition tended to be psychological or behavioral in nature, a composite of 40 diverse SHIP questions (including medical questions) was found to be the best overall attrition predictor. Further analyses revealed that the 40-item composite is a considerably more powerful attrition predictor than is either educational credential or mental ability score, which together are currently the U.S. military's primary attrition management tools. Finally, the consequences of using different cutoff scores on the 40-item composite were simulated so that various hypothetical screening strategies could be considered.

Abstract: The age determination of skeletal remains has been carried out using anthropological examination of the remaining bones and dentition. The aging of the dentition is based on attrition which, if physiological will correlate with age. Occasionally the only material available is a single tooth or a few teeth, or in the case of a living person, teeth in situ. In certain cases microscopic examination of the teeth may not be possible and the age estimation is then often determined by the degree of attrition associated with the tooth. In more recent times the causes of attrition have involved other factors such as bruxism, diet, environment and medication. The weaknesses and limitations of age estimation by examination of dental attrition as the sole indicator of age are highlighted.

Abstract: A dental diagnostic system for analyzing tooth structure, restorative materials within a tooth structure, and disease states of a tooth includes an analyzer which may be attached to a variety of dental probes, dental drills, and instruments to afford adaptability to a variety of clinical situations in providing diagnostic information on the naturally occurring tooth structure, man-made materials placed or found within the tooth structure, diseased or otherwise affected, infected or effected tooth structure, as well as tooth structure that has been eroded, worn by attrition, abraded, abfracted, fractured, crazed, broken or otherwise compromised through patient use, misuse, fatigue or longevity of use; and a method of diagnosing using the system.

Abstract: This book is a study of the L1 attrition of German among German Jews who emigrated to anglophone countries under the Nazi regime. It places the study of language attrition within the historical and sociocultural framework of Weimar and Nazi Germany, applying issues of identity and identification to first language loss and maintenance. Morphosyntactic features of German are looked at in free spoken discourse, in an analysis of both ‘interferences’ or ‘errors’ and their overall (correct) use. The picture of L1 proficiency which emerges from these investigations is then related to a taxonomy of intensity of persecution, clearly demonstrating this to be the decisive factor in language attrition, while showing other factors such as age at emigration and intermediate use to be inconclusive.In order to give a full and tangible picture of language attrition and maintenance, the book comes with an Audio-CD, featuring excerpts from more than twenty of the interviews analyzed.

Abstract: In this paper we examine a number of issues that arise in investigating labor force dynamics using the Spanish Labor Force Survey (EPA). These issues are by no means specific to the Spanish case and apply to most European-style labor force surveys. Our main conclusions may be summarized as follows. First, survey nonresponse cannot be neglected. Second, the EPA tends to underestimate employment and participation of high-educated young people, and to overestimate those of the low-educated elderly. Finally, we find little evidence that attrition causes important selection biases in estimating quarterly transition probabilities.

Abstract: Since the 1960s, the attrition rate of doctoral students has consistently been estimated at 50 percent nationwide Explanations include: lax admissions standards, poor advising, student misunderstanding about the nature of graduate education, the process of graduate education itself and lack of community In 1999, to address the problem of lack of community, a Research Support Group was formed at Purdue University Using a networking mentoring/learning communities model, the pilot program sought to provide support and guidance for doctoral students whose progress on their dissertations bad stalled This paper presents an overview of the program; some preliminary outcome data; a discussion of the programs effectiveness, foregrounding the voices of the participants; and some projections for the future This article should be of interest to those responsible for student retention or planning to pursue their own degrees Since the 1960s, the attrition rate of doctoral students has consistently been estimated at 50 percent nationwide (Lovitts zoi; Bowen and Rudenstine 1992; Garcia 1987) The attrition rate for female students is estimated to be much higher, as they experience what is termed a "leaky pipeline" at every phase of their education (Lovitts 2001; Martin 2ooo; National Academy of Sciences 2ooo; National Council for Research on Women 2001) The costs are measured not only in terms of the toll that failure to complete takes on the many students involved, but also in terms of costs to the university in lost faculty time, and doctoral programs whose very existence is threatened by being deemed unnecessary and/or ineffective (Schmidt 1996, 1997) Explanations for the high attrition rate include: lax admissions standards, poor advising, student misunderstanding about the nature of graduate education, the process of graduate education itself, and lack of community As it is presently constructed, graduate education is a system of filters designed to weed out the undeserving However, Lovitts (2ooi) argues that it is not primarily the background characteristics students bring with them to the university that affect their outcomes, but rather what happens to them after they arrive She maintains that the causes of attrition are deeply embedded in the organizational culture of graduate schools, as well as the structure and process of graduate education Several studies do indicate that attrition is more closely linked to the lack of support systems than to academic factors (Bowen and Rudenstine 1992; Council of Graduate Schools 1991; Garcia 1987) Despite these findings, few if any formal support systems exist within departments to counteract the isolation that doctoral students-however bright, knowledgeable, and hardworking-often experience, especially during the dissertation phase of their education Unless and until such support systems for doctoral students are put into place, it is impossible to determine with any degree of certainty whether or not it is, indeed, only the undeserving who are failing to complete their programs The strong possibility now exists that many capable, deserving students are also failing to complete their programs When doctoral students choose to abandon their programs, the absence of community is one of the determining factors in that decision (Lovitts 2001; Miller and Irby 1999) The following describes the development of a pilot program that has the potential to determine if the creation of Research Support Groups for doctoral students, housed within their schools and departments, will reduce their attrition rate nationwide Background of the Research Support Group In 1999, to address lack of community as one possible source of the high attrition rate for doctoral students, the author, who had already completed her PhD, formed a Research Support Group at Purdue University The model that was developed was based in part on the learning communities' model (see Shapiro and Levine 1999) …

