Why aren’t They at School?: An Analysis of the Student Absenteeism among the High School Students

Yıl 2021, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 2, 180 - 198, 30.11.2021

Özge Öztekin Bayır Ahmet Aypay

Öz

The aim of this study is to reveal the reasons for high school students’ absenteeism. The study is designed as a survey research which is part of the quantitative research methods. The participants are 1037 high school students attending eight high school with the highest rate of absenteeism. They were selected through the cluster sampling. The data of the study were collected through the administration of the reasons for absenteeism form developed by the author. The form is consisted of the following dimensions: (i) health-related problems, (ii) environmental factors, (iii) school and school administrators related reasons, (iv) student-related reasons, (v) friends related reasons, (vi) teacher-related reasons and (vii) family-related reasons. The mean scores for each item (¯X) and standard deviation (SD) were found. The findings of the study indicate that among the reasons for the absenteeism among students, the reasons related to health problems have the highest average. The lowest average is found to be the family-related reasons.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Absenteeism, reasons for the absenteeism, high school students

Kaynakça

• Altınkurt, Y. (2008). The reasons for students irregular attendance and the effect on this students irregular attendance on their academic achievement. Dumlupınar University Journal of Social Sciences, 20, 129-142.
• Arkonaç, S. (2001). Sosyal psikoloji [Social psychology]. İstanbul: Alfa.
• Ataman, A. (2001) Sınıf içinde karşılaşılan davranış problemleri ve bunlara karşı geliştirilen önlemler [Behavior problems encountered in the classroom and measures developed against them]. L. Küçükahmet (Ed.), Sınıf yönetiminde yeni yaklaşımlar [New approaches to classroom management]. Ankara: Nobel.
• Baker, J., Sigmon, N., & Nugent, M. (2001). Truancy reduction: Keeping students in school. Juvenile Justice Bulletin.
• Balcı, A. (2002). Etkili okul ve okul geliştirme [Effective school and school development]. Ankara: Pegem.
• Balfanz, R., & Byrnes, V. (2012). The importance of being in school: A report on absenteeism in the nation's public schools. The Education Digest, 78(2), 4.
• Barlow, J., & Fleischer, S. (2011). Student absenteeism: Whose responsibility? Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 48(3), 227-237.
• Butler, I. (2003). Divorcing children: children’s experience of the parents’ divorce. London: Jessica Kingsley.
• Cüceloğlu, D. (1996). Yetişkin çocuklar [Adult children]. İstanbul: Sistem.
• Çevik, Y. (2011). Öğrenci devamsızlığının nedenleri [Reasons for student absenteeism]. Eğitişim Dergisi [Journal of Education], 29.
• De Kalb, J. (1999). Student truancy. ERIC Digests, 125.
• DeSocio, J., VanCura,M., Nelson, L. A., Hewitt, G., Kitzman, H., & Cole, R. (2007). Engaging truant adolescents: Results from a multifaceted intervention pilot. Preventing School Failure, 51(3), 3-11.
• Galichon, J. P., & Friedman, H. H. (1985). Cutting college classes: An investigation. College Student Journal, 19, 357-360.
• Gilmore, J. (1985). Improving the attendance of primary children by involving parents in their education. Fort Lauderdale, FL: Nova University.
• Gül, S., Kıran, Ö., & Nasirsi, H. (2016). Reasons behind absenteeism of student of high school in light of new regulations and its advantages in Atakum example. The Journal of International Social Research, 9(44), 925-933.
• Güney, S. (2000). Davranış bilimleri [Behavioral sciences]. Ankara: Nobel.
• Hansen, C., Sanders, S., Massaro, S., & Last, C. (1998). Predictors of severity of absenteeism in children with anxiety-based school refusal. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 11, 167-173.
• Johnson, G. (1997). Teachers in the inner city: Experience-based ratings of factors that place students at risk. Preventing School Failure, 42, 19-26.
• Kablan, Z. (2009). The effects of attendance on teacher candidates’ learning. Pamukkale University Journal of Education, 1(25), 22-32.
