Problematic School Absenteeism Research Articles

The Problem of “Problematic School Absenteeism” – On the Logics of Institutional Work with Absent Students’ Well-Being and Knowledge Development

This article uses neoinstitutional theory to comparatively analyze different actors’ institutional work with “problematic school absenteeism”. Data was generated around four cases, each consisting of absent students and actors who work with absenteeism. The results describe how a dichotomous view of students’ well-being and knowledge development is established among actors, fueled by bureaucratic and professional logics that challenge the idea of integrating a concern for students’ knowledge development and a care for their well-being.

Recording, Reporting and Utilising School Absenteeism Data in Finland: Work in Progress

School attendance problems (SAPs) among young people in compulsory education appear to be increasing in Finland. A recent report showed that, according to school personnel, there are at minimum 4 thousand (2−3%) lower secondary students with SAPs, and the problem is perceived to be growing. To tackle SAPs, local action plans have been developed, most commonly by schools or education providers. Going forward, a key issue for schools and education providers is the way in which data on school attendance/absence is gathered and used. This paper provides and overview of the current approaches to recording, reporting, and utilizing school absenteeism data in Finland. In addition, we present the recent development work initiated to respond to identified challenges in these areas. Current challenges concerning SAPs are: (a) creating shared definitions/categories of problematic school absenteeism, (b) updating and clarifying national guidelines concerning the recording and reporting of absenteeism, (c) creating a shared systematic data collection procedure to collect local and national statistics, and (d) developing the utilisation of evidence-based practices at school and municipal levels.

The Mediator Role of Academic Resilience in the Relationship of Anxiety Sensitivity, Social and Adaptive Functioning, and School Refusal With School Attachment in High School Students.

School has an important function in providing the environment for young people to acquire many skills and knowledge required by contemporary life, but the problems of attachment to school and problematic attendance all over the world reveal an increasing statistic. It is thought that some negative processes such as anxiety sensitivity, social and adaptive functioning, and school refusal can affect this problem. On the other hand, it is considered that the academic resilience of young people has an important protective function in terms of these risk factors. For this purpose, the mediator role of academic resilience between anxiety sensitivity, social and adaptive functioning, and school refusal and school attachment were examined in a Turkish sample of 452 high school students. In the process of data collection, the school refusal assessment scale, social and adaptive functioning scale, and academic resilience scale were adapted and used in the Turkish culture. In the data analysis, the structural equation model was used to determine the direct and indirect predictive effects between the variables. The results of the study showed that academic resilience fully mediated the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and school attachment, whereas it partially mediated the relationship between social and adaptive functioning and school refusal and school attachment. Based on the results of the study, it was evaluated that high academic resilience has a strong protective function against the problems of negative school attachment and problematic school absenteeism among young people, and this finding was discussed within the context of literature.

Internalizing Symptoms as Predictors of School Absenteeism Severity at Multiple Levels: Ensemble and Classification and Regression Tree Analysis.

School attendance problems are highly prevalent worldwide, leading researchers to investigate many different risk factors for this population. Of considerable controversy is how internalizing behavior problems might help to distinguish different types of youth with school attendance problems. In addition, efforts are ongoing to identify the point at which children and adolescents move from appropriate school attendance to problematic school absenteeism. The present study utilized ensemble and classification and regression tree analysis to identify potential internalizing behavior risk factors among youth at different levels of school absenteeism severity (i.e., 1+%, 3+%, 5+%, 10+%). Higher levels of absenteeism were also examined on an exploratory basis. Participants included 160 youth aged 6–19 years (M = 13.7; SD = 2.9) and their families from an outpatient therapy clinic (39.4%) and community (60.6%) setting, the latter from a family court and truancy diversion program cohort. One particular item relating to lack of enjoyment was most predictive of absenteeism severity at different levels, though not among the highest levels. Other internalizing items were also predictive of various levels of absenteeism severity, but only in a negatively endorsed fashion. Internalizing symptoms of worry and fatigue tended to be endorsed higher across less severe and more severe absenteeism severity levels. A general expectation that predictors would tend to be more homogeneous at higher than lower levels of absenteeism severity was not generally supported. The results help confirm the difficulty of conceptualizing this population based on forms of behavior but may support the need for early warning sign screening for youth at risk for school attendance problems.