Abstract: The Straw Man of Attrition Attrition and the Advent of Total War Seasons in the Abyss The Kokoda Trail Undertow The Burma Campaign New Roots, Korea 1950-1951 Coercing Communist Concessions Losing Momentum Attrition after Korea Attrition as an Operational Strategy Bibliography Index

Abstract: In Australia, estimates of student attrition during the first year of university study range from 24 percent to 30 percent, depending on the institution, and have remained remarkably stable during the past 10 years (Abbott-Chapman, Hughes, & Wyld, 1992; Ramsey, Tranter, Sumner, & Barrett, 1996). Despite the vast number of causal studies of attrition overseas and the infrequent descriptive insights reported in Australia, institutional researchers appear to be no closer to accurately and easily predicting students at risk of prematurely withdrawing from undergraduate programs of study. This article will provide support for an alternative explanation of attrition for a specific group of university students: students who planned to withdraw from their original program of study after facilitating entry to another undergraduate degree.

Abstract: A 2001 UK survey of electrical and electronic engineering academics looked at undergraduate attrition rates against the background of quantifiable ‘resource’ measures such as staff-student ratio an

Abstract: Among the varied opportunities for music study available to children and adults in the United States, applied instruction in an independent music studio is one of the most important. Tutorial instruction offers a unique opportunity for interaction that can intensely focus on the student's technical and artistic development through modeling in the master-apprentice tradition (Uszler, 1992). Diminishing financial support for music programs in some public schools has reduced access to music study, increasing the importance of private music study. Applied music instruction is important not only to those students who demonstrate a particular aptitude for performance; it is also a viable venue for musical participation within the general population. Despite its importance in training future professional musicians and amateurs, applied music study has received far less attention among systematic researchers in music education than has classroom music study (Duke, Flowers, & Wolfe, 1997; Schmidt, 1992).

Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate how student performance in courses on physical examination (PE) skills may be utilized as an early indicator of students at risk for attrition. Early identification of at-risk students may provide educators with an opportunity to employ interventions designed to reduce attrition. Method: Student performance in a PE skills course was analyzed as a predictor of attrition for 3 separate PA classes at the same institution, classes 1999‐2001. Other prematriculation variables such as GPA, ethnicity, age, and education were also analyzed with respect to attrition. A predictive model of attrition was analyzed with performance in the PE skills course as a predictor and attrition as the response variable. Results: Students in the attrition group scored significantly lower on 2 practical examinations as well as the final practical examination. However, there was no difference in performance between the 2 groups on the written examination. Logistic regression analysis revealed that performance on the practical examinations reliably identified students who were at high risk for experiencing academic difficulty and attrition. Discussion: This study found an inverse relationship between performance in PE skills and student attrition and suggests that student performance that is evaluated through practical examinations as opposed to written examinations is most predictive of students at risk for experiencing academic difficulties in their PA education. It is possible this may be a result of the higher level of information processing needed to learn and apply PE skills. The authors recommend that further research be performed across multiple PA programs.