• Kadı, Z. (2000). Adana ili merkezindeki ilköğretim okulu öğrencilerinin sürekli devamsızlık nedenleri [Reasons for continuous absenteeism of primary school students in Adana city center] (Unpublished master thesis). İnönü University, Malatya.
• Kağıtçıbası, Ç. (1998). Yeni insan ve insanlar: Sosyal psikolojiye giriş [The new man and people: Introduction to social psychology]. İstanbul: Evrim.
• Kearney-Christopher, A. (2008). School absenteeism and school refusal behavior in youth: A contemporary review. Clinical Psychology Review, 28, 451–471.
• Kinder, K., Harland, J., Wilkin, A., & Wakefield, A. (1995). Three to remember: Strategies for disaffected pupils. Slough: NFER.
• Kinder, K., Harland, J., Wilkin, A., & Wakefield, A. (1996). Talking back: Pupil views on disaffection. Slough: NFER.
• McCray, E. (2006). It’s 10 a.m.: Do you know where your children are? The persisting issue of scholl truancy. Intervention in School and Clinic, 42, 30-33.
• Neuman, W. L. (2006). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantiative approaches. Toronto: Pearson.
• Özbaş, M. (2010). The reasons of absenteeism in primary schools. Education and Science. 35(156), 32-44.
• Pehlivan, Z. (2006). The absenteeism at state secondary schools and related school management policies (Ankara Case) (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Ankara University, Ankara.
• Reckiewicz, K. M. (1987). A study of excessive absenteeism in high school students: Confronting the dilemma of why it occurs and strategies to overcome the problem. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Reid, K. (1985). Truancy and school absenteeism. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
• Reid, K. (1999). Truancy and schools. London: Routledge.
• Reid, K. (2003). The search for solutions to truancy and other forms of school absenteeism. Pastoral Care, 3-9.
• Reid, K. (2004). Combating truancy and school absenteeism in Wales: The latest developments. Welsh Journal of Education, 12(2), 13-34.
• Reid, K. (2005) The causes, views and traits of school absenteeism and truancy. Research in Education, 74, 59-82.
• Schutt, R.K. (2001). Investigating the social world: the process and practice of research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge.
• Senemoğlu, N. (2005). Gelişim, öğrenme ve öğretim: Kuramdan uygulamaya [Development, learning and teaching: From theory to practice]. Ankara: Gazi.
• Smink, J., & Reimer, M. (2005). Fifteen effective strategies for improving student attendance and reducing truancy. National Dropout Prevention Center/Network, Clemson University.
• Sönmez, A. (2019). An examination of the reasons of vocational school students’ absenteeism (Kastamonu sample) (Unpublished master thesis). Kastamonu University, Kastamonu.
• Stoll, P. (1990). Absent pupils who are officially present. Education Today, 40(3), 22-5.
• Strickland, V. P. (1998). Attendance and grade point average: A Study. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED423224.pdf
• Şanlı, Ö., Altun, M., & Tan, Ç. (2015). Examining the reasons for students being absent from schools in accordance with the views of the students who are absent from their schools. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, 14(55), 161-177.
• Teasley, M. L. (2004). Absenteeism and truancy: Risk, protection, and best practice implications for school social workers. Children & Schools, 26(2), 117-127.
• Tyerman, M. (1968). Truancy. London: University of London Press.
• Uzun, K., & Kemerli, Ş. (2019). Absenteeism reasons of high school students: The example of Fethiye district. Adnan Menderes University Journal of Educational Sciences, 10(2), 1-19.
• Ülkütekin, D. (March 21, 2017). Mutsuz öğrenci okulu kırıyor [Unhappy student dropping out of school]. https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/mutsuz-ogrenci-okulu-kiriyor-704286
• Yıldız, M. (2011). Research on the reasons of absenteeism among primary school students (Elazig city sample) (Unpublished master thesis). Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir.