School Attendance Problems Research Articles

Early identification of school attendance problems: How helpful are Dutch laws, policies, and protocols?

The identification of emerging school attendance problems (SAPs) is highly important. Early identification permits early intervention, which reduces the likelihood of SAPs becoming established and contributing to additional problems. In the short term, SAPs can contribute to academic and social-emotional problems for the young person and stress for the family, and they place extra demands upon school resources. In the longer-term, SAPs can lead to school drop-out which contributes to problems for the community at large. Local, national, and international efforts aimed at the identification of emerging SAPs are thus a priority. This paper commences with a review of national laws and policies in the Netherlands that have a bearing on the identification of SAPs. Two Dutch protocols relevant to the identification of SAPs are also considered. Thereafter, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Dutch laws, policies, and protocols, paying particular attention to the question of whether they satisfactorily stimulate early identification of SAPs. The paper concludes with recommendations about ways to improve early identification in the Netherlands. These recommendations can stimulate thinking among educational professionals and policy-makers in other countries.

Avances actuales en el rechazo escolar y otros problemas de asistencia: una perspectiva internacional. Introducción al monográfico.

Los problemas de asistencia a la escuela afectan a nivel mundial a un número de estudiantes mayor a lo deseado. Importantes efectos negativos sobre el desarrollo académico, social y personal se asocian a este fenómeno. El objetivo de este número especial es presentar los avances más recientes en este campo de investigación desde un enfoque internacional. Para ello, este monográfico cuenta con seis investigaciones enmarcadas en el contexto de España, Francia, Estados Unidos, Japón, Malasia y Países Bajos. Entre las principales aportaciones, los trabajos aquí recopilados han conseguido reflexionar sobre el comportamiento de rechazo hacia la escuela desarrollando tres niveles de análisis: (1) nivel legal y político, (2) nivel personal del niño o joven afectado y (3) nivel familiar. A partir de los hallazgos encontrados, se concluye que fomentar la prevención y reducir los problemas de asistencia a la escuela son una intención que no tiene límites geográficamente. Es un propósito compartido por todos los estudios que conforman este número especial incitar a la reflexión del lector y promover nuevas líneas de investigación.

Current advances on school refusal and other attendance problems: An international perspective. Introduction to the Special Issue.

The school attendance problems affect a larger number of students worldwide than desired. Important negative effects on academic, social and personal development are associated with this phenomenon. The aim of this special issue is to present the most recent advances in this field of research from an international perspective. For this, this special series has six investigations framed in the context of Spain, France, the United States, Japan, Malaysia and the Netherlands. Among the main contributions, the works compiled here have managed to reflect on the school refusal behavior reaching three levels of analysis: (1) legal and political level, (2) personal level of the child or young person affected and (3) family level. Based on the findings obtained, it is concluded that promoting prevention and reducing the school attendance problems are activities that have no limits geographically. It is a purpose shared by all the studies that make up this special issue to encourage reflection and promoting new lines of research.

Reflections on the Field of School Attendance Problems: For the Times They Are a-Changing?

This article presents reflections on the seven articles included in this special series. The classification of school attendance problems (SAPs) based on structured checklists of SAP types (school refusal, truancy, school withdrawal, and school exclusion) together with functional analysis opens the way for establishing norms and social referents. We discuss how authorized nonattendance can also be problematic if it is persistent, and that it is important to take this type of SAP into account if the field is to effectively understand and respond to the complex range of bio-psycho-socio-cultural determinants of absenteeism. We highlight other gaps in the current literature, one of which is the lack of attention to evidence-based prevention and early intervention strategies. Avenues for future research are suggested, with emphasis on the need for pragmatic approaches to address the complexities of SAPs. Promising work is beginning to address the SAPs that are prevalent in special populations such as those with autism spectrum disorder. Overall, our reflections highlight the incremental changes that have characterized the field, exemplified by this series of articles, and the promise of transformational change in tackling the major challenge of SAPs as research in the field continues.

