Students are usually held back to catch up academically. However, most retained students do not catch up, according to a 2002 study by the National Association of School Psychologists. Retained students may begin doing better but they have a tendency to fall behind within two to three years. Also, retained students are less academically adjusted than their peers by 11th grade and are more likely to drop out of school by age 19.
The National Association of School Psychologists found, "Retained students are more likely to display aggressiveness, to have a history of suspension or expulsion, to act out in the classroom, or display behaviors associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Conduct Disorder." Also, students who do not display these behaviors before being retained may start acting out due to their low self-esteem.
According to Colleen Stump, Ph.D., coordinator of program/staff development and compliance for Seattle Public Schools, retention has a negative impact on a child's social development. A child's peer relationships, his self-esteem, and attendance are affected by retention, and the low self-esteem associated with retention plays a huge role in the path a student takes in the future, according to Stump. A 1997 study by Anne Robertson relates, "Research has shown that children view the thought of flunking a grade to be almost as stressful as the death of a parent or blindness."
The National Association of School Psychologists found that retention in any grade level is related to high school dropout. Retained students are two to 11 times more likely to drop out of school than students have not been retained. Also, retained students are also unlikely to receive any post-secondary education or receive a high school diploma by age 20. This results in retained students receiving lower paying jobs than other students their age.