Abstract: Participant attrition compromises both internal and external validity of any intervention outcome research if those who remain available for follow-up differ from those who do not and if the differences vary between intervention conditions. Identifying who will drop out is still an insufficiently answered question in the literature that may vary in terms of area and population. This study examined the predictors of retention (vs. attrition) for a drug abuse prevention follow-up study. The results indicated that non-white, male, older (seventh graders versus sixth graders at baseline), and low SES participants were less likely to continue during follow-up; in addition, cigarette users and marijuana users were less likely to continue. There was differential attrition by school type (public versus private) in the program group. The results of this study underscore the need for routine analyses of attrition in any drug use prevention program. The attrition analysis facilitates the retention efforts as well as...

Abstract: Engineering courses suffer declining recruitment and high attrition rates. This paper presents students' preconceptions, conceptions and reflections on their courses and profession. These support t...

Abstract: Attrition is a matter of prime concern to institutions of higher learning. Statistics from urban community colleges in the Northeastern United States reveal that student attrition rose to slightly over 45% in 1998.As statistics continue to climb, colleges across the notion mobilize to reverse the trend. Clearly, a number of academic and non-academic problems contribute to attrition and risk. Educational delivery systems, in particular, tracking where it is used, may play a central role. As an educational delivery system, tracking does not promote cognitive achievement helps to stimulate a negative self-concept in some students and fosters resentment and misconduct In so doing, it may be an important contributing factor in the problem of attrition. Introduction Student attrition in higher education represents a major concern for American colleges and universities. Statistics for public community colleges reveal that rates rose to a high of 45% in 1998, and current attrition has reached 47.9% (Act, 2000). While statistics are somewhat lower at private institutions, the fact remains that almost one-half of all students entering a college program do not complete that program. Attrition has a significant impact on institutions of higher learning and society as a whole. It affects budgeting, planning and academic decisionmaking as well as the future pool of available candidates for the.labor market. Since student tuition represents a prime source of institution income, the issue of retention becomes a matter of economic survival. The dropout rate presents a glaring reminder of lost students and lost revenue. On a personal basis, dropouts face an unstable future; they have difficulty competing for jobs and possess fewer essential skills for life. They often turn up on welfare rolls, become four times more likely to engage in deviant behavior, and disproportionately end up in correctional institutions (Ballantine, 1997). Dropout profile As colleges across the nation mobilize to reverse attrition rates, efforts have focused on the personal characteristics of the dropout. A growing body of research attempts to identify the characteristics of students who leave compared with those who remain. The "dropout" has been identified as a part-time student while those who complete a degree are more likely to be full-time students (Moore, 1995; Price, 1993; Windham, 1994). Some research suggests that age may be a significant pre-enrollment predictor of withdrawal. Mohammadi (1994) found that students in older age categories, 23-50, have higher attrition rates were than younger college students. Research also shows that Blacks or Hispanics and women are more likely to withdraw from their programs than other students (Jones & Watson, 1988). Furthermore, securing a college degree closely relates to socio-economic status. Low-income students more often than other students withdraw from college or abandon their college plans because of financial considerations. Finally, delayed college may link to early withdrawal. Students who delay college have a greater probability of taking early leave of their program than other students (Ballantine, 1997). Additional factors associated with early withdrawal include family obligations, financial emergencies and low grade point index (Bonham & Luckie, 1993: Lewallen, 1993). Focusing on cause Certainly, multiple causes influence attrition, and remedies are bound to be complex. Other research reveals that withdrawal is not simply a matter of race or personal condition and may grow out of the very culture of the educational institution (Tinto, 1987). The quantity and quality of faculty-student interaction or the organizational structure of the educational institution are factors which have a marked effect on student outcomes (Ansalone, 2000; Pallas, 1994). Such explanations refuse to place the entire blame for academic failure on dropouts and their personal characteristics. …

Abstract: Attrition in child and adolescent psychiatry occurs frequently and has often been investigated. Attempts to establish general criteria that are associated with dropping-out have produced contradictory results. In the present study, factors that influenced attrition at a child psychiatry outpatient clinic in Basel were assessed during two separate periods. Between the two assessments, the results of the first period were presented to the staff and were discussed. At first assessment, attrition was increased in patients who were referred as emergencies or by somatic hospitals. In contrast, attrition was low in patients who were referred involuntarily. At second assessment, there was a significant decrease in dropping-out for the total sample and for emergencies. This result may be explained by a more careful clarification of the setting before first consultation and, as a consequence, by higher congruence between patients' expectations and the clinic's offers. Further studies on the subject of attrition in child and adolescent psychiatry should focus on clearly defined clinical situations and samples and include measures of patients' expectations as well as of the therapeutic relationship. Language: de