Submitted to

Maam Nazia Zafar

Submitted by

Simal Amjad (0048)

Myrah Mubbashir (0065)

Ramila Sultana (0113)

Subject

School Psychology

Section

D
 School Refusal, Truancy and Absenteeism in children

Ramila Sultana (0113)

School life is the most exciting period in one's life. It is the time when one learns the first lessons
of socialization. School placement and regular attendance are considered essential for the overall
development of a child. Refusing to attend school can be detrimental in many ways.

What is school refusal?

School refusal is defined as child-motivated refusal to attend or difficulties remaining in school

for the entire day. It refers to a child's or adolescent's consistent refusal to attend school. It often
involves emotional distress and can be triggered by various factors such as anxiety, social issues,
academic challenges, or other psychological difficulties. It's essential to address the underlying
issues to support the individual in returning to and engaging positively with their education.

What is school truancy?

The truancy meaning in the education system is when a child is absent from school from a
certain time. Sometimes truancy is referred to as chronic absenteeism. Currently, there is no
national standard for the number of days of school students are allowed to miss. The number of
absent days is determined by local school boards and state laws. An important note is that many
states require 180 days of school annually.

Thousands of students skip school daily without a valid reason. Truancy is when an adolescent
regularly misses school without reasonable excuses and is often referred to as chronic
absenteeism. Many experts believe the ultimate solution for truancy lies in a collaborative effort
between parents, schools, and the community at large.

Over half of states require that students attend school for at least 180 days per year. However, no
national standard exists for determining how many days a student can legally miss each year.

Truancy can be divided into three categories:

Chronic Absenteeism:

Chronic absenteeism means regularly missing a lot of school days. If a student is consistently
absent, it can affect their learning and overall educational experience.

Habitual Truancy:

This can be defined as missing several days in a row or a certain number of days per semester or
year.
Chronic Truancy:

This is the worst form of being truant and involves the student continuing to pile up absences,
often despite court mandates to attend school.

Some Reasons for Refusal can be:

• To receive attention from significant others outside of school like from Parents, Peers,
family, etc.

• Fear that something will happen to a parent after he/she is in school.

• Becoming distressed during school days which leads to pleas for future absenteeism.

• Often in the nurse's office with psychosomatic complaints.

Most Common Psychiatric Diagnosis:

• Separation anxiety

• Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)

• Panic Disorder

• Depression

Difference between school refusal and truancy:

SCHOOL REFUSAL:

1)Severe emotional distress about attending school manifests as anxiety, temper tantrums,
depression, or somatic symptoms

2) Parents are aware of absence; the child often tries to persuade parents to allow him or her to
stay home

3)Antisocial behaviors such as juvenile delinquency are not notably seen

4)Children usually stay home during school hours

TRUANCY:

1)Excessive anxiety or fear about attending school is not commonly seen; rather child often tries
to conceal/hide absence from parents
2)Antisocial behavior such as delinquent and disruptive acts, for example, lying and stealing, are
frequent in the company of antisocial peers.

3) The child frequently does not stay home during school hours.

SIMAL AMJAD (0048)

Contributing factors in school truancy and refusal

1. Family Dynamics:

Disruptions within the family, such as divorce, conflict, or instability, can impact a student's
attendance.

2. School Environment:

A negative or unsupportive school climate, including bullying or a lack of engagement, may

contribute to truancy.

3. Academic Struggles:

Difficulty with schoolwork, learning disabilities, or lack of interest in academic subjects can lead
to avoidance of school.

4. Mental Health Issues:

Anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns can significantly influence a student's
willingness to attend school.

5. Peer Influence:

Negative peer relationships or bullying can contribute to a student's desire to avoid school.

6. Health Issues:

Chronic health conditions, including physical or mental health issues, may interfere with regular
school attendance.

7. Lack of Parental Involvement:

Insufficient parental support and involvement in a child's education can contribute to truancy.

8. Social and Cultural Factors:

Cultural differences or societal expectations may affect a student's perception of the importance
of education.

9. School Policies and Practices:

Inflexible school policies or ineffective disciplinary practices may exacerbate truancy issues.

10. Economic Factors:

Socioeconomic challenges, such as poverty or the need for the student to work, can impact
attendance.

11. Substance Abuse:

Substance abuse issues, either by the student or within the family, can contribute to truancy.

