Types and correlates of school absenteeism among students with intellectual disability

Melvin, G.A.; Freeman, M.; Ashford, L.J.; Hastings, R.P.; Heyne, D.A.; Tonge, B.J.; Bailey, T.; Totsika, V.; Gray, K.M.

doi:doi:10.1111/jir.13011

Background. It appears that students with intellectual disability (ID) are more frequently absent from school
compared with students without ID. The objective of the current study was to estimate the frequency of
absence among students with ID and the reasons for absence. Potential reasons included the attendance
problems referred to as school refusal, where absence is related to emotional distress; truancy, where
absence is concealed from parents; school exclusion, where absence is instigated by the school; and school withdrawal, where absence is initiated by parents. Methods. Study participants were 629 parents (84.6% mothers) of Australian school students (Mage = 11.18 years; 1.8% Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander) with an ID. Participants completed a questionnaire battery that included the School
Non-Attendance ChecKlist via which parents indicated the reason their child was absent for each day or
half-day absence their child had over the past 20...Show moreBackground. It appears that students with intellectual disability (ID) are more frequently absent from school
compared with students without ID. The objective of the current study was to estimate the frequency of
absence among students with ID and the reasons for absence. Potential reasons included the attendance
problems referred to as school refusal, where absence is related to emotional distress; truancy, where
absence is concealed from parents; school exclusion, where absence is instigated by the school; and school withdrawal, where absence is initiated by parents. Methods. Study participants were 629 parents (84.6% mothers) of Australian school students (Mage = 11.18 years; 1.8% Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander) with an ID. Participants completed a questionnaire battery that included the School
Non-Attendance ChecKlist via which parents indicated the reason their child was absent for each day or
half-day absence their child had over the past 20 school days. The absence data presented to parents had been retrieved from school records. Results. Across all students, absence occurred on 7.9% of the past 20 school days. In terms of school attendance problems as defined in existing literature, school withdrawal accounted for 11.1% of absences and school refusal for 5.3% of absences. Students were also absent for other reasons, most commonly illness (32.0%) and appointments (24.2%). Of students with more than one absence (n = 217; 34.5%), about half were absent for more than one reason. Students attending mainstream schools had lower attendance than those attending special schools. Conclusions Students with ID were absent for a range of reasons and often for multiple reasons. There were elevated rates of school withdrawal and school refusal. Understanding the reasons for absenteeism can inform targeted prevention and intervention supports.
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Types and correlates of school absenteeism among students with intellectual disability