Developments in Classification, Identification, and Intervention for School Refusal and Other Attendance Problems: Introduction to the Special Series

The literature on school attendance problems (SAPs) is diverse and sometimes confusing, but it is also promising. This special series presents seven articles and a discussion that attest to the diversity, complexity, and exciting developments associated with SAPs. While some articles focus on school refusal in particular, others have relevance for school refusal, truancy, and other types of SAPs. Collectively, the seven articles provide direction in thinking about two key questions: (1) How can SAPs best be classified and identified?; and (2) Which innovative approaches can be applied when a SAP is severe, chronic, and/or complex? In this way the series has direct relevance for Tiers 1 and 3 of the Response to Intervention model for managing school absenteeism (Kearney & Graczyk, 2014). Three innovative treatment programs presented in this series illustrate ways in which mental health interventions and educational interventions can be combined to address Tier 3 SAPs. The discussion article presents thought-provoking reflections on the topics covered in the seven articles and on the gaps in practice and research in the field of SAPs. You are invited to critically and creatively respond to the ideas offered in this series.

Developing an Online Early Detection System for School Attendance Problems: Results From a Research-Community Partnership

School refusal and other school attendance problems are vexing problems for school-aged youth, families, school personnel, and clinicians. However, few resources exist to detect problematic attendance. The current report describes three steps of a research-community partnership to develop an early identification program to detect youth at risk for problematic attendance. First, a survey was conducted to estimate the scope and cost of school refusal across grades K–12. School administrators estimated relatively few youth exhibiting significant school refusal (missing 5 or more days per year) but estimated the costs associated with services for these youth to be very high (mean cost of in-district programs: $94,052; mean cost of out-of-district placements: $496,657). Second, elementary school counselors were tasked with tracking absenteeism among at-risk youth using an online attendance tracking prototype. Counselors identified a high number of youth who showed elevated absences, lates, or early departures (17.2% of enrolled students), and counselor ratings were significantly related to whether the student (a) had received an individualized education plan or 504 plan, (b) had a sibling with similar attendance problems, (c) was older, or (d) had divorced or separated parents. In a final step, counselor feedback was sought and revisions were incorporated in the attendance tracker. Findings reinforce the prevalence and cost of school attendance problems, provide guidance for using technology to monitor attendance and related indices (tardies, early departures), and direct attention to youth factors that may be useful in identifying youth at risk for poor attendance.

Towards a comprehensive assessment of school absenteeism: development and initial validation of the inventory of school attendance problems.

School attendance problems (SAPs) become manifest in many ways and are associated with multiple risk factors, calling for comprehensive assessment methods. This study documents the development of the inventory of school attendance problems (ISAP), which assesses both the quality and the function of a broad spectrum of SAPs by first asking students with SAPs to rate the intensity of symptoms prior to or at school and then to rate their impact on school attendance. An empirically generated pool of 124 items was analyzed (explorative factor analysis) using a clinical sample of N = 245 students with SAPs (53.5% male; Mage: 14.4). The Youth Self Report (YSR), a German version of the School Refusal Assessment Scale (SRAS), and the extent of school absenteeism were used to determine construct validity. The resulting 48 items loaded on 13 factors. The 13 scales assess internalizing and externalizing symptoms (Depression, Social Anxiety, Performance Anxiety, Agoraphobia/Panic, Separation Anxiety, Somatic Complaints, Aggression, School Aversion/Attractive Alternatives) as well as emotional distress due to problems in the school or family context (Problems with Teachers, Dislike of the Specific School, Problems with Peers, Problems Within the Family, Problems with Parents). All scales showed good internal consistencies. Their correlations with the YSR and the SRAS indicated convergent and discriminant validity. Positive associations between most of the scales and the extent of school absenteeism were obtained. Although preliminary, these results support the usefulness of the ISAP for a comprehensive assessment of SAPs in clinical settings.

Differentiation Between School Attendance Problems: Why and How?

