Secondary school practitioners’ beliefs about risk factors for school attendance problems: a qualitative study

Abstract

School staff have an important role to play in identifying and assisting pupils who require additional support to regularly attend school, but their beliefs about risk factors might influence their decisions regarding intervention. This qualitative study investigated educational practitioners' beliefs about risk factors for attendance problems. Sixteen practitioners from three secondary schools were interviewed via focus groups. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Practitioners identified risk factors related to the individual, their family, peers and school. Poor mental health was identified as a risk factor, but practitioners primarily focused on anxiety rather than other mental health problems like depression or behavioural disorders. The overall perception was that school factors were less important than individual, family and peer factors. Implications include a need for increased awareness of the role of school factors in attendance problems, focus on promoting positive peer and pupil-teacher relationships, and collaborative working between young people, families and schools.

Kolik času zameškají žáci v českém základním školství?

“…Dále potřebujeme více vědět o příčinách vysokých absencí českých žáků a o jejich dopadech. Kromě "tvrdých dat" je také potřeba zkoumat perspektivu různých aktérů, jako jsou žáci, rodiče, učitelé a ředitelé škol (Finning et al, 2018(Finning et al, , 2019b. V neposlední řadě bychom se měli zajímat také o to, jak školy poskytují podporu žákům s velkým počtem zameškaných hodin a jak lze absencím předcházet (Gentle-Genitty, Taylor & Renguette, 2020; Kearney et al, 2019b;Strand & Granlund, 2014).…”

“…Výzkum absencí by však neměl být redukován na skryté či zjevné záškoláctví ani spojován s jednou skupinou žáků. Vysoké absence mohou být způsobeny řadou odlišných příčin -a výzkum ukazuje, že zejména příčiny na straně školy bývají pod-ceňovány (Finning et al, 2018(Finning et al, , 2019b. Na žákovu vzdělávací dráhu však mohou mít závažné a trvalé dopady i vysoké absence ze zdravotních a obdobných důvodů, a i zde je třeba včas problém zachytit a hledat vhodné strategie intervence.…”

South African youth’s understanding of feelings, thoughts and behaviours: Implications for the development of CBT-based mental health interventions

“…In South Africa, estimated prevalence rates of anxiety or depression in children (age 10-12) are one in eight (Cortina et al, 2013) and as many as four in ten 14-and 15-year-olds may have depression (Das-Munshi et al, 2016). Mental health problems interfere with children's daily functioning, including education, social relationships and developmental progress (Belfer, 2008;Dalsgaard et al, 2020;Finning et al, 2020;Giel et al, 1981;Patel et al, 2007;Rescorla et al, 2007;Wickersham et al, 2020). Long-term, if untreated, mental health problems tend to persist (American Psychiatric Association, 2013;Fombonne et al, 2001).…”

Mental well-being and school exclusion: changing the discourse from vulnerability to acceptance

“…Anxiety might lead to greater problems with self-exclusion and school refusal than school exclusion per se. Teachers might have the perception that individual factors are more important than school factors in helping a student suffering from an anxiety disorder-although school factors such as bullying and concerns about learning often play a significant role and need to be addressed through collaborative working (Finning et al 2020). There is some evidence to support how children with depression may exhibit behaviours that might lead to exclusion (Whear et al 2013).…”