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A comparative follow-up study has been undertaken with of a group of pupils belonging to the initial class of classical secondary school in Luxembourg. The aim of the study was to clarify the interactions between a large number of cognitive, emotional, volitional and motivational personality variables and the academic destiny. During this research project, the indicators of psychic health retained our special attention. After having stressed the historical origin and the theoretical background of some basic concepts related to the subject of the study, the author presents some results of the comparison between the superior quartile of successful pupils and the inferior quartile of pupils who have been confronted to failure since their first class in the secondary school. The conclusions of the study underline the importance of appropriate measures of prevention, which have to be offered to the demotivated pupils, in order to avoid long lasting psychopathological complications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]