School attendance problems (SAPs) are heterogeneous with respect to etiology and presentation. The long history of conceptualizing SAPs has led to a vast array of terms and definitions as well as different perspectives on the most helpful approach to classification. For educators, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers, this presents a challenge in understanding, assessing, and intervening with SAPs. This paper outlines evolution in the conceptualization of SAPs, focusing on two contemporary approaches to differentiating between them. One approach draws on the longstanding differentiation between SAP types labeled school refusal, truancy, and school withdrawal. A fourth type of SAP, labeled school exclusion, is also considered. The other approach focuses on the function of absenteeism, measured via the School Refusal Assessment Scale (SRAS). Anecdotal and scientific support for the SAP typology is presented, along with the benefits and shortcomings of the SRAS approach to differentiation. The paper offers suggestions for how to differentiate between SAPs and introduces the SNACK, a brief screening measure that permits differentiation by SAP type.

Testing factorial invariance and latent means differences of the school refusal assessment scale-revised in Ecuadorian adolescents

School attendance problems imply a serious threat to a child’s academic, social and emotional development. The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised (SRAS-R) in Ecuadorian adolescents. Participants were 1786 students (51% boys) aged 15 to 18 years (M = 16.31; SD = 1.01) randomly selected from 12 high schools located in different geographic zones of Quito (Ecuador). The measures used were the SRAS-R, the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 and the School Anxiety Inventory. Results supported the four-factor structure (I. Avoidance of Negative Affectivity, II. Escape from Social and/or Evaluative situations, III. Pursuit of Attention and IV. Pursuit of Tangible Reinforcement). This model remained invariant across gender and age and adequate levels of internal consistency were obtained for the factors (.77, .81, .75 and .71). Girls reported higher levels of Escaping from Social Evaluation than boys, and boys reported higher levels of Pursuing Tangible Reinforcements than girls. The oldest students (17–18 years) scored higher on Avoiding Negative Affectivity and Escape from Social or Evaluation situations than the younger students. Discriminant validity was examined and significant correlations with other measures were found. These findings provide initial support for the use of the SRAS-R as a measure to assess school refusal in Ecuadorian adolescents.

Stability of income and school attendance among NYC students of low-income families

School attendance problems among low-income children present a considerable challenge to educators and may be associated with the economic circumstances of families. Using longitudinal administrative data from the Opportunity New York City-Family Rewards study (n = 2182) and child fixed-effects models, we examine the role of stability of household income on student level attendance of 4th, 7th and 9th graders as they transition through elementary, middle, and high school, respectively. Family income volatility varies across and within these developmental stages of children, even among this low-income sample. Consistent with prior research, higher income was associated with better school attendance in all grades. But, interestingly, high income volatility is associated with worse school attendance among 4th and 7th graders, relative to stable income or moderate levels of income volatility. This finding contributes to emerging studies seeking to identify whether income volatility has distinct influences on children's school-related outcomes.

Secondary school educational practitioners’ experiences of school attendance problems and interventions to address them: a qualitative study

ABSTRACTSchool attendance problems are associated with a range of adverse consequences, and educational practitioners play a role in identifying and responding to attendance problems. This qualitative study explored educational practitioners’ experiences of working with students with attendance problems and interventions to address them. Focus groups were conducted with sixteen practitioners across three secondary schools. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Attendance problems were considered resource-intensive and emotionally challenging. Practitioners expressed difficulty understanding causes, although individual/family factors were emphasised over school factors. A range of interventions were described, including adaptations to school context and providing emotional support. Views on punitive approaches were mixed. Individualised interventions implemented at the first sign of problems, and a team approach, were considered important. Findings highlight the important role of educational practitioners in identifying attendance problems and implementing interventions. Recommendations include early intervention, team-work, and emotional support for students with, and staff responding to, attendance problems.