12. Lack of Motivation:

A lack of motivation or clear goals for the future may result in disengagement from the school.

13. Special Education Needs:

Students with special education needs may face challenges that affect their attendance and
participation.

14. Transportation Issues:

Lack of reliable transportation may hinder a student's ability to attend school regularly.

15. Early Warning Signs:

Ignoring early signs of academic or behavioral difficulties can lead to chronic truancy if not
addressed promptly

Myrah Mubbashir (L1F20BSSY0065)

Interventions for absenteeism and truancy

School interventions and incentive programs

i. Peer tutoring

ii. Mentoring
 iii. Perfect attendance awards

iv. Reward incentives

Family interventions

i. Family-based services

ii. Family-School collaboration

Community interventions

i. Community organizations and involvement

ii. Leadership and community-based activities

 School Interventions:

For student absenteeism and truancy, there are a number of interventions that have been
implemented within the schools, families, and the community. Within the school setting
administrators have implemented interventions and incentive programs with hopes to promote
student attachment to school

Peer influence

Peer tutoring has become an intervention in schools which older achieving students are trained to
work with younger students who have attendance issues.

Mentorship

Teacher or administrative mentors is also an approach at intervening with students with

attendance issues. Mentors provide students with opportunities for “prosocial identification.”
They provide empathic support in helping to activate self-development, and they also promote
experiences that contest students’ lowered academic ambitions. Students often look up to their
mentors as a good role model and someone they aspire to be like. The mentor is able to overlook
the student’s progress and see if there are any ways in which the student can be further helped in
getting them to attend school. Mentoring has been seen to be particularly effective and works
best when there is a relationship between the student and the mentor.
Incentives/Rewards

Perfect attendance awards and certificates are used as an incentive to student attendance. This
type of incentive helps to encourage students by a school wide recognition as well as a personal
certificate or award. In some instances, the principal read student names over the public
announcement system

Other ways of using a reward incentive to increase daily attendance has been done through
parties, gift certificates, recognition at assemblies and small items that a student can receive if
they attend school

 Family Intervention

Family interventions have also been implemented to link the family, student and school as one
unit.

Family based intervention

Family-based interventions consist of home visits or telephone contact with parents encouraging
parents to be more actively involved in getting their children to school. Family-based services
help parents to set up fixed schedules for students to follow and help families to identify and deal
with the problems that are surrounding their child’s low attendance

School family collaboration:

Within family interventions, the schools are really encouraging a family-school collaboration.
Within this collaboration the schools are looking for the families to support their decisions in
regards to discipline for low attendance. The schools are looking for the families to work with
them to figure out ways in which they can get these children to want to attend school regularly.
Also, within this group effort, schools are constantly in contact with the family regarding
student’s attendance.

The “Kids these days effect”

Every generation grows older, looks over its shoulder, and despairs over all the bad teenagers
and young adults these days. Eventually, the latter will also age, sprout a few gray hairs, and do
exactly the same thing. According to Science Advances, five major studies pooled their data
and discovered that this illusion is so deeply embedded in humanity that it’s almost a knee-jerk
reaction. In other words, even though it happens over and over again, every older generation is
convinced that they’re the first to get stuck with incapable youths, making them utter, “The kids
these days…”

Parenting Styles

Parenting styles are like recipes. Nobody gives you the complete cookbook, so you fill the gaps
with a unique blend of your own upbringing experiences, social expectations, and instinct.
Sometimes, things go right and kids rise like a champion and go on to be responsible adults. But
why do some kids fall flat and key the neighbor’s car? While adolescent psychology is complex,
the University of New Hampshire discovered that parents who raise their kids with respect and
not authoritarianism tend to raise respectful, content, and self-reliant offspring. They also tend to
be self-reliant in studies and own a sense of responsibility.

 Community based interventions

Community and neighborhood interventions are also important to increasing student attendance.
Community organizations and getting students involved outside of their home and within their
community have shown to be effective in motivating students. After school community
organizations are available to help students with their school work and to provide a healthy
atmosphere for success.

Within the community there is leadership and community-based activities which give students a
sense of pride and make them feel a sense of achievement for being a leader. Having a
community around a student’s home that is supportive to their needs is essential, and a place near
their home would most likely have the same socioeconomic and ethnic makeup which would not
intimidate a student or make them feel out of place.

Example: The community of O’ block in California, USA.