Taxonomic Systems for School Refusal Behaviour

1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melinda Pritchard ◽  
Neville King ◽  
Bruce J. Tonge ◽  
David Heyne ◽  
Sandra Lancaster

The heterogeneous nature of school refusal has led to much confusion surrounding the conceptualisation of this phenomenon. A number of researchers have developed taxonomic systems in an effort to enhance our understanding of school refusal and to facilitate communication among professionals working in the field. The current paper explores the evolution of these systems and outlines the limitations of each. Non-empirical classificatory systems are reviewed first, followed by empirical systems based on factor analyses and diagnostic profiles. A functional taxonomic system for problematic school attendance is then reviewed. Future research based on sound methodological procedures should aim to examine a broad range of child and family characteristics in order to develop reliable, homogenous subtypes for this population.

Author(s):  
Miriam Blume ◽  
Petra Rattay ◽  
Stephanie Hoffmann ◽  
Jacob Spallek ◽  
Lydia Sander ◽  
...  

This scoping review systematically mapped evidence of the mediating and moderating effects of family characteristics on health inequalities in school-aged children and adolescents (6–18 years) in countries with developed economies in Europe and North America. We conducted a systematic scoping review following the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews recommendations. We searched the PubMed, PsycINFO and Scopus databases. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts. Evidence was synthesized narratively. Of the 12,403 records initially identified, 50 articles were included in the synthesis. The included studies were conducted in the United States (n = 27), Europe (n = 18), Canada (n = 3), or in multiple countries combined (n = 2). We found that mental health was the most frequently assessed health outcome. The included studies reported that different family characteristics mediated or moderated health inequalities. Parental mental health, parenting practices, and parent-child-relationships were most frequently examined, and were found to be important mediating or moderating factors. In addition, family conflict and distress were relevant family characteristics. Future research should integrate additional health outcomes besides mental health, and attempt to integrate the complexity of families. The family characteristics identified in this review represent potential starting points for reducing health inequalities in childhood and adolescence.


2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 238-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce D Dick ◽  
Rebecca Pillai Riddell

Cognitive function is a critical factor related to a child’s overall developmental trajectory. There is increasing evidence that chronic pain disrupts cognitive function in adults. Little is known about the nature or impact of cognitive disruption in children and adolescents with chronic pain. The present review examines the current literature related to cognitive function in children and adolescents with chronic pain, implications of these findings and future research directions. Nine studies on this topic were found, with a relatively recent increase in publications related to school attendance and subjective studies of school performance. The studies that were found on this topic suggested that chronic pain affects cognitive function in children but the scope of these effects on children’s function and developmental trajectories is not yet clear. While methodological issues surely make it difficult to study cognitive function in children with chronic pain, the potential gains from such research warrant a pursuit of such work. Much remains to be studied on this important topic.


Author(s):  
Rosemarie Lloyd

AbstractThis study had two main aims. (1) To examine the role of discretionary effort (DE) in the multidimensional performance domain consisting of in-role behaviour (IRB) and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB); and (2) to assess whether skills and autonomy are important predictors of DE and show variance in common with DE over and above IRB and OCB. A managers/supervisors sample (n = 476) and a sample with both managerial and nonmanagerial employees (n = 424) were employed. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the three factor hierarchical model was superior compared to three other models tested, indicating that DE is a separate construct to both IRB and OCB but together with these forms part of the performance domain. Regression analysis showed that both skills and autonomy are important predictors of DE; however, only autonomy explained variance in DE over and above IRB, OCB and skills. Together these results add to the construct validity of DE. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Gonzálvez ◽  
Miriam Martín ◽  
María Vicent ◽  
Ricardo Sanmartín

In order to reduce school attendance problems and aggressive behavior, it is essential to determine the relationship between both variables. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to examine the mean differences in scores on aggression, based on school refusal behavior, and (2) to analyze the predictive capacity of high scores on aggression, based on school refusal behavior factors. The sample consisted of 1455 Spanish secondary school students, aged 13–17 (M = 14.85; SD = 1.56). The School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised (I. Avoidance of negative affectivity, II. Escape from aversive social and/or evaluative situations, III. Pursuit of attention from significant others, and IV. Pursuit of tangible reinforcement outside of school) and the Aggression Questionnaire (I. Physical Aggression, II. Verbal Aggression, III. Anger, and IV. Hostility) were used. Results indicated that students having high levels of Physical Aggression, Verbal Aggression, Anger, and Hostility received significantly higher scores on school refusal behavior. In most cases, school refusal behavior was found to be a positive and statistically significant predictor of aggression. Students that base their school refusal on the pursuit of tangible reinforcements outside of school earned higher scores, and other functional conditions underlying school refusal behavior were found to be associated with aggression issues. The role of aggression as a risk factor for school refusal behavior is discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (1&2) ◽  
pp. 110-138
Author(s):  
Charlotte Shaw ◽  
Janelle Levesque ◽  
Katrina McKie

