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

Abstract

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; M: 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.

Prevalence and associated factors of depression among Korean adolescents

“…Given the amount of time adolescents spend at school, the school environment and school-related activities may be the greatest source of protection against, or the greatest source of, distress for adolescents [29, 30]. Indeed, school refusal (self-motivated refusal to attend school and/or difficulty remaining in class for the full day) [31] might not be simply a maladaptive behavior [32]. Rather, it may often be a warning sign of severe distress and negative emotional states including anxiety and depressive mood that markedly impair social and daily functioning [33].…”

Reconciling Contemporary Approaches to School Attendance and School Absenteeism: Toward Promotion and Nimble Response, Global Policy Review and Implementation, and Future Adaptability (Part 1)

“…School attendance problems in various forms have been linked to a wide array of academic deficiencies such as reduced educational performance, lower reading and mathematics test scores, fewer literacy skills, grade retention, and school dropout (Bridgeland et al, 2006; Burton et al, 2014; Smerillo et al, 2018). School attendance problems are closely linked as well to internalizing behavior problems such as anxiety, depression (including issues of suicidal behavior and bereavement), and social isolation (Ek and Eriksson, 2013; Pompili et al, 2013; Miller et al, 2015; Finning et al, 2019; Knollmann et al, 2019) as well as externalizing behavior problems such as elevated alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drug use (Henry and Huizinga, 2007; Holtes et al, 2015), risky sexual behaviors (Allison and Attisha, 2019), oppositional defiant and conduct problems (Wood et al, 2012), impaired social functioning and poor relationships with peers (Havik et al, 2015; Gonzalvez et al, 2019), and involvement with the juvenile justice system (Anderson et al, 2016). School attendance problems are connected to myriad adverse childhood experiences such as trauma, school violence and victimization, and medical problems as well (Hutzell and Payne, 2012; Ramirez et al, 2012; Emerson et al, 2016; Hsu et al, 2016; McLean et al, 2017; Stempel et al, 2017; Berendes et al, 2019).…”

Improving school attendance by enhancing communication among stakeholders: establishment of the International Network for School Attendance (INSA)

“…For example, Kearney and colleagues developed a functional model of absenteeism (e.g., [36][37][38]30]) suited to emerging SAPs. The functional model continues to evolve, now covering a broader range of school-and family-related functions [39].…”