The Back2School modular cognitive behavioral intervention for youths with problematic school absenteeism: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundSchool absenteeism (SA) is associated with anxiety, depression, and disruptive behavior. It is a risk factor for academic difficulties and school dropout, which predict problems in adulthood such as social, work-related, and health problems. The main goal of this study is to examine the initial effectiveness of a modular transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention (Back2School) for increasing school attendance and decreasing psychological problems, relative to a comparator control arm (treatment as usual [TAU]).Methods/designOne hundred sixty children, aged 7 to 16 years, will be randomly assigned to either Back2School or TAU. The design is a two (Back2School and TAU) by four (preassessment [T1], postassessment [T2], and 3-month [T3] and 1-year [T4] assessments) mixed between-within design. The primary outcome is school attendance based on daily registration. Secondary outcomes pertain to youth psychosocial functioning, quality of life, bullying, self-efficacy, and teacher-parent collaboration. These secondary outcomes are measured via youth, parent, and teacher reports.DiscussionThis study will provide critically needed empirical evidence on the initial effectiveness of a manualized treatment program for youth with SA. If the intervention is found to be effective, the program can be further implemented and tested in a larger school health effectiveness trial.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03459677. Retrospectively registered on 9 March 2018.

Functional profiles of school refusal behavior and their relationship with depression, anxiety, and stress

Negative emotional states are common among youth with problematic school absenteeism, but little is known about their presence across different school refusal behavior profiles. The aim of this study was twofold: to identify different cluster solutions across functional profiles of school refusal behavior (I. Avoidance of Negative Affectivity, II. Escape from Social and/or Evaluative Situations, III. Pursuit of Attention, and IV. Pursuit of Tangible Reinforcement) and to determine whether these profiles differ from each other based on dimensions of depression, anxiety, and stress. The sample consisted of 1582 Ecuadorian adolescents aged 12–18 years (M = 14.83; SD = 1.86) who completed the School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised (SRAS-R) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Latent class analysis revealed three school refusal profiles: non-school refusal behavior, school refusal behavior by tangible reinforcements, and school refusal behavior by multiple reinforcements. The last group displayed the most maladaptive profile and revealed highest mean scores on the three dimensions of the DASS-21 compared to other groups. To promote mental health in this group it is a necessary goal due to their link with these negative emotional states. Prevention measures to strengthen emotional self-regulation should be considered in these cases.

Modular Treatment for Children and Adolescents With Problematic School Absenteeism: Development and Description of a Program in Germany

Problematic school absenteeism is defined as absence from school occurring with a clinical-level mental disorder. It represents a higher-order term for school refusal, school truancy, and the combination thereof and is associated with an increased risk for school dropout, prolonged mental disorders, and unemployment. This article describes the manualized modular treatment of problematic school absenteeism (MT) by a multiprofessional team. The manual was developed to target a broad spectrum of mental disorders characterized by internalizing but also externalizing behavior. The therapeutic focus is on the reintegration into school and on the cognitive behavioral treatment of the mental disorder. The MT is based on a multilevel model of problematic school absenteeism. The treatment is informed by an extensive case-conceptualization and addresses motivational aspects by offering a low-threshold therapeutic design and motivational interviewing. Core interventions are represented in four modules: cognitive behavioral therapy, family counseling, school counseling, and a psychoeducational physical exercise program. A case vignette provides an illustration of the treatment and the specific graduated approach for school reintegration. The current modular approach is discussed in relation to other cognitive-behavioral manuals targeting a broad spectrum of mental disorders or school refusal.

Predictors of school absenteeism severity at multiple levels: A classification and regression tree analysis

School attendance is an important foundational competency for children and adolescents, but rates of problematic school absenteeism have remained high and steady. Efforts to conceptualize problematic school absenteeism across its myriad psychiatric symptoms, risk factors, and intervention types have centered recently on multi-tiered systems of support models that arrange these variables into prevention, early intervention, and intensive intervention tiers. Unfortunately, research into absenteeism severity levels to demarcate these tiers remains sparse. The present study utilized nonparametric classification and regression tree analysis to examine multiple demographic and academic risk factors simultaneously in a very large and diverse community sample. Academic variables included grade level, letter grades, grade point average, individualized education plan eligibility, and participation in school sports. Demographic variables included youth age, gender, and ethnicity. The study aimed to identify risk categories for school absenteeism severity at the 1%+, 10%+, and 15%+ levels and across elementary, middle, and high school levels. Results indicated a more homogeneous set of risk factors at the 10%+ and 15%+ levels than the 1%+ level, in particular with respect to low GPA, age 15.5 + years, African American or American Indian ethnicity, and grades 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, or 12. The results have implications for identifying highest risk youth to further improve assessment, prevention, and intervention practices for this population.