Selective education research has demonstrated that students are aware of the low status of being allocated to a low-ability school. Recent data in Guyana has shown that low-ability school attendance is associated with low rates of student attendance, retention, and graduation. This study aims to understand the effects of ability grouping on students by comparing the psychosocial well-being of students from different ability schools. Data was collected from a sample of 193 adolescents (70 males and 123 females) aged 13-18 from four secondary schools; representing the four school ability rankings. It was hypothesised that student psychosocial well-being would be significantly lower in low-ability schools compared to high-ability schools. Unexpectedly, the results indicated that the highest ability school had significantly lower psychosocial well-being than the other lower ability schools. The results may be potentially explained by the theory of Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect, however confirmation in future research is warranted.


Author(s):  
Rita Calabrese

This contribution focuses on processes of language feature convergence which gradually lead to linguistic stabilization over time, whereby specific attention will be given to the process of Englishization in the South-Asian area. The chapter outlines some basic concepts pertaining language universals, contact, and change, as well as descriptive approaches to world varieties of English by referring to the feature classification proposed by Meshtrie and Bhatt. Then, as an explanatory case, it presents the results of a study of verb-particle constructions in a well-established variety of English (i.e., Indian English) obtained by sampling data from sources varying in time, genre, and register with a special focus on the methodological procedures and the analysis tools adopted to extract specific information from the data. Finally, the implications of those findings for future research on the process of language standardization in new varieties of English will be further explored.


Author(s):  
Christopher A. Kearney ◽  
Anne Marie Albano

Chapter 1 introduces the primary focus of this treatment program—problematic school absenteeism. The authors use the term “school refusal behavior” as an overarching construct to represent an inability to maintain age-appropriate functioning vis-à-vis school attendance and/or to adaptively cope with school-related stressors that contribute to nonattendance. School refusal behavior refers to school-aged youths (5–17 years). The treatment program is based on a functional model of school refusal behavior that classifies youths on the basis of what reinforces absenteeism. The procedures are generally cognitive-behavioral in nature. The interventions are sensitive to age and cognitive developmental level as well as key developmental milestones that children and adolescents must achieve. The development of this treatment program and its evidence base, benefits, and risks are presented.


Author(s):  
Timothy Teo

This study assesses the factorial validity of the Computer Attitude Scale (CAS) using a sample (N=438) of students from Singapore. Developed by Selwyn (1997), the CAS is a four-factor scale that measures the perceived usefulness, affective, behavioral, perceived control components that were proposed to constitute the multidimensional construct known as computer attitude. The results of this study show an overall positive computer attitude among the students. However, factor analyses reveal multicollinearity among some items and these were removed from further analysis. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on a proposed 15-item model of the CAS and it was found to have a good fit. Implications for education in the Asian contexts are discussed. Suggestions for future research are offered.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-69
Author(s):  
Saulius Olencevicius

Feedback intervention research historically transformed focus from using single to using multidimensional factor analyses. Since researchers have been traditionally interested in determining how to predict future human behavior, the complexity of the feedback intervention research has grown gradually. The importance and multidimensionality of feedback construct on the individual level is presented by the key theories, which are reflected in the historical context, starting from the first “Law of effect”, up to the hybrid “Feedback Intervention Theory”. As a conclusion, possible future research direction is presented.


Author(s):  
Carolina Gonzálvez ◽  
Ángela Díaz-Herrero ◽  
María Vicent ◽  
Ricardo Sanmartín ◽  
Antonio M. Pérez-Sánchez ◽  
...  

Not all adolescents with school attendance problems attribute their behavior to the same causes. Knowing the subtypes of students who reject school and their relationship with new variables, such as self-concept, is an unresolved task. This study aimed to identify different school refusal behavior profiles and to determine whether these profiles differed from each other based on the scores of the eleven dimensions of self-concept (Physical appearance, Physical abilities, Parent relations, Same-sex relations, Opposite-sex relations, Honesty, Emotional stability, Self-esteem, Verbal, Math, and General school). The participants were 1315 Spanish students (57.6% male) aged 12–18 years (M = 15.21; SD = 1.74). The School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised and the Self-Description Questionnaire II-Short Form were administered. A latent class analysis revealed four school refusal behavior profiles: Moderately High School Refusal Behavior, Moderately Low School Refusal Behavior, Mixed School Refusal Behavior and Non-School Refusal Behavior. The results indicated that the Mixed School Refusal Behavior group was the most maladaptive profile and revealed the lowest mean scores on self-concept. In contrast, Non-School Refusal and Moderately Low School Refusal Behavior groups revealed the highest scores in all dimensions of self-concept. Implications for working toward the prevention of school refusal in students with low self-concept are discussed.


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