Developing a case mix classification for child and adolescent mental health services: the influence of presenting problems, complexity factors and service providers on number of appointments*

Background: Case-mix classification is a focus of international attention in considering how best to manage and fund services, by providing a basis for fairer comparison of resource utilization. Yet there is little evidence of the best ways to establish case mix for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).Aim: To develop a case mix classification for CAMHS that is clinically meaningful and predictive of number of appointments attended and to investigate the influence of presenting problems, context and complexity factors and provider variation.Method: We analysed 4573 completed episodes of outpatient care from 11 English CAMHS. Cluster analysis, regression trees and a conceptual classification based on clinical best practice guidelines were compared regarding their ability to predict number of appointments, using mixed effects negative binomial regression.Results: The conceptual classification is clinically meaningful and did as well as data-driven classifications in accounting for number of appointments. There was little evidence for effects of complexity or context factors, with the possible exception of school attendance problems. Substantial variation in resource provision between providers was not explained well by case mix.Conclusion: The conceptually-derived classification merits further testing and development in the context of collaborative decision making.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cyber-Victimization and Educational Outcomes for Adolescents

Adolescents’ Internet use is increasingly mobile, private, and unsupervised, which raises concerns given that the Internet increasingly serves as a medium for experiencing victimization. Although it is widely recognized that in-person victimization has a deleterious effect on adolescents’ educational outcomes, the extent to which cyber-victimization has similar effects is less well known. This systematic review and meta-analysis offers a synthesis of the relationship between cyber-victimization and educational outcomes of adolescents aged 12 to 17, including 25 effect sizes from 12 studies drawn from a variety of disciplines. A series of random-effects meta-analyses using robust variance estimation revealed associations between cyber-victimization and higher school attendance problems (r = .20) and academic achievement problems (r = .14). Results did not differ by provided definition, publication status, reporting time frame, gender, race/ethnicity, or average age. Implications for future research are discussed within context of theoretical, critical, and applied discussions.

Functional Assessment of School Attendance Problems: An Adapted Version of the School Refusal Assessment Scale–Revised

The School Refusal Assessment Scale (SRAS) was developed to identify four factors that might maintain a youth’s school attendance problem (SAP), and thus be targeted for treatment. There is still limited support for the four-factor model inherent to the SRAS and its revision (SRAS-R). Recent studies indicate problems with the wording of eight items added to the SRAS to form the SRAS-R. We examined the factorial validity of an adapted item set comprising 16 of the 24 SRAS-R items and eight items developed for this study. The eight items paralleled the content of the SRAS-R items being replaced but were less complex and ambiguous. Data were gathered from 199 youth with a SAP and 131 parents. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the adapted item set supported a four-factor model. Internal consistency reliability of the subscales was higher than it is commonly reported in SRAS-R studies. Concurrent validity was supported by associations between the four factors and measures of internalizing or externalizing behavior. The adapted SRAS-R may help professionals reliably assess the relative strength of factors maintaining SAPs. This is one of the few studies conducted independent of the instrument’s developer and in a school culture different from that where the instrument is usually tested.

League Bilong Laif: rugby, education and sport-for-development partnerships in Papua New Guinea

League Bilong Laif (LBL) is a sport-for-development (SFD) programme that was established in 2013 as a three-way partnership between the Australian Government, the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government (Department of Education) and the Australian Rugby League Commission (National Rugby League). As a contribution to addressing low rates of school attendance and significant problems with anti-social behaviour within PNG communities, LBL was designed to contribute to (1) improvements in student engagement with education in and out of the classroom; and (2) communication of positive social messages, with a focus on respect generally, and gender equity in particular. This paper discusses the qualitative review of the pilot phase of the LBL project, and the implications for programme design and delivery for education outcomes through a SFD programme. Data were collected through a combination of 23 interviews and focus groups with 33 individual representatives from relevant organisations and government departments in the areas of sport, education and community development. Preliminary findings indicate that despite a challenging beginning, the LBL programme has made some progress in terms of the initial development of programme aims and stakeholder engagement, largely because of the rigorous design process that kept desired programme outcomes at the forefront.