Teachers’ views on risk factors for problematic school absenteeism in Swedish primary school students

In the present online survey, 158 teachers in regular and special education teaching in grades six to nine were asked to rate the importance of probable reasons for problematic school absenteeism. On average, the teachers estimated that among their students, 19 students had presented with problematic school absenteeism over the last five years. Teachers viewed school absenteeism as a multifactorial problem. Family factors were considered to contribute most and low mood or depression were rated as one of the five most contributing factors. Teachers in special education viewed school factors as more influential than teachers in mainstream education did (t156 = −3.94, p < 0.05). The current findings stress the importance of collaboration between the school, parents and the student to be able to address all factors that may lead to problematic school absenteeism.

Anxiety as a risk factor for school absenteeism: what differentiates anxious school attenders from non-attenders?

BackgroundAnxiety is a major risk factor for problematic school absenteeism. However, most anxious students attend school. What differentiates anxious attenders from non-attenders?MethodHigh school students (N = 865) were assigned to groups based on anxiety and absenteeism scores. These groups were then tested for differences in risk factor profiles using discriminant analysis.ResultsAnxious school attenders were less affected by negative personality traits, total number of risk factors, social anxiety, panic, and behavioural and family problems. They also displayed greater resilience.ConclusionsThis study indicates that the risk for problematic school absenteeism increases as the number of risk factors aggregate and that treatment for anxious school refusal should be based on a profile of the individual's risk factors.

An Interdisciplinary Model of School Absenteeism in Youth to Inform Professional Practice and Public Policy

Problematic school absenteeism in youth has long been a complex and vexatious issue for psychologists, educators, and researchers from other disciplines. An examination of problematic school absenteeism from different perspectives over many decades has led to poor comparability across publications, policies, and assessment and intervention protocols. This article briefly reviews literature from psychology, social/criminal justice, and education to outline important factors that influence school absenteeism. An interdisciplinary model is then proposed with an emphasis on common terminology and definitions, comprehensiveness with respect to proximal and distal influences, fluidity and flexibility to account for rapid changes in this population, and user-friendliness to generate suggestions regarding assessment and intervention. Implications of the model are then drawn for professional practice and public policy, including recommendations for individual and systemic intervention at multiple levels of risk and severity.

School Absenteeism in Pediatric Chronic Pain: Identifying Lessons Learned From the General School Absenteeism Literature

Although the high rates of school absenteeism among children and adolescents with chronic pain have been well-documented, school absenteeism among these youths remains a poorly understood phenomenon. Literature focusing on school avoidance or refusal in the general (non-pain) population holds potential for contributing to a better understanding of problematic school absenteeism in the pediatric chronic pain population. This article presents a focused review of what is known about school absenteeism in pediatric chronic pain and how the literature on problematic absenteeism in the general population can inform an understanding of this phenomenon.

Bridging the gap among professionals who address youths with school absenteeism: Overview and suggestions for consensus.

Over decades of study, problematic school absenteeism in youths has been associated with diverse terms such as truancy, psychoneurotic truancy, school refusal, school phobia, and separation anxiety. Unfortunately, such disparity has led to lack of consensus regarding definition, assessments, and treatment for this population. This is especially problematic given that school absenteeism and dropout remain at crisis proportions. A brief historical overview is presented of the various terms used to define subtypes of absenteeism. Suggestions are then made for building consensus among psychologists, educators, and others who address these youths. These suggestions surround using a common definitional and assessment approach as well as designing treatment strategies that cover all youths with problematic absenteeism.

The evolution and reconciliation of taxonomic strategies for school refusal behavior.

We address issues pertaining to problematic school absenteeism, a pressing social dilemma that is a substantial correlate of behavior disorders in youth and linked to later problems in adulthood. Adequate taxonomic strategies for school refusal behavior have been elusive and controversial, however, contributing to a lack of consensus regarding definition, subtypes, and assessment and treatment strategies for this population. The evolution of classification systems for this population is discussed, with a critique of the literature based on provisions of explicit, reliable, and applicable criteria, discriminant validity, and interface with clinically useful assessment procedures linked to prescriptive treatments. A reconciliation of past taxonomies is proposed to define school refusal behavior and its essential features as well as specific categories, dimensions, and strategies to organize, assess, and treat this heterogeneous population.