A study of the educational, social, and psychological characteristics of poor attenders

Abstract

Following a literature review on absenteeism, a pilot study of a group of poor attenders and their families is reported. The aim of the study was to investigate factors associated with poor attendance. Because of the small sample the results are descriptive rather than statistical. Other limitations are also discussed. Teachers and parents of 27 students were interviewed. Twenty-six pupils from 2 colleges and their 2 feeding intermediates were subsequently interviewed and assessed. Fourteen of the pupils were European, 10 Maori, and 3 Polynesian. Their mean absence rate for Term 1, 1982 was 16.9%, and their teachers described at least 50.0% of these absences as illegitimate. Sixty-three per cent of pupils were from SES levels IV, V, or VI and SES level I was not represented. Fifty-five per cent of pupils lived in families with 5 or more children. Over one-third of all parents were separated or divorced. The education level of most parents was low and 28.0% described their own school attendance as poor. According to teachers, the parents of 63.0% of the pupils had some knowledge of their child's absence and parental connivance, totally or in part, explained the absences of 40.0% of students. Approximately 50.0% reported that their child's attendance had deteriorated with their transition to a new school. Most parents reported knowing their child's teacher "not at all" or very little; only 2 parents were hostile towards schools generally. A significant minority of parents were regarded as passive and inadequate or firm and controlling in discipline style. Forty-eight per cent of pupils were rated as wilful or stubborn with 1 or both parents. The parents of 11.0% of students were rated as having a tense, mutually unsatisfactory relationship with their child. Most parents reported experiencing behavioural difficulties with their child; the parents of 48.0% of pupils claimed these problems commenced with their child's transition to a new school. Thirteen per cent of parents and 23.0% of pupils scored above criteria for probable psychiatric disorder on a Health Questionnaire. Forty per cent of pupils were rated by parents as displaying a neurotic or conduct disorder. Sixty-six per cent of pupils were rated by teachers as showing a disorder on a similar scale. Thirty-seven per cent of pupils were rated by parents and teachers as showing a disorder. Generally, boys were rated more negatively than girls. On an abbreviated intelligence test, 65.0% of pupils scored below average. On a word reading test, 35.0% of pupils were assessed as reading 28 months or more below their chronological age, and 23.0% of all pupils had not attained a functional literacy stage. In summary, most pupils were below average intelligence and a large number showed a severe degree of backwardness in reading. In the discussion of the results it is concluded that poor attendance almost always has complex causes. The interplay of educational, social and psychological factors is important and a comprehensive assessment of each poor attender is required.