Daily cybervictimization among Latino adolescents: Links with emotional, physical and school adjustment

The current study examines how Latino adolescents’ daily cybervictimization experiences are associated with their emotional and physical well-being and school adjustment. Latino high school students (N=118) completed daily checklists across five consecutive school days. Hierarchical linear modeling results revealed that daily cybervictimization experiences were associated with greater feelings of distress, anger, shame and physical symptoms. Moderation analyses showed gender differences such that the daily level associations with distress and anger were significant for Latinas but not Latino adolescents. Daily cybervictimization experiences were also related to increased school attendance problems such as arriving late to class or skipping a class. Mediation models indicated that daily feelings of distress accounted for the association between single episodes of cybervictimization and attendance problems. The results address several voids in the cybervictimization literature and demonstrate that a discrete encounter of victimization online is associated with compromised well-being and school adjustment among Latino adolescents.

The Effects and Behaviours of Home Alone Situation by Latchkey Children

Economic and social pressures are forcing more parents into the workplace at a time when children appear to most need adult guidance and supervision. These children, in turn, face a growing number of problems such as physical and sexual abuse, crime and delinquency, depression and suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, emotional and behavioral problems, learning difficulties, school attendance problems, domestic violence, pregnancy, abortion, and venereal disease. Many children experience stressful and even dangerous situations without ready access to adult guidance and support. It is estimated that as many as 10 million children care for themselves before or after school. Many latchkey kids begin their self-care responsibilities at about 8 years of age.

Parental Involvement & Child Development

The researcher seeks to investigate the methods, types and frequency of parental involvement and to address which among the many intervention processes is most influential to the child’s development. Parental involvement in their child’s development is a more powerful force compared to other family variables including social class and status, family size or level of parental education. Parental involvement affects child’s learning and higher academic performance that could optimistically lead to higher academic achievement, greater cognitive competence, greater problem-solving skills, greater school enjoyment, better school attendance and fewer behavioural problems. However, parents have different positions regarding the need for involvement and the degree of involvement policies and educational systems require them. In addition, there are many factors to consider for parents (e.g. financial status, educational level, work, etc.) prior to their participation. The issue is decided to be investigated to provide a bigger picture regarding parental involvement in the family as well as child’s social environment. There is a drive to investigate the increase in child’s progress in terms of effective parental involvement. The rationale of this study is to basically explore the implications of parental involvement in their children academic as well as social development. This research may be useful for parents who are seeking clarifications on their participatory role and how they can contribute; for teachers who are working in close collaboration with the parents and for the children who are the main receivers of direct benefits of parental involvement.

不登校傾向と自覚症状，生活習慣関連要因との関連 静岡県子どもの生活実態調査データを用いた検討

不登校傾向と自覚症状，生活習慣関連要因との関連 静岡県子どもの生活実態調査データを用いた検討

Confirmatory factor analysis of the PedsQL among youth in a residential treatment setting

The Pediatric Quality of Life assessment (PedsQL™) is the most widely used measure for assessing adolescent health-related quality of life (HRQoL). While youth in residential treatment facilities face many physical and mental health, behavioral, education, and familial challenges that could impact their HRQoL, no research has sought to assess the factor structure of the PedsQL™ among youth receiving residential care. High school-aged youth (N = 229) attending a large residential treatment center in Omaha, NE were recruited to complete a data collection packet comprised of various health assessments including the PedsQL. Four competing confirmatory factor analysis models were used to test the hypothesized internal structure of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Teen Report. Models A, B, and C had acceptable CFI (≥.90), TLI (≥.90), and RMSEA (≤.08) fit indicators. However, factor loadings for items 5 and 6 were problematic. After removing the two problematic items, Model D was fit to the data and proved to be the superior of the four models. This model included two first-order factors (physical health problems; school attendance problems) and one second-order factor (psychological health problems). The findings suggest that researchers and practitioners studying youth in residential settings can reliably use the PedsQL™ to assess their